We are halfway through the 2024-25 season, where do the Charlotte Checkers stand in the Atlantic Division standings with 36 games remaining? Also, who has stepped up for them this season?
Tight Division Race Again for Checkers
After 36 games, the Checkers sit in third place in the Atlantic Division with a 20-11-3-2 record (45 points). They are only one point back of second place Providence Bruins and eight behind division leader Hershey Bears (shocker). The Checkers are 4-4-2-0 in their last 10 games following a weekend sweep to the Hartford Wolf Pack. However, they have a plus-20 goal differential and are solidly in a Calder Cup Playoff spot. While there is still half a season to go, there is much to be happy about in the Queen City.
Geordie Kinnear‘s team has four games in hand over Lehigh Valley Phantoms so there is a chance they can get farther away from the fifth-place team with some wins. Furthermore, they have two games in hand over the Wolf Pack and sit six points clear of the team in sixth place even after being swept by them recently.
What has helped the Checkers this season has been their discipline. They are currently fifth in penalty minutes (PIMs) within the Atlantic Division with 470. The only teams who have fewer PIMs are the Bridgeport Islanders (462), WBS Penguins (453), and the Bears (394). There are plenty of success stories that has led to the team’s success in recent time.
Ken Appleby’s Shutout Farm
What can there be said for goaltender Ken Appleby? The North Bay, ON native, is having a stellar season for the Checkers. Appleby has 15 games played with a record of 10-4-1 and four shutouts to his name. In that span, he has a 2.12 goals against average (GAA) and a .907 save percentage (SV%). In his previous four seasons in Bridgeport, he had three shutouts combined. Over 15 games with the Checkers, he has beaten that by a wide margin. Appleby has only given up 32 goals over that span with 906:18 of total ice time.
His GAA ranks sixth in the AHL amongst active goalies. Appleby is also tied for 15th in wins (10), 20th in SV%, and tied for first in shutouts (4). Not a bad season for the 27-year-old netminder for his first season with the Checkers. The hope is that he continues to carry the load for the Checkers going into the back half of the season.
Lead the Way, John Leonard
Looking towards the skaters, how about the season John Leonard is having for the Checkers? In 36 games, he has 16 goals and 33 points with three game-winning goals. He has been a maestro on the special teams with four power-play goals and three shorthanded markers.
What also makes him beneficial for Kinnear is his availability in all situations for the Checkers. He has only four PIMs all season which makes it easier for the coaches to use him in all situations. Furthermore, his plus-13 rating has been a boost for the team which leads all forwards. He even leads the team in shots with 120. Funny enough, his 120 shots are fourth in the entire AHL. The only stat he does not lead the team in is assists (30) which is owned by Trevor Carrick (33).
Other than that, Leonard has been the man for the Checkers up to this point in the season.
Road Trippin’ for Four Games
After playing at home within the Bojangles Coliseum confines, the Checkers hit the road for a four-game road trip. They take on the Iowa Wild on Wednesday, Jan. 22 before playing Friday and Saturday in Milwaukee against the Admirals. The Checkers finish the road trip by going back to face the Wild on Jan. 28. It’s an unusual bit of scheduling for the Checkers.
Either way, some huge points are up for grabs for Kinnear and the Checkers as we draw closer to the end of January.
