By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
The 2025-26 American Hockey League season has been a special one for the Providence Bruins. Providence will be competing in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs as this year’s Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners. Home-ice will have to go through Providence at Amica Mutual Pavilion in 2026. By clinching the AHL’s best record, Providence will get rest and won’t play in the first round best-of-three series, as four other teams in the Atlantic Division will have to in the AHL Playoffs. Providence will begin the 2026 playoffs in the best-of-five Division Semifinals when its opponent is confirmed.
Providence has two games remaining on the season against the Utica Comets before the 2026 playoffs begin. Even with having the first round off, it’s never too early to see which team could be Providence’s first playoff opponent. Providence will play the lowest remaining seed from the first round in the Division Semifinals. Providence has three potential opponents that they could play, and it’s time to take a look at each one of them and how the team fared against them all this season.
Bridgeport Islanders
After last season’s abysmal 37-point season, not many would’ve expected Bridgeport to make the 2026 playoffs. However, Bridgeport has had an incredible turnaround in just one season and has a spot clinched in this year’s playoffs.
Bridgeport currently sits in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with 74 points. Bridgeport needs to earn two points over its next two games to clinch home-ice advantage in the first round of the 2026 playoffs.
Forward Matt Luff leads Bridgeport with 34 assists and 52 points. Forward Adam Beckman leads Bridgeport with 29 goals, and his 50 points are second on the team. Forward Liam Foudy has also provided solid production with 26 goals and 47 points. Goaltenders Henrik Tikkanen and Marcus Hogberg have formed a solid duo as well.
This season, Providence dominated Bridgeport by winning 11 of 12 meetings. Providence won the last meeting 6-4 on March 28 at Amica Mutual Pavilion behind Riley Tufte’s hat trick. Because of this season’s results against them, Bridgeport may be Providence’s ideal opponent in the Division Semifinals.
Hershey Bears
After winning back-to-back Calder Cups in 2023 and 2024, Hershey disappointed last season by being swept in the 2025 Division Semifinals against the Charlotte Checkers. Hershey is back with a spot clinched in the 2026 playoffs, but has had a rocky season.
Hershey currently sits in fifth place in the Atlantic Division with 71 points and two games left to play this season. Hershey can fall down to the sixth seed or jump Bridgeport for the fourth seed to get home-ice advantage in the first round.
Forward Ilya Protas has been outstanding this season by leading Hershey with 28 goals and 64 points. Protas is Hershey’s only 20-goal scorer as of now. Andrew Cristall leads Hershey with 39 assists, and his 58 points are second on the roster. Hershey’s top goaltender, Clay Stevenson, has been solid this season, winning 17 games along with a 2.59 GAA and a .912 save percentage.
Providence had a great season series against Hershey. After losing the first meeting 2-0 on Nov. 1, Providence won the next three meetings against Hershey to conclude the season. Providence won 5-4 against Hershey at home in the last meeting on March 8 behind a two-goal rally. Jake Schmaltz tied the game at four with 2:50 remaining in regulation, then Tufte scored the go-ahead goal with under 50 seconds remaining to help Providence win the game.
Springfield Thunderbirds
Since losing in five games in the 2022 Calder Cup to the Chicago Wolves, Springfield has been swept in the first round of the playoffs in two of the past three seasons. This season has been tough for Springfield, but they will see playoff hockey.
Springfield currently sits in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with 70 points. Springfield can still jump Hershey or Bridgeport in the standings with two games remaining. Springfield can get home-ice advantage in round one, but it will be tough to get.
As of now, Springfield doesn’t have a single 50-point player on its roster. Forward Chris Wagner’s 49 points lead Springfield, as well as his 24 goals. Forward Aleksanteri Kaskimaki is second on Springfield’s roster with 41 points. Goaltending has been an issue for Springfield all season, with a 3.26 GAA combined. Vadim Zhenko has become Springfield’s top goaltender this season, posting a 17-5-1 record, a 2.99 GAA, and a .905 save percentage.
This season, Springfield has given Providence a difficult time in 12 meetings. Providence’s five losses to Springfield this season are the most against any AHL team they’ve played this season. Providence did win the last meeting against Springfield 1-0 at home behind Tufte scoring the only goal of the game in the third period, and Michael DiPietro’s 20-save shutout.
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