AHL minimum age limit

majorbm

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does anyone know why the minimum age limit in the AHL exists? It seems to be a bad rule for the developement of some players who are too good for juniors but maybe not quite ready for the NHL.

Gilbert Brule, for example, completely dominated juniors last year and has nothing to gain by playing there any longer, and playing on the 4th line for Columbus wouldn't be the greatest place for him either. But he's not allowed to play in the AHL, which might be the best place for him at this point, at least for a half season or something.

That's just one example. This issue seems to come up alot.
 

hockeyprincess

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There seemed to be a consensus on this site that the minimum age is 20. But Jiri Tlusty, who is with the Marlies, is 18. And there are some 19-year-olds, such as Nicklas Bergfors.
 

norrisnick

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Apr 14, 2005
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Isn't Tlusty 18?

The age limit exists solely to keep the best Junior players from leaving Juniors early. Players that didn't come out of Canadian Major Junior hockey can enter the AHL before 20.
 

Kimi

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NA player have to be 20 (two seasons after they were drafted). Europeans can play at 18 when they're drafted, but I don't know if you can play at a younger age if you go over before being drafted.

Some NA players played at 19 as they were NHL regulars and the AHL made an exception for them during the lock out.
 

Hunter Gathers

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NA player have to be 20 (two seasons after they were drafted). Europeans can play at 18 when they're drafted, but I don't know if you can play at a younger age if you go over before being drafted.

Some NA players played at 19 as they were NHL regulars and the AHL made an exception for them during the lock out.

No, that's not true.

The ONLY time there is an age stipulation is if you are a player coming out of the CHL. Any other time you can play in the AHL below the age of 20.

Euros, Americans, Canadians playing in a lesser-than-CHL league, etc. can all play in the AHL under the age of 20. Once a player has signed a CHL contract, however, then they have to wait until (I believe) 4 seasons or until the age of 20.
 

SPORTSMANIAC

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Europeans and NCAA Players can play in the AHL at 18
CHL players must have 4 yrs under their belt in the CHL if they don't they must wait until they turn 20
European CHL players can be assigned to the AHL by their NHL teams to the AHL before age 20 example Petr Kalus
 

Seachd

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European CHL players can be assigned to the AHL by their NHL teams to the AHL before age 20 example Petr Kalus

Not necessarily. The rule applies to Europeans drafted out of the CHL. Kalus was drafted from Europe (even though last year the CHL Import Draft was held before the NHL Draft), so the rule doesn't apply to him. It will apply to Michael Grabner, for example.
 

sk84fun_dc

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No, that's not true.

The ONLY time there is an age stipulation is if you are a player coming out of the CHL. Any other time you can play in the AHL below the age of 20.

Euros, Americans, Canadians playing in a lesser-than-CHL league, etc. can all play in the AHL under the age of 20. Once a player has signed a CHL contract, however, then they have to wait until (I believe) 4 seasons or until the age of 20.

And as an example, see Chris Bourque, a NA player that played in the AHL before he was 20 after leaving college early.
 

HOCKEY_GURU

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Radek Bonk played in the IHL before his draft (now merged with the AHL) at the age of 17, I dont know if the same rules apply now to the AHL or not.
 

VanW27

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The rule has been pretty well laid out so far, but one part that sometimes confuses people is Spezza played in the AHL at 19. That is B/C CHL players have to be 20 OR have played 4 seasons of Junior in order to play in the AHL.
 

Russian_fanatic

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For what I know people under 20 CAN PLAY IN THE AHL, but not if they're in the CHL, because sometimes european prospects are stocked away in Europe and hardly get playing time, because they play with men, so it hinders development, so I think an agreement was made that european prospects who haven't played in the CHL can play in the AHL.

CHL players under 20 can't play in the AHL, because if that where the case then all GM's would be sending their prized prospects to the AHL, and there would be no competition in the CHL. So it is done to keep the competition strong in both the CHL, and AHL.
 

HOCKEY_GURU

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For what I know people under 20 CAN PLAY IN THE AHL, but not if they're in the CHL, because sometimes european prospects are stocked away in Europe and hardly get playing time, because they play with men, so it hinders development, so I think an agreement was made that european prospects who haven't played in the CHL can play in the AHL.

CHL players under 20 can't play in the AHL, because if that where the case then all GM's would be sending their prized prospects to the AHL, and there would be no competition in the CHL. So it is done to keep the competition strong in both the CHL, and AHL.

I Know no rules are perfect, but I think in certain cases there should be exceptions, My understanding is a player Like Brule isnt getting a lot of ice time and they may be thinking of sending him down, but if he goes back to tye CHL I dont think he has anything to learn, I think the AHL would be perfect for him, this is where I hate that agreement, and when you think about it...in a way its a form of double standard, and allows some players to develop a year earlier in the AHL and others have to remain in the CHL, Im surprised no one has challenged this in the courts.
 

VanW27

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I Know no rules are perfect, but I think in certain cases there should be exceptions, My understanding is a player Like Brule isnt getting a lot of ice time and they may be thinking of sending him down, but if he goes back to tye CHL I dont think he has anything to learn, I think the AHL would be perfect for him, this is where I hate that agreement, and when you think about it...in a way its a form of double standard, and allows some players to develop a year earlier in the AHL and others have to remain in the CHL, Im surprised no one has challenged this in the courts.

i dont see how its a double standard the rule is the rule there are no exceptions for players in the CHL. And You cant make exceptions b/c where would you draw the line, every team would want their top prosects in the AHL and badly hurt the level of play in the CHL.
 

