For or against AHL eligibility changes?

[piikerr]

I completley disagree with the AHL eligibility rules.
I think that if you're good enough you should be able to play. I think that once you conquer your league you have nothing more to do in that league. Players coming from non-CHL leagues seem to have an edge in this department. Sending Marner back next year would just be a waste, but so would playing him 4-5 mins a game next year. Personal oppinion is that it doesn't help player development.

1) 18 or older should be eligible
2) 1st rounders should be eligible
3) Keep the rules the same
4) International players must wait till they are 19-20 (usually 4th year in CHL)

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[diceman934]

I completley disagree with the AHL eligibility rules.
I think that if you're good enough you should be able to play. I think that once you conquer your league you have nothing more to do in that league. Players coming from non-CHL leagues seem to have an edge in this department. Sending Marner back next year would just be a waste, but so would playing him 4-5 mins a game next year. Personal oppinion is that it doesn't help player development.

1) 18 or older should be eligible
2) 1st rounders should be eligible
3) Keep the rules the same
4) International players must wait till they are 19-20 (usually 4th year in CHL)

The rule is there to protect the CHL teams....without the rule it would kill the CHL and remove the best development league for the NHL. So no change is need as most International players stay home until they are ready and most CHL player stay home.

 

[Cor]

I think each NHL franchise should get 1 special exemption to use every 5 years.

Doesn't kill the CHL, but allows the special cases to play where they should be.

 

[piikerr]

So you think that Marner should play for London again if he's not ready for the NHL? I think it would improve the CHL because they could bring in more younger players to increase more development.

 

[diceman934]

I think each NHL franchise should get 1 special exemption to use every 5 years.

Doesn't kill the CHL, but allows the special cases to play where they should be.

That would be a reasonable compromise....

 

[indigobuffalo]

Personal opinion is that it doesn't help player development.

Are you at least a little bit concerned that guys like Lou Lamoriello or Mike Babcock clearly disagree with your opinion?

Have you never heard of the Edmonton Oilers?

Remember that time they drafted that player 1st overall, then had him play immediately in the NHL and he suffered at least one major injury that derailed his season, and now he isn't quite as good as he was prior to the injury? Remember that?

If you think I mean McDavid, you're wrong. I meant Hall. Nugent-Hopkins. Yakupov. AND McDavid.

Although McDavid has at least rebounded to the all-world form he held prior to the injury.

The others? Not so much.

 

[diceman934]

So you think that Marner should play for London again if he's not ready for the NHL? I think it would improve the CHL because they could bring in more younger players to increase more development.

Yes I do....either he is good enough for the NHL or he plays in the CHL.

It would hurt development of the players if the CHL had all the top players removed to be allowed to play in the AHL. The CHL would soon be gone.

 

[Pucker77]

So you think that Marner should play for London again if he's not ready for the NHL? I think it would improve the CHL because they could bring in more younger players to increase more development.

I feel like that would dilute the talent pool in the CHL. If you look at most of the top prospects rookie seasons they are mediocre at best. So removing older players would make it weaker because the developed players would be leaving.

I dont know how to word it but i feel like after a players draft+1 year it should be the team/players discretion about which level to play at.

 

[TribalPhoenix]

I have no issue with players going to the AHL if they're under 20 and in the CHL.

It's all economic. It's strictly to keep money makers in the CHL so they can keep feeding the cash cow, despite the players being ready for a greater challenge.

If you're going to allow other 18 year old players to play in the AHL, adjusting it for the CHL is an utter sham. I don't know how it could be any more clear.

 

[Community]

Biggest thing that gets overlooked in my opinion is that this rule has helped players like Marner. Not only does he get to play more with better players (Domi/Dvorak would've been in the AHL last/ this year), but it also has helped him play against better competition the last 3 years.

Marner (and countless others) would've likely been further behind in their development coming out of the league.


While the 1 in 5 years per franchise rule could work, that still takes ~5 of the top jr players out of juniors every year which isn't ideal either, but much more manageable. While the rule upsets me when we have somebody ready to make the jump like Nylander, the pros definitely outweigh the cons IMO.

 

[Duke16]

I say teams should get full control of all prospects. They play where the team wants them to play. I'd imagine a lot of people would get sent back for their draft +1 still, but a lot of top CHL guys are capable of playing in the AHL in their +2. Marner for example was probably better served going back to London this year and would probably be best in the AHL next year, but it's NHL or OHL for him again.

 

[MJ65]

Rules should be the same for all the draft picks, so stupid to have different rules for 1st rounders

Hard to imagine that you guys are even voting on that option, at times even good players slide to 2nd round for various reasons

 

[MJ65]

I think each NHL franchise should get 1 special exemption to use every 5 years.

Doesn't kill the CHL, but allows the special cases to play where they should be.

No all these kids should be treated equally and rules should be the same for all the kids

 

[ACC1224]

It's fine the way it is.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I never understand that reason "it would hurt the CHL , if they were in the AHL".

If they were in the NHL - the CHL wouldn't have the player anyway.
so why can't the players go to the AHL?

 

[-DeMo-]

Are you at least a little bit concerned that guys like Lou Lamoriello or Mike Babcock clearly disagree with your opinion?

