Quirky AHL Rules

• Veteran Rule: A limit is set on the number of "veterans" a team may dress for a game. The AHL considers a "veteran" any player who has played, as of the start of the season, more than 260 regular-season games combined in the AHL, NHL, IHL, or any European elite league. In 2006-07, teams may dress a maximum of 17 skaters (plus two goaltenders) for a regular-season AHL game. Of these 17 skaters, no more than five may be classified as "veterans."



• Only 4 players per team are allowed to use their personal sticks, the rest must used the sponsored brand of stick the AHL provides (I believe at this time its RBK)



• The on going eligibility age debate is very confusing. Here is what i have unofficially heard: You have to turn 20 by December 31st to be eligible to play in the AHL with a few exceptions that I know of:

1. If you're a European whose rights are not owned by any Canadian junior team



2. If a player has played 4 years of Junior hockey



3. College players



4. After a player's junior or college season is completely over (including playoffs or tournaments), the player can sign a PTO with and AHL team and be eligible to play

So basically what i understand is that the rule that you must be 20 by Dec. 31 to play in the AHL is an agreement between the CHL and NHL and therefore only applys to players who play Canadian Junior, not college or European players. This is why a guy like Smid could play last year at 19 and a guy like Schremp had to go back to London.