Jag68Sid87

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Oct 1, 2003
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i dont see how its a double standard the rule is the rule there are no exceptions for players in the CHL. And You cant make exceptions b/c where would you draw the line, every team would want their top prosects in the AHL and badly hurt the level of play in the CHL.

The level of play in the CHL should not come before a player's development, and clearly this early season we have too many players in the NHL that could really use AHL seasoning to ignore. Bourdon, Latendresse, J. Staal, Letang, Brule...they all probably belong in the AHL this season, but are stuck in limbo because of a bad rule. If the NCAA and Europe went along with the CHL, I'd have less of a problem with it. But clearly you are often better off with picking a non-CHLer so you can control his development at ages 18 and 19.

Now, I do agree that if you opened up the rule NHL teams would definitely sign their CHLers earlier and assign them to the AHL. Not all, but some. So, what if you limited the NHL teams to two (2) CHLers in the AHL per season? Kinda like an import rule. IF this were to be implemented, a team like Pittsburgh could keep both Staal and Letang around this season and play them at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if they choose to. I think two is fair.

Besides, the argument I often hear is that CHL teams would be hurt if they lost their star players one year too early. But the thing is if the Canadiens keep Latendresse on the fourth line all season, Drummondville still loses out. And in 1997-98 Sault Ste-Marie still lost Thornton.

What's best for the kid should be priority No. 1.
 

RUSqueelin*

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The level of play in the CHL should not come before a player's development, and clearly this early season we have too many players in the NHL that could really use AHL seasoning to ignore. Bourdon, Latendresse, J. Staal, Letang, Brule...they all probably belong in the AHL this season, but are stuck in limbo because of a bad rule. If the NCAA and Europe went along with the CHL, I'd have less of a problem with it. But clearly you are often better off with picking a non-CHLer so you can control his development at ages 18 and 19.

Now, I do agree that if you opened up the rule NHL teams would definitely sign their CHLers earlier and assign them to the AHL. Not all, but some. So, what if you limited the NHL teams to two (2) CHLers in the AHL per season? Kinda like an import rule. IF this were to be implemented, a team like Pittsburgh could keep both Staal and Letang around this season and play them at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if they choose to. I think two is fair.

Besides, the argument I often hear is that CHL teams would be hurt if they lost their star players one year too early. But the thing is if the Canadiens keep Latendresse on the fourth line all season, Drummondville still loses out. And in 1997-98 Sault Ste-Marie still lost Thornton.

What's best for the kid should be priority No. 1.

This is a never ending arguement, but who says the way you are proposing is "best for the kid". In this thread, numerous names have been mentioned of players who got to play in the AHL early. And what happened to those player's careers? Most were huge disappointments. When Jordan Staal is returned to Peterbrough this year he will benefit playing with his peers immensely.
 

HOCKEY_GURU

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No one is talking about playing a kid in the AHL before hes ready, but if a 19 year old is ready for the AHL but not the NHL and the CHL is a waste of a year..well thats where he shoudl be... and by double standard I mean a 19 year old European or someone from the NCAA etc gains an advantage cause at 19 hes getting better training in the AHL than a 19 year old CHL er that should be in the AHL cause hes ready... ...well the one with a year in the AHL now has the advantage to get that open spot on an NHL team... so to me its not an equal playing field..thus why i say Im surprised no one has challenged it in the court... for instance why is the CHLs right to be a stronger league over rules a persons right to a) improve in a stronger league b) earn money as a proffessional....if I was a player at 19 and want to and can play in the AHL...I would seriously consider challenging that rule .....players ready like voloshenko etc was last year.
 

RUSqueelin*

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No one is talking about playing a kid in the AHL before hes ready, but if a 19 year old is ready for the AHL but not the NHL and the CHL is a waste of a year..well thats where he shoudl be... and by double standard I mean a 19 year old European or someone from the NCAA etc gains an advantage cause at 19 hes getting better training in the AHL than a 19 year old CHL er that should be in the AHL cause hes ready... ...well the one with a year in the AHL now has the advantage to get that open spot on an NHL team... so to me its not an equal playing field..thus why i say Im surprised no one has challenged it in the court... for instance why is the CHLs right to be a stronger league over rules a persons right to a) improve in a stronger league b) earn money as a proffessional....if I was a player at 19 and want to and can play in the AHL...I would seriously consider challenging that rule ...like voloshenko etc was last year.


so, list me the players who had an advantage like this....what was the end result on their careers?

Just because you think it is in some players best interest doesn't exactly mean that it is.
 

HOCKEY_GURU

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so, list me the players who had an advantage like this....what was the end result on their careers?

Just because you think it is in some players best interest doesn't exactly mean that it is.

Just common sense that someone playing in a higher level (if theyre ready) than wasting a year because theyve done it all at that level and nothing new to learn then thats a year wasted..... but the question is...if im 19 and want to earn money playing pro hockey...isnt it my right?
 

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