With expanded NHL rosters....

[txpd]

With 26 players on an NHL roster and a 4 player taxi squad, what is an AHL roster going to look like?

Will teams opt to keep their top prospects at the NHL level rather than send them to reduced caliber games in the AHL? Are AHL teams going to be all young kids with the more veteran players all taking up those spots in the NHL?

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[CHRDANHUTCH]

With 26 players on an NHL roster and a 4 player taxi squad, what is an AHL roster going to look like?

Will teams opt to keep their top prospects at the NHL level rather than send them to reduced caliber games in the AHL? Are AHL teams going to be all young kids with the more veteran players all taking up those spots in the NHL?

nope, from all indications, the AHL will be back on 2/5/21, as has been indicated..... now where the 31 teams actually will play becomes the challenge....

Providence likely will have to split Schneider Arena, with the D1 Friars of Hockey East as certain venues are being used for Covid response (a la DCU Center IN Worcester, AS the Railers opted out earlier this year).

 

[210]

With 26 players on an NHL roster and a 4 player taxi squad, what is an AHL roster going to look like?

Will teams opt to keep their top prospects at the NHL level rather than send them to reduced caliber games in the AHL? Are AHL teams going to be all young kids with the more veteran players all taking up those spots in the NHL?

There's talk of a limited number of (fill in the blank: days/games/whatever) that an NHL team can keep players on the taxi squad without appearing in an NHL game, so that should mitigate the AHL losing its top talent a small bit. But yeah, it's not going to look like previous seasons on the ice as each affiliate won't be playing with a top-notch roster the entire season.

 

[txpd]

There's talk of a limited number of (fill in the blank: days/games/whatever) that an NHL team can keep players on the taxi squad without appearing in an NHL game, so that should mitigate the AHL losing its top talent a small bit. But yeah, it's not going to look like previous seasons on the ice as each affiliate won't be playing with a top-notch roster the entire season.

Not sure what good limiting time on the taxi squad would do. They are the normal 7th thru 10th callups to start with. The 11th thru 14th callups are the middle of an AHL lineup. I dont know

 

[210]

Not sure what good limiting time on the taxi squad would do. They are the normal 7th thru 10th callups to start with. The 11th thru 14th callups are the middle of an AHL lineup. I dont know

I have no idea what you mean by "7th thru 10th" and "11th thru 14th" callups.

 

[LadyStanley]

NHL rosters will still have max 23 players. Taxi squads will be max 6.

NHL teams MUST have three goalies on NHL/TS at all times minimum.

Waivers will be required to be assigned to TS, if applicable.

TS will be treated like AHL assignment for cap and waiver.

 

[210]

NHL rosters will still have max 23 players. Taxi squads will be max 6.

And a minimum of four.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

 

[Crunchrulz]

What we are going to have is third and fourth line AHLers playing on the top two lines and the rest of the roster made of ECHL players who should not be in the AHL. Best thing to do is for the AHL to suspend the season completely and allow the NHL teams to stock the ECHL and other lower leagues with players since that is going to be the talent level the AHL would be dressing. Not sure about the rest of you folks but I dont think paying AHL ticket prices, for the games folks are allowed in to watch, is going to go over well with the talent that will be playing. This does not even take into consideration the logistical nightmare that is going to be happening as the teams try and move city to city to play games while obeying local restrictions and special rules.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

What we are going to have is third and fourth line AHLers playing on the top two lines and the rest of the roster made of ECHL players who should not be in the AHL. Best thing to do is for the AHL to suspend the season completely and allow the NHL teams to stock the ECHL and other lower leagues with players since that is going to be the talent level the AHL would be dressing. Not sure about the rest of you folks but I dont think paying AHL ticket prices, for the games folks are allowed in to watch, is going to go over well with the talent that will be playing. This does not even take into consideration the logistical nightmare that is going to be happening as the teams try and move city to city to play games while obeying local restrictions and special rules.

only 13 ECHL Teams are active...... and not all of them share the development philosophy of sending players to the ECHL..... WHEREAS, 20+ AHL clubs (yes, including Seattle, here) ARE Owned/operated by the NHL Affiliates.

 

[LadyStanley]

My guess is that NHL teams may choose to have more journeymen on the Taxi Squad to allow the "kids" to enjoy a lot of ice time in the AHL.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

My guess is that NHL teams may choose to have more journeymen on the Taxi Squad to allow the "kids" to enjoy a lot of ice time in the AHL.

could be we eventually get a redefinition of what a "prospect" is

 

[txpd]

My guess is that NHL teams may choose to have more journeymen on the Taxi Squad to allow the "kids" to enjoy a lot of ice time in the AHL.

These are effectively your call ups. A positive COVID test will set a player down for a week plus. You want your call ups to be AHL veterans instead of actual prospects? Would you rather skate games against your division rivals, all the games will be against your division rivals, filling 3 holes in your lineup with 3 AHL veterans than 3 legit baby NHL players? Make the wrong choice here and you could miss the playoffs

 

[LadyStanley]

@txpd or lose development ramp up by sitting player in the rafters rather than play in the minors?

It's a balancing act.

With potentially a week or more of quarantining a player if actually called up, "immediate" availability needs to be balanced against delays in recalls.



You hope your players are rested, healed and fully healthy. AND that they have properly trained to handle core/groin pressures that will be faced in a compressed season.

Next, you need to prioritize forward, defense and goalie depth REPLACEMENTS. Would you rather have a journeyman who can plug any forward position or someone who in 3-4 years will be your top center? If it's a short term injury, you might just go with the former. The latter scenario might be for a longer term injury (or trade) to give the player some experience in NHL.

YMMV