The AHL has finally released some information regarding the 2020-21 season, announcing today that the anticipated start date will be December 4, 2020. The league canceled the remainder of the 2019-20 season in May after the coronavirus outbreak.
Because of the nature of revenue streams in the AHL, next season was still very much in doubt. The league relies on ticket sales even more than the NHL, meaning playing games without fans will require a large financial commitment. Still, minor league hockey is so imperative for the development of players around the league that a start date is an encouraging sign at this point.
Should they return to play in early December, it seems likely that they would be able to fit in a full schedule. The league has not released any details on that schedule, however, and will continue to monitor health guidelines before committing to anything.