Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitten Mittons
Question: since Kuraly is not Canadian (not playing in the CHL), he could play in the AHL at any time, right? As in, before he turns 20?
|
Yes. But it has nothing to do with being Canadian, it's just whether they're drafted from the CHL vs anywhere else. If you're drafted out of the CHL, you can't go to the AHL until you're 20. If you're drafted out of Europe on an NCAA feeder league, then you can end up in the AHL as soon as you're 18. Canadian players who go the NCAA route can leave college after a year and go to the AHL. But an American who is drafted while playing for an OHL team at 17 can only play in the OHL or NHL until they're 20 (well, there are some insane transfer rules about going from one CHL league to the others, but I don't know how they work off the top of my head)
EDIT: the obvious exception to that is CHL players who play at the end of the AHL season after their Jr season is over. That's allowed regardless of age, but the player must be returned to his Jr squad before the next season.