Have you never heard of the Edmonton Oilers?

Remember that time they drafted that player 1st overall, then had him play immediately in the NHL and he suffered at least one major injury that derailed his season, and now he isn't quite as good as he was prior to the injury? Remember that?

If you think I mean McDavid, you're wrong. I meant Hall. Nugent-Hopkins. Yakupov. AND McDavid.

Although McDavid has at least rebounded to the all-world form he held prior to the injury.

The others? Not so much.

really? Hall has played multiple season's at a PPG level and is currently 12th in scoring this season in the NHL hows that not living up to his potential? Injuries happen to everybody they could have just as easily got injured in the CHL.

 

[Mess]

Keep the rules the same.

They're there for the stability of the CHL which is the feeder league for the NHL and so only players ready for the NHL sooner can be removed from the CHL teams.

The reason for the rule is also for the protection of the player not only his junior franchise from losing top end talent. The AHL is a pro men's league and if a player isn't ready physically for the NHL he isn't ready for the AHL either due to his size/strength.

By ready it means both mentally and physically.

Most teams don't draft undersized players too early in the draft (and they often fall), because they know they have both skill and size components to consider in the selection process. If you're drafted later on like a Claude Giroux then you know it will take more time for the player in junior hockey to get bigger and stronger outside of the skill component he possesses.

Giroux went back to junior for his draft +2 year and tore up the league including 17-34-51 points in only 19 playoff games leading his team to the Memorial Cup. He then went on to play another 1/2 year in AHL (after competing his mandatory 4 years of junior). Look at the player he became today by using the same exiting set of rules that were in place for everyone.

 

[deletethis]

Not a listed option but I think 3 full years in the CHL is enough. If the player is 18 or 19, allow him to graduate to pro hockey if the NHL owning his rights wants it to happen. Also eliminate the overage year in the CHL for the younger skewing league that results from this change.

 

[Primary Assist]

Allow NHL teams to buy out a player from their CHL contract. This could be done by an independent arbitrator, just like when clubs can't agree with RFA's and they go to arbitration.

 

[Bullseye]

The AHL should be a draft +2 league plain and simple - for anyone from anywhere.

The NHL should be a draft+3 league with no exceptions.

Benefits:

1. Junior Hockey would be far healthier everywhere with legit stars in the line-up for draft +1 year.
2. AHL would be healthier with more star players having to go through there 1st prior to the NHL
3. Cheaper for fans: $20 to see McDavid play in junior or the AHL instead of $200 in the NHL if you can get a ticket.
4. Jr. B hockey would be stronger with less spots open in the CHL.
5. Longer careers for older NHL players
6. Less confusion about when a player can start a Pro career.
7. More maturity amongst NHL players in general leading to better over-all mental health in the league.

 

[Trapper]

Perhaps just lower the AHL age to 19.
The majority of CHL teams will be able to keep a player the year they are drafted.
The exceptional ones can play in the AHL 1 year after their draft. But place a rule in the AHL that you can only have say 2 19 year olds.

 

[Mess]

I never understand that reason "it would hurt the CHL , if they were in the AHL".

If they were in the NHL - the CHL wouldn't have the player anyway.
so why can't the players go to the AHL?

Junior teams are trying to run a business and its top players and its team success is important to bringing in fans and filling junior rinks.

If you allow teams in the CHL to lose their best players to both the NHL & AHL then your watering down the talent level of the CHL and quality of competition for all players being developed for the NHL.

So this is also about the health of the CHL as not all teams could survive and sometimes even fold and relocate because they can't stay viable financially in some markets without star power of young stars. If a team like London sends Domi to the NHL, Dvorak and Marner to the AHL this year then who is going to go see London Knight games live and pay for admission.

This isn't only in place to keep Marner in London for the health of the junior team, but the QofC in the league is improved by his existence. When Travis Dermott developing in the same league has to defend and try and shutdown a star player like Marner its speaks to his development as a player by facing the challenge, ditto for a junior goalies trying to stop shots or all other players etc throughout.

Also a top future draft prospect like Matt Tkachuk is being developed for the NHL because he gets to play and learn from Marner/Dvorak his current teammates

If Marner, Strome, Crouse, Konecny, Dvorak, etc etc all played in the AHL this year because of teams choice then the quality of the entire OHL would suffer due to lack of quality of competition overall by removing all top scoring leaders. So this rule isn't about punishing the exceptional few its about what is the greater good for the league overall.

 

[Gallagbi]

I never understand that reason "it would hurt the CHL , if they were in the AHL".

If they were in the NHL - the CHL wouldn't have the player anyway.
so why can't the players go to the AHL?

Because the NHL is a harder league to play in and you have more CHLers capable of playing in the AHL at 18-20 than you do the NHL.

Marner may be able to play in the NHL and you could lose him either way, but there is another tier of prospects who clearly aren't NHL ready but could play in the AHL.

 

[mcleex]

Let's be real here, do people even watch CHL games or attend CHL games for the players? They would do so for leisure like a night out or a date or something not for the 'quality'

 

[ACC1224]

Let's be real here, do people even watch CHL games or attend CHL games for the players? They would do so for leisure like a night out or a date or something not for the 'quality'

That's the only reason I attend.