The Laval Rocket will face the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL's Eastern Conference Final. The Checkers, located in North Carolina, are the affiliates of a team currently taking part in the NHL's Eastern Conference Final, but it's actually not the Carolina Hurricanes. In a weird geographic outlier, the Checkers are actually the affiliates of the Florida Panthers.
It could be a sign of things to come as the Montreal Canadiens begin their ascent to contention. The Panthers are one win away from a likely third consecutive Stanley Cup Final, and the Canadiens are an upcoming team looking to knock them off that mountaintop. Until then, success from their AHL affiliate must suffice.
The Checkers aren't a team loaded with prospects like the Rocket. Rasmus Asplund is the team's leading scorer, a 27-year-old former second-round draft pick with the Buffalo Sabres. He has 49 points in 189 games in the NHL, but has zero in six games since joining the Panthers' organization last Fall.
Asplund had 44 points in 67 games last season with the Checkers, and another 43 in 63 this year. Charlotte's offense runs through the Swedish center, and his experience will be beneficial against a young Rocket team.
One interesting player on their team is Jesse Puljujarvi. Puljujarvi was a player that some Canadiens fans circled as a possible gamble last offseason to bring an added offensive element. However, he spent half of his year in the AHL with the Checkers, while getting 26 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the year.
The Checkers also have some NHL experience in net, as Kaapo Kahkonen started all eight games for them in these playoffs. He has a 1.85 goals-against average and has won six of eight games. Kahkonen vs. Cayden Primeau could be an interesting battle between two goalies trying to make their way back into the league.