The Charlotte Checkers are an unusual team in the AHL, as they are independently owned. Since the 2020-21 season, they have functioned as the AHL affiliate for the Florida Panthers. Prior to that, they had been the AHL affiliate for the Carolina Hurricanes since 2006, dating back to their time as the Albany River Rats. Before that, the Albany River Rats were the AHL affiliate for the Colorado Avalanche (2006-07, shared with the Hurricanes) and the New Jersey Devils (1993-2006). The Checkers started life as the Capital District Islanders, the AHL affiliate for the New York Islanders between 1990 and 1993.
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Charlotte Checkers opted out of the 2020-21 season, and Panthers prospects played for the Syracuse Crunch, the AHL affiliate for the Tampa Bay Lightning (a local rival of the Florida Panthers). Panthers prospects returned in the 2021-22 season, and the Checkers also welcomed prospects from the brand new NHL franchise the Seattle Kraken, who would not have their own AHL team until the following season.
The Checkers last won the Calder Cup in 2019, beating the Chicago Wolves in five games. They also won one Calder Cup as the Albany River Rats in 1995.
The Charlotte Checkers finished the 2022-23 season with a regular season record of 39-25-5-3, third in the Atlantic Division. They would lose in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs to the eventual Calder Cup Champions, the Hershey Bears.
Their current head coach is Geordie Kinnear, their GM is Gregory Campbell, and they play out of the Bojangles Coliseum.
Notable former Charlotte Checkers include Morgan Geekie, Gustav Forsling and Jake Bean.