The NHL isn't the only place former college players are making an impact these playoffs. Twenty-three former college hockey players representing 21 schools are in the hunt for the Calder Cup as the American Hockey League's championship series begins Friday night between Binghamton and Houston.

In all, 45% of the players who have suited up for the Binghamton Senators and Houston Aeros in the playoffs have college hockey backgrounds. Among them is Binghamton's Ryan Potulny (pictured), as the former Minnesota Golden Gopher leads the AHL in playoff goals (14) and points (25).

Minnesota, with Binghamton's Potulny and Jim O'Brien, and Colorado College, with Houston teammates Chad Rau and Nate Prosser, are the only colleges with more than one player in the Calder Cup finals. All five college conferences have at least one alumnus participating.

Binghamton, the affiliate of the Ottawa Senators, has dressed 14 former collegians in the playoffs, including a pair of defensemen - Mark Borowiecki (Clarkson) and Patrick Wiercioch (Denver) - who joined the team after their college seasons ended. The Senators' head coach, Kurt Kleinendorst, was an All-American at Providence, while assistant coach Steve Stirling played at Boston University. Houston assistant coach Brian Wiseman starred at Michigan.

The Calder Cup finals cap off a season in which former college players have had a profound impact on the AHL. Former Northeastern All-American Brad Thiessen won the Baz Bastien Award as the league's top goaltender. Former New Hampshire teammates Jason Krog and Darren Haydar reunited with the Chicago Wolves and finished third and fourth in the league in scoring, respectively. Five of the AHL's top 10 scorers played college hockey.