Significant news is emerging from the world of professional hockey regarding the path young players take to the NHL. The recently ratified Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the National Hockey League and the NHL Players` Association reportedly contains a key provision that could alter player development strategies for years to come.
According to insider reports, the new agreement, set to take effect for the 2026-27 season, will allow each NHL team a new degree of flexibility. Specifically, it permits franchises to assign one 19-year-old player drafted from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate during a given season.
This change represents a notable departure from the long-standing NHL-CHL agreement, often referred to as the “major junior rule.” Traditionally, drafted players from the CHL aged 18 and 19 who do not make their NHL club`s roster must be returned to their CHL team. The AHL option has typically been unavailable for this age group, creating a developmental binary: NHL readiness or another season of junior hockey.
The ability to place a promising 19-year-old in the AHL provides NHL organizations with an additional tool in their development arsenal. For players who may have surpassed the competition level of major junior but are not yet ready for the demanding NHL environment, the AHL offers a crucial intermediate step. It provides professional coaching, a more rigorous schedule, and the opportunity to play against older, stronger competition, all while remaining under the direct supervision and control of the NHL club.
However, the provision comes with clear limitations. The rule is specifically for 19-year-olds and is capped at a single player per team each season. Players who are still 18 years old will continue to be subject to the existing CHL-or-NHL rule. This distinction adds another layer of complexity to the evaluation and roster decisions regarding young prospects – as if the league`s player movement rules needed any more nuances.
While this specific allowance for 19-year-olds in the AHL is just one piece of the larger new CBA, which reportedly includes other significant changes such as an expanded regular season and adjustments to contract limits, it is a development that player personnel staff across the league will undoubtedly be factoring into their long-term planning.
