Should the AHL have an age limit for NA players?

[sharkyz15]

I was just wondering if people like the age limit that the AHL has for NA players to keep juniors competative?

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[NYR469]

that rule is done for the benefit of the CHL and is between the NHL & CHL, not ahl (eventhough they are the ones impacted)...

the thing that you have to keep in mind is that while there are players that could make the jump to the ahl sooner (18-19 years old) but for the vast majority of the players drafted, they benefit more staying in juniors those 2 years...

so while you can look at 1 particular player and say it is hurting the nhl club, you have to also look at the countless other situations where the nhl club benefits from being able to let their player develop in the chl

 

[sharkyz15]

that rule is done for the benefit of the CHL and is between the NHL & CHL, not ahl (eventhough they are the ones impacted)...

the thing that you have to keep in mind is that while there are players that could make the jump to the ahl sooner (18-19 years old) but for the vast majority of the players drafted, they benefit more staying in juniors those 2 years...

so while you can look at 1 particular player and say it is hurting the nhl club, you have to also look at the countless other situations where the nhl club benefits from being able to let their player develop in the chl

I see what you mean but i dont think every NHL team will sign CHL prospects right away.

For instance, Steve Bernier played in the QMJHL last year and really improved his all around game. Now he almost seams bored of the CHL competition. He is ready to play at a higher level but the Sharks are so deep that his only option becomes the AHL but he is only 19 years old.

 

[NYR469]

I see what you mean but i dont think every NHL team will sign CHL prospects right away.

For instance, Steve Bernier played in the QMJHL last year and really improved his all around game. Now he almost seams bored of the CHL competition. He is ready to play at a higher level but the Sharks are so deep that his only option becomes the AHL but he is only 19 years old.

well i wasn't thinking that every prospect was get signed, i was just trying to look at it from the CHL's point of view...

as an nhl fan you can say "screw the chl team" but what if the chl turned around and basically said "if you steal our stars, then we won't let your other prospects play"

obviously the chl team would be hurting themselves too by doing it...but suddenly its not such a win/win situation for the nhl team who thinks they can take away that junior clubs best player and then that team will bend over and smile as they develop the players that the nhl team decides are ok for them to keep

 

[Paxon]

I don't like the rule and feel that the player and NHL team should decide what is the best course for individual development. However, it is very understandable why the CHL pushed to get this rule in place and it is just something the hockey world has to live with.

 

[Plager05]

I see what you mean but i dont think every NHL team will sign CHL prospects right away.

For instance, Steve Bernier played in the QMJHL last year and really improved his all around game. Now he almost seams bored of the CHL competition. He is ready to play at a higher level but the Sharks are so deep that his only option becomes the AHL but he is only 19 years old.

This situation isn't hard to remedy. Give AHL teams 1 or 2 roster spots for underage players.

 

[Crossbar]

I don't like the rule and feel that the player and NHL team should decide what is the best course for individual development. However, it is very understandable why the CHL pushed to get this rule in place and it is just something the hockey world has to live with.

I agree and don't like it either for the developement purposes.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

This situation isn't hard to remedy. Give AHL teams 1 or 2 roster spots for underage players.

...or maybe 1 or 2 per NHL team, that way teams with dual affiliates can have their players in the AHL.

 

[degroat*]

This situation isn't hard to remedy. Give AHL teams 1 or 2 roster spots for underage players.

From the CHL's point of view, that rule would result in them losing 50 or so of their best players.

 

[The Big P]

I was actually thinking about this last year and thought that a team could be given one underage exemption every 3-4 years. Meaning that if a team sends a player down to the minors instead of the CHL they can't do it for another 3-4 years. This way Teams won't just always send their best prospect every year to the minors they'll have to make a serious decision about when to use it. But I think that this would work best if draft eligibility was raised by half a year, meaning all players born in 1986 get drafted in the same draft, not split up.

 

[Baron Von Shark]

Steve Bernier played in the QMJHL last year and really improved his all around game. Now he almost seams bored of the CHL competition. He is ready to play at a higher level but the Sharks are so deep that his only option becomes the AHL but he is only 19 years old.

You say he's bored, I say he's lazy...and I will believe that until he proves otherwise.

 

[ALF AmericanLionsFan]

I like it. Keeps both leagues stacked with talent.