farm team

[cowboy644]

Now that the Canucks have legitimate prospects at the junior level it makes me wonder if the rules should be changed about the age limit for playing at the AHL level.I'm not saying that because the team has them now then it should be changed now.The point I'm making is that so many NHL teams must have Horvats and Shinkariks that are wasted in junior because there is nothing that can help them develope any more at that level.

The AHL rule as I understand it says a player has to be 20 years old in order to play there.The change I would like to see is this:

1)junior age players would be 16-18 with 2 19 year old overagers.Right now only a player at 16 with special exemption status(I believe the Tavares rule)can play junior.If 16 year olds are only playimg against 18 year olds rather than 19 and 20 year olds then it levels the playing field considerably.Doubtful the ages will change but an option.

2)The rule that would be easier to implement.Allow your farm team to have 2 underage drafted 18 or 19 year olds on their team.I know the rule for age 20 was put in place so the AHL wouldn't ravage the junior clubs of their better players but some times there are players in that grey area at 18 and 19 that aren't NHL ready but are getting nothing out of playing junior.There may be 1 or 2 for the most part on any given junior team so it's not like the CHL is going to get decimated of all there skilled players.I know the junior team has developed these kids but they must realize that they aren't helping with there development any more.Maybe even go so far as the NHL team puts up money to the junior team to allow the kids to move up.A benefit to both clubs.

[Ghostsof1915]

I was thinking about this but the opposite way. Since teams find it so tough to draft prospects because they are drafting 17-18 years olds in the NHL. Change the rules so the NHL drafts players who are 21 and older.

This would benefit the CHL because they can keep players until they are 20 or cap out their overage limit. The AHL would have a draft a week before the NHL. Players are signed to an entry level deal, where the team in the AHL only holds their rights until the player is drafted by the NHL. The AHL teams would get a flood of 19-20 year olds with tons of skill. For three years the NHL can only draft players 21 or older, players from Europe, or players from the NCAA.

After the three years and the CHL to AHL system is fully implemented. The NHL can draft players 21 or older. Now you are looking at players who have at least 3-4 years junior experience, and 1 year of pro at the AHL level, and you can draft only European players who are 21 or older. This means CHL teams get to keep players longer. AHL teams of all types can draft and for 1-2 seasons get superstars to help fill their buildings.

Players from Europe can be drafted and it gives leagues in Europe 2-3 years of keeping great young talent before they go off to the NHL. The NHL benefits because at 21 pretty much most players are going to show you where they are going to be. The chances of a player then bolting to the KHL gets reduced all at the same time because at 21 they've already played pro for 3 years.

For NHL clubs it takes away a lot of guesswork from scouting, because now you have players with pro experience moving to the NHL. For players in University it means you can't get drafted by the NHL until you've gone through 3 years of University. So it's easier to stay one final year, get your education, and go pro at age 22. It also means NHL clubs only have to wait one season before a college player can jump onto the big club.

Win-win for everyone. It just adds complexity to the draft to transition to the new system. The only drawback I see is someone starting a WHA type league and drafting 17 year olds to screw up the system.

[Gyllenhaal]

I don't think the AHL has any age restriction. Elias Lindholm and Rasmus Ristolainen are both under 20 and they play in the AHL, but only because their rights don't belong to any CHL team so their NHL club gets to decide were they play.

I know we have one player, Anton Cederholm, who can play in the AHL next year if the Canucks management chooses to do so but i think its unlikely since he is on a very good WHL team and is a big part of their success.

CHL teams don't want to lose their star players so i think its unlikely they would agree to release them to the players NHL team.

[Alex Burrows 14]

I want to see the juniors to be 16 to 20 but once you turn 19 you have the option of playing in the ahl.

[cowboy644]

I looked up the rule.To start the rule does not cover college players or European players drafted in Europe, only players drafted in the chl.If a player has played 4 years in junior they can move up..Tavares would be the only one I can think of right now because he started juniors at 16.But he started in the nhl at 18 anyway.A player who turns 20 by December 31.So if you are 19 starting a season in October but turn 20 3 months later in December then as a chl drafted player you can start the season in the AHL.But I still stick to my proposal to allow 2 underage(chl drafted)players to move up.Cash compensation does 2 things.Stops the outright taking of players by the nhl and gives cash to teams that would enjoy another revenue stream.I also think it would put more emphasis on chl clubs to draft and develope better because they could be rewarded when one of there players gets moved up early.I mean cash compensation to the junior team by the way.