The NHL-CHL agreement mandates that players drafted from the CHL must complete their entire major junior eligibility before being permitted to play full time in the AHL or any professional league other than the NHL.

TSN.ca proposed Wednesday that fourth-year major junior players selected in the first round of the NHL draft be eligible to play in the AHL – if in the view of their NHL teams they have effectively outgrown the CHL but are not yet ready for the NHL. 

Our story suggested two criteria for early AHL eligibility:

1. Players must have been selected in the first round of the NHL draft and have played three full seasons in the CHL.
2. Players must pass a tryout period – say 9 games in the AHL to mirror the NHL 9-game tryout period - to prove they have effectively outgrown the CHL.

This is our logic:

1. Only NHL-rated elite players (e.g. first rounders) would be included to guard against a new system cutting too deeply into the CHL talent pool.
2. CHL teams should consider three full seasons fair return on their investments. Consider that NHL players are technically free agents after going through the three-year entry level system.

The nine CHLers - including current NHLers Bo Horvat (Vancouver), Curtis Lazar (Ottawa) and Sam Reinhart (Buffalo) - who would be candidates to play in the AHL this season are: 

Max Domi (Arizona)
Sam Morin (Philadelphia)
Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg)
Darnell Nurse (Edmonton)
Nick Ritchie (Anaheim)
Shea Theodore (Anaheim)

This is what We Said. Here is what You Said:

TWITTER:

Daniel Deschenes @DDeschenesFC - every players "right" development path is different, whether it be CHL or NCAA and now AHL vs CHL.  Something needs to change

Dan Weiss @DanWeissPBP - If a player can gain "exceptional status" to play in the CHL as a 15-year-old they should be able to play in the AHL at 18/19.

Dan Weiss @DanWeissPBP - Plus those who say the CHL would be "devastated" is exaggerating. Those are hockey markets regardless of the talent.

Matt Moran @MattyMo26 - NHL teams should have a designated number of cards to allow a player to play in the AHL early w/ fee to compensate CHL team.

Matt Moran @MattyMo26 - @CraigJButton can also simplify WJC discussion with elite players - the John Carlson effect - played in Hershey in 2010, led USA to WJC gold

Paul Anca @PAnca_96 - Must have played one CHL season after being drafted, draft selection shouldn't be part of eligibility & burns one year of ELC.

Ryan Wagman @RAWagman - As the hit to CHL teams is financial, perhaps a clause allowing NHL teams to purchase player rights early.

FACEBOOK:

Carson McConnell - If that 19yr old (Currently 1995) is fractions to becoming NHL ready and needs more than a conditioning stint in the AHL (ie. Bo Horvat), then I agree - but not if the guy could use the minutes in the CHL.

TSN.CA:

Ben Huigenbos - agreed, and this change would actually add to the incentive to play CHL over NCAA perhaps, which would be a win for CHL. I love it and hope they can make agreement with the CHL.

Uruguay Syd - An excellent plan, guys.  Horvat has yet to play an NHL regular season game, and could very well take until late November to do so. Is 3rd or 4th line center, fighting for time with natural and more experienced centers, Richardson, Vey, and Matthias, giving him a better chance to develop than playing full-time center in the AHL?  Probably no.  However, except for this conditioning stint, it is not an option.   Sending him back to junior in November, a man among boys, will be a big step back.