2012 Calder Cup playoffs


The 2012 Calder Cup playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 19, 2012, with a slightly different playoff format than in other recent years. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, will play a best-of-five series in the conference quarterfinals, and the playoffs will then continue with best-of-seven series for the conference semifinals, conference finals and Calder Cup finals.
The Norfolk Admirals defeated the Toronto Marlies in four games to win the Calder Cup for the first time in Norfolk's history.

Playoff seeds

After the 2011–12 AHL regular season, 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The top eight teams from each conference qualifies for the playoffs.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

  1. St. John's IceCaps – 94 points
  2. Manchester Monarchs – 83 points

    Northeast Division

  3. Bridgeport Sound Tigers – 91 points
  4. Connecticut Whale – 86 points

    East Division

  5. Norfolk Admirals – 113 points
  6. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – 95 points
  7. Hershey Bears – 88 points
  8. Syracuse Crunch – 84 points

    Western Conference

North Division

  1. Toronto Marlies – 96 points
  2. Rochester Americans – 86 points

    Midwest Division

  3. Chicago Wolves – 91 points
  4. Milwaukee Admirals – 87 points

    West Division

  5. Oklahoma City Barons – 99 points
  6. Abbotsford Heat – 92 points
  7. San Antonio Rampage – 87 points
  8. Houston Aeros – 86 points

    Bracket

Conference quarterfinals

Eastern Conference

(1) Norfolk Admirals vs. (8) Manchester Monarchs

(2) St. John's IceCaps vs. (7) Syracuse Crunch

(3) Bridgeport Sound Tigers vs. (6) Connecticut Whale

(4) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. (5) Hershey Bears

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Barons vs. (8) Houston Aeros

(2) Toronto Marlies vs. (7) Rochester Americans

(3) Chicago Wolves vs. (6) San Antonio Rampage

(4) Abbotsford Heat vs. (5) Milwaukee Admirals

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference

(1) Norfolk Admirals vs. (6) Connecticut Whale

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Barons vs. (6) San Antonio Rampage

(2) Toronto Marlies vs. (4) Abbotsford Heat

Conference finals

Eastern Conference

(1) Norfolk Admirals vs. (2) St. John's IceCaps

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Barons vs. (2) Toronto Marlies

Calder Cup Finals

Norfolk Admirals vs. Toronto Marlies

Playoff statistical leaders

Leading skaters

These are the top ten skaters based on points. If there is a tie in points, goals take precedence over assists.
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
PlayerTeamGPGAPtsPIM
Norfolk Admirals18971648
Norfolk Admirals185111620
Norfolk Admirals182131528
Norfolk Admirals1468146
Toronto Marlies174101420
Toronto Marlies13103136
Toronto Marlies17851312
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins1267132
Oklahoma City Barons1458136
San Antonio Rampage1049138

Leading goaltenders

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 360 minutes played. The table is initially sorted by goals against average, with the criterion for inclusion in bold.
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
PlayerTeamGPWLSAGAGAASV%SOTOI
Norfolk Admirals14122373211.46.9443865
Toronto Marlies17116509331.92.93531029
Connecticut Whale954327202.10.9392571
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins1266292272.14.9080756
Abbotsford Heat743192162.26.9170425
St. John's IceCaps1578482372.42.9230917

Broadcasting

, as the main broadcaster of the Toronto Marlies, aired the first three games of the Calder Cup Final in Canada. While the channel is normally restricted to the home market of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Leafs TV allowed television providers outside of the Leafs' market to carry the channel during the Calder Cup on a "preview" basis to allow nationwide coverage of the games. Sportsnet One would replace Leafs TV to air Game 4. In the United States, CBS Sports Network picked up the broadcast rights in the United States beginning with game 3, while Norfolk-area CW affiliate WGNT aired the games in simulcast with their Canadian broadcaster. The series was also carried by ESPN America, and on the NHL Home Ice channel on Sirius XM.