Earlier this week, news dropped that some elements of the memorandum of understanding between the NHL and the NHLPA would roll into effect earlier than the September 15, 2026 start date for the agreement. While the vast majority of the early implantations dealt primarily with the salary cap, including the new playoff cap rules, one particular element might be of interest to fans of prospects.
Under the current agreement between the NHL, AHL, and CHL, players that have CHL eligibility are not allowed to play in the AHL unless they are over the age of 20. There were some exceptions to that rule during the COVID days, but for the most part, even if a 19-year-old player had gained all he could gain from junior hockey, but wasn’t ready for the NHL, he was stuck going back to juniors.