Inside AHL Hockey's Mission Statement: Covering An Unpredictable 2020-21 Season
With the American Hockey League's (AHL) 2020-21 season kicking off this weekend, there's no better time to support this fully independent media outlet and the original journalism that lies within from our dedicated team of league-credentialed reporters and photographers across the U.S. and Canada.
Subscribe today for as little as $3, and let us truly bring you 'inside' AHL hockey -> http://www.insideahlhockey.com/subscribe
Inside AHL Hockey (IAH) is in its final stages of preparation to provide our subscribers with detailed, in-depth coverage of the American Hockey League (AHL) during this 2020-21 season with original content that takes hockey fans off the beaten path of the regular game previews, recaps, fluff and box score reports mass produced by today's "media".
We do things differently here.
When I founded IAH prior to the 2017-18 season, I did so because I recognized something while I was covering the Lehigh Valley Phantoms beat.
I noticed while traveling around to cover the Phantoms on the road in other AHL cities just how few reporters were actually going out, attending AHL games and reporting on-the-scene versus just regurgitating information from the box score or watching on a screen. (Oh, the irony of that now, what with the current state of things!)
The AHL is the second best league in the world. Just about every NHL player has come up through the AHL.
Yet, hardly anyone is covering it or giving it nearly the attention it deserves. Why?
That's why I founded IAH. To truly take you 'inside' life in the AHL for not only top hockey prospects growing and developing their game, but for those eye-opening untold stories from established veterans who have dedicated their life to the game they love.
Pandemic or not, the 2020-21 season still projects to be our best season yet. And that's all thanks to YOU, the reader and supporter of this 100% completely independent media outlet.
I've literally built this from the ground up. We are relying solely on avid hockey fans to recognize the potential this media outlet has, and as our subscriber base has grown our coverage reach has grown exponentially.
We may have started with one crazy dedicated Lehigh Valley Phantoms reporter, but as you'll read to find out we've become A LOT more than that over the past few years.
Inside AHL Hockey has become THE premier source and one-stop shop for original, on-the-scene AHL coverage that simply doesn't exist anywhere else. You won't find this many talented, credentialed members of the AHL media all working under one umbrella.
As the AHL worked tirelessly during the near 11 month hiatus to get the league in position to return to play, here at Inside AHL Hockey we were right there providing exclusive breaking news and first reports every step of the way - both with our many trusted off-the-record sources who have proven time and time again to provide accurate information as well as on-the-record interviews with AHL Return To Play Committee members, AHL owners, top hockey executives, players, coaches, agents and more.
From as far west as Bakersfield, California and Winnipeg, Manitoba to Marlborough, Massachussetts and Allentown, Pennsylvania, we are truly bringing the AHL to you with dedicated reporters in nearly a dozen AHL markets to date.
True league-wide coverage, with on-the-ground reporters and photographers across the United States and Canada.
And we're just getting started.
Our Team
Mike Griffith - Bakersfield, CA@MikeGriffith54
The newest addition to our staff, Mike brings 40+ years of journalism experience to IAH and was the AHL's Ellery Award recipient for his outstanding media coverage during the 2018-19 season. In addition to his on-the-ground coverage in Bakersfield of the Edmonton Oilers AHL affiliate Bakersfield Condors, Mike will be our resident expert on the AHL teams based in California this season. That should be music to the ears to our readers on the west coast!
Tom Dorsa - Loveland, CO@TomDorsa
Previously our Texas Stars correspondent, 'Texas Tom' has since relocated to Colorado, where his passion for hockey sees him transitioning to cover the Colorado Eagles and common opponents this season.
Mark Scheig - Cleveland, OH@markscheig
Mark returns to IAH this season to provide our readers with news, insights and more from Cleveland where the AHL's Cleveland Monsters (Columbus) are the hometown team.
Jenae and Rachel Anderson - Grand Rapids, MI@jenaephotos and @accesshockeymi
A longtime source of information for all things hockey in Michigan, these sisters form a dynamic duo and will be providing Inside AHL Hockey readers with all the latest on the Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit) and common opponents in the AHL's Central Division.
Ricky Milliner - Hartford, CT@Milliner06
You would be hard pressed to find someone as passionate about the AHL's Hartford WolfPack as Ricky. His Twitter timeline will once again be filled with in-game updates and relevant insights, and perhaps this season we'll coax him into putting more of those Twitter insights into IAH articles for an added perspective of the three teams in the Atlantic Division.
Julie Beidler - Hershey, PA@juliebeidler
A dual threat, when Julie isn't snapping photos at Hershey Bears (Washington) games she's in the Giant Center pressbox preparing interview questions for head coach Spencer Carbery and Bears players. With current media policies in Chocolatetown limiting credential requests to one per outlet, we'll be leaning heavily on Julie this season. The keystone to our coverage of the three AHL teams in the keystone state.
Nina Weiss - Allentown, PA@trancemoment
Nina is Inside AHL Hockey's lead photographer, and was the first ever addition to the IAH team. While current media policies in Lehigh Valley aren't allowing photographers to be credentialed, we might just put the reporter cap on Nina and have her be our on-scene Phantoms reporter at PPL Center when she's not shooting photos in other nearby AHL arenas.
Jacob Stoller and Jonathan Kozub - Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada)@jlstoller
You didn't know IAH has live AHL coverage in Canada too? Jacob is our top prospect. The kid is a rising star in the AHL media world, and we anxiously await his articles from north of the border this season. Jacob is IAH's dedicated Manitoba Moose reporter, but he'll be our go-to for all five Canadian AHL teams who will only play games in Canada this season.
Jonathan is the Moose's team photographer, and graciously allows us to share his brilliant work photographing the Moose and common opponents.
Ryan Ames - Marlborough, MA@_RyanAmes
Previously our Binghamton Devils correspondent, Ryan has relocated back to Massachusetts and will be IAH's on-the-ground Providence Bruins reporter covering the Bruins and their two opponents from the Atlantic Division this season - Bridgeport and Hartford.
Keith Wozniak - Rochester, NY@LGA585
Keith is a longtime source for everything Rochester Americans (Buffalo), and he brings his on-the-scene reporting to IAH this season to provide readers with insights and information on the Americans and other AHL teams that Rochester will frequently play this season, including Syracuse and Utica.
Tony Androckitis - Wilkes-Barre, PA@TonyAndrock
The founder of IAH, Tony got his start as a member of the AHL media in the 2012-13 season covering the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He has since been the premier source as the lone true daily beat reporter covering the Lehigh Valley Phantoms since their first season as an AHL franchise in downtown Allentown. With a limit on media credential requests among the three Pennsylvania teams, Tony will be filling in the gaps on game nights to allow all three PA teams - Hershey, Lehigh Valley and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - to have live in-game coverage this season.
