| Calder Cup playoffs | |
| Year: | 2018 |
| Dates: | April 19 – June 14, 2018 |
| Num Teams: | 16 |
| Winners: | Toronto Marlies |
| Second: | Texas Stars |
| Prev Season: | 2017 |
| Next Season: | 2019 |
The 2018 Calder Cup playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 19, 2018, with the playoff format that was introduced in 2016. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-five series in the division semifinals, with the playoffs continuing with best-of-seven series for the division finals, conference finals, and Calder Cup finals.
A Division finals game between the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the Charlotte Checkers became the longest game in AHL history by going 86:48 into overtime when Alex Krushelnyski of the Phantoms scored the winning 2–1 goal. The game started at 7:03 pm on May 9 and ended at 1:09 am on May 10. The Checkers had 95 shots on goal and Alex Lyon would finish with 94 saves, while Alex Nedeljkovic would finish with 51 saves on 53 shots. The previous record of 82:58 into overtime was set in 2008, also between the AHL affiliates of the Philadelphia Flyers and the Carolina Hurricanes.[1]
The Toronto Marlies won their first Calder Cup, beating the Texas Stars four games to three in the finals.
After the 2017–18 AHL regular season, 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The top four teams in each division ranked by points percentage (points earned divided by points available) qualify for the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs.[2] The Toronto Marlies were the first team to clinch a playoff spot and went on to claim the regular season title with four games remaining.
Note 1: Home team is listed first.
Note 2: Higher-seeded team had the choice of games 1, 2, and 5 at home or games 3, 4, and 5 at home.
Note: Home team is listed first.
Note: Home team is listed first.
Note: Home team is listed first.
These are the top ten skaters based on points. If there is a tie in points, goals take precedence over assists.[3]
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus–minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left | Toronto Marlies | 16 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 4 | ||
| align=left | Texas Stars | 22 | 11 | 9 | 20 | 27 | ||
| align=left | Rockford IceHogs | 13 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 22 | ||
| align=left | Toronto Marlies | 20 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 4 | ||
| align=left | Texas Stars | 22 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 2 | ||
| align=left | Toronto Marlies | 20 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 0 | ||
| align=left | Toronto Marlies | 20 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 6 | ||
| align=left | Texas Stars | 22 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 16 | ||
| align=left | Texas Stars | 22 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 6 | ||
| align=left | Toronto Marlies | 20 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 14 |
This is a combined table of the top five goaltenders based on goals against average and the top five goaltenders based on save percentage with at least 240 minutes played. The table is initially sorted by goals against average, with the criterion for inclusion in bold.[4]
GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; SO = Shutouts; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes)
| Player | Team | GP | W | L | SA | GA | GAA | SV% | SO | TOI | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 6 | 5 | 449 | 25 | 1.98 | .944 | 0 | 757:59 | |||
| 8 | 4 | 4 | 234 | 19 | 2.11 | .919 | 1 | 540:44 | |||
| 9 | 4 | 5 | 258 | 20 | 2.12 | .922 | 2 | 566:04 | |||
| 19 | 14 | 5 | 497 | 42 | 2.22 | .915 | 2 | 1134:20 | |||
| 10 | 7 | 3 | 340 | 26 | 2.34 | .924 | 0 | 666:42 | |||
| 22 | 14 | 8 | 752 | 55 | 2.41 | .927 | 2 | 1371:00 | |||
| 5 | 2 | 3 | 191 | 14 | 2.69 | .927 | 0 | 312:23 |