Question about draft status

[Kox]

I have a question regarding the NHL draft rules.
Until which age/year of birth do players hold the status "eligible" for the Draft?
And from what age on a player's status changes into "not drafted"?

I never understood that because sometimes there are even 27 year olds who are picked in the draft. So they have to be eligible if they're drafted?

Thank you in advance,
Kox

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[RutlandRalph]

somethin about north americans is sept. 14 i think of their draft year

 

[Kox]

somethin about north americans is sept. 14 i think of their draft year

I don't really understand that.

 

[calder candidate]

Euro have to be drafted to play in the NHL, and NA player can be sign as UFA if they weren't pick. I'm not sure but it something along does line.

 

[Schlep Rock]

Those 27 year olds are Euros. All Europeans must be drafted in order to play in the NHL.

As for undrafted free agent... This year, all UNDRAFTED players born September 16, 1984-September 15, 1986 are eligible for this year's draft. If you were born September 15, 1984, or before, you are not eligible for this year's draft and were either qualified by your NHL drafted club, not qualified and became a FA, or were undrafted and automatically a FA.

Hope this clears things up.

 

[Kox]

Those 27 year olds are Euros. All Europeans must be drafted in order to play in the NHL.

As for undrafted free agent... This year, all UNDRAFTED players born September 16, 1984-September 15, 1986 are eligible for this year's draft. If you were born September 15, 1984, or before, you are not eligible for this year's draft and were either qualified by your NHL drafted club, not qualified and became a FA, or were undrafted and automatically a FA.

Hope this clears things up.

Thank you for your help.
I've a few last question to see if I understood the whole thing.

Only Europeans can be drafted at any age. Ohtherwise if they're not drafted they're not allowed to appear in the NHL. Do Europeans hold the status "eligible" for their whole career? Or does a 27-year old European for example just hold the status "not drafted" if he wasn't drafted yet?

North Americans doesn't have to be drafted to play in the NHL. They can also be signed as free agents by any NHL club later.
This year all players (no matter if North American or European) born between September 16, 1984-September 15, 1986 are eligible. But what about the status of older Europeans if they're not drafted, yet? Are they listed by the CSB?

Thank you in advance again,
Kox

 

[Schlep Rock]

Thank you for your help.
I've a few last question to see if I understood the whole thing.

Only Europeans can be drafted at any age. Ohtherwise if they're not drafted they're not allowed to appear in the NHL. Do Europeans hold the status "eligible" for their whole career? Or does a 27-year old European for example just hold the status "not drafted" if he wasn't drafted yet?

North Americans doesn't have to be drafted to play in the NHL. They can also be signed as free agents by any NHL club later.
This year all players (no matter if North American or European) born between September 16, 1984-September 15, 1986 are eligible. But what about the status of older Europeans if they're not drafted, yet? Are they listed by the CSB?

Thank you in advance again,
Kox

Euros are eligible to be drafted forever, unless they were previously drafted by an NHL team.

Older Euros are not listed by CSB... It'd get too messy.

And no, North Americans do not need to be drafted to play in the NHL. There are a lot of undrafted players that are playing in the NHL, the MAJORITY of these players played NCAA hockey.

I do want to add, the Euro "over-age" market (i.e. 24, 25, 26, 27+ year olds) is REALLY drying up. It's a trend that started not too long ago in the NHL of drafting these kids and bringing them over but already the market is close to being tapped out. You do always have the chance of landing that REALLY late bloomer though.