(Getty Images) Fans can turn to the Providence Bruins and the AHL in order to get their hockey fix while the NHL remains locked out

Throughout the week, the Bruins Daily staff will be posting their guide to surviving the 2012-13 NHL Lockout. Today, we will look at ways to follow professional hockey via the American Hockey League (AHL)

On Friday, we invite our readers to take part in a Google Hangout. Details will be posted on our Facebook, Twitter and Google+ accounts soon.

Despite the current NHL Lockout, professional hockey is still set to kick off in October, not just here in New England, but throughout all of North America thanks to the American Hockey League. For those of you not familiar with the AHL we here at Bruins Daily are here to help.

The AHL is the minor leagues to the NHL that we all love and know—and hopefully will all love and know very soon. All 30 teams have a minor league affiliate in the AHL with teams playing in the United States and Canada.

When you hear minor leagues you may instantly think the league is full of guys who have already had their chance in the NHL and failed, or guys who will never pan out as NHL talent. I can promise you that’s not the case.

Due to the lockout many NHL teams have sent some of their talent down to the AHL. Big names like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Adam Henrique and Jeff Skinner—who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie in 2011—can be found playing for their respective teams in the AHL this season.

Interested in the AHL now are we? Well good, now It’s time to help you out and show you how and where you can stay up to date with all the Providence Bruins and AHL action this season.

For you Bruins fans wanting to read up and get to know the Providence Bruins before they kick the season off on October 12 should check out our 2012-13 Providence Bruins season preview and stay tuned with Bruins Daily throughout the winter as Bruins Daily will be bringing you game-by-game coverage, player interviews and much more as the season unfolds.

You can follow Bruins Daily here on Twitter.

Your next best option for AHL coverage is of course through the league itself. The AHL website is full of coverage and even offers the chance to watch archived and live games anytime during the season.

You can follow the AHL here on Twitter.

One last option is still in the air, but would be a huge boost to the league and the sport if this comes through. NBC Sports Network and many local regional networks are in talks with the AHL in order to obtain rights to televise live AHL games, something us here at Bruins Daily are really hoping for.

Be sure to check back in with Bruins Daily for more ways to survive the 2012-13 NHL lockout