The AHL Development Rule is one of the reasons why there is so much roster turnover in the AHL and why NHL teams like the New Jersey Devils sign and move players. This post looks at that rule, identifies the veterans on the Utica Comets, and what it means for them.
As we are in the middle of the dry period of the NHL offseason, now is a good time as any to look at a league with loads of annual turnover: the American Hockey League. Just about every team in the NHL has an affiliate in the AHL. A place for prospects to develop, depth to stay active, and even harness part of their NHL team’s future. Even the Carolina Hurricanes have one again, restoring their relationship with the Chicago Wolves. Will the next great superstar spend time the ‘A?’ Probably not. Roster players and other roles that become important in their own way? It absolutely can. Key word is ‘can.’
While much in the NHL are copy-catting the 2024 Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers in terms of their perceived size, plenty of the Panthers have some AHL experience. For examples: Eetu Luostarinen, Kevin Stenlund, Niko Mikkola, Brandon Montour, Gustav Forsling, and Carter Verhaeghe all had stints in the AHL prior to securing their spot in the NHL full-time. That last one, Verhaeghe, was one of the several examples of TampaCuse. It was not that long ago that Tampa Bay won Cups and were contenders. Part of how they kept it going was their development of players with the Syracuse Crunch to be called up as needed to fill in for someone or take on a depth role. It helped them keep contending into this current decade. Not a bad thing for other teams looking to contend to copy. Something the New Jersey Devils may want to employ.
The AHL Development Rule
The AHL is designed to help teams do just that with their roster rule. In the AHL, there is a development rule for all rosters in a game. As quoted from the league’s Frequently Asked Questions page:
Of the eighteen (18) skaters (not counting two goaltenders) that teams may dress for a game, at least thirteen (13) must be qualified as “development players.” Of those 13, twelve (12) must have played in 260 or fewer professional games (including AHL, NHL and European elite leagues), and one must have played in 320 or fewer professional games. All calculations for development status are based on regular-season totals as of the start of the season.
To put it another way: Only five (5) skaters can be on the team’s active roster for a game that have played in over 320 professional games. A sixth skater can have over 260 games but fewer than 320. These are referred to as veteran players on the AHL roster.
This is a big reason why rosters change so much in the AHL and also why long AHL contracts are not a thing like you would see in the NHL. As each player participates in games, they get closer to losing their “development player” status. This means AHL head coaches and management have to constantly balance who is in and who is out of a lineup. Too many veterans mean veterans have to sit – and that is not good for either the team, the player, or management. It also means a NHL team cannot just send someone down the AHL and just let them play. Their dressing may mean someone else cannot as well.
This all impacts how well the team performs – which is another balancing act in of itself. Prospects that need development do need to earn their minutes on a roster, but they also need to be in a position to succeed since player development is not usually helped by constantly losing games. And with veterans wanting a reason to continue to be in the AHL, it often takes something like a NHL contract to convince them to join up. A contract that may not count on the salary cap but absolutely counts towards the 50 contract limit. And if or when injuries strike, the NHL-contracted players are the players eligible to be called up.
This is all to say that you may not think very much of someone like Adam Beckman as a New Jersey Devil, but the New Jersey Devils signing him – which they did earlier this week – does have some impact in the organization. Namely with the Utica Comets. Who have seen multiple players go already such as Tyler Wotherspoon, Robbie Russo, and Kyle Criscuolo. Why? The development rule meant all three were veterans and the Comets perhaps had no more room for them and others. Also wanting an opportunity to get a chance to break through somewhere are key reasons why.
The Utica Comets – Several Near Veterans and Three Actual Ones
To that end, let us review who is on the Comets and how close they are to the 260 professional game limit. Before I get to that, there are two important omissions from the rule
First, goaltenders are not mentioned. They are exempt from the rule. So older goaltenders can play as much or as little as their coaches see fit. The organization may want the prospects to get enough minutes to get games. With back-to-backs (and occasionally back-to-back-to-back) sets, the AHL schedule provides incentive for multiple goalies to get minutes.
Second, ECHL games and lower leagues are exempt from this rule. They are professional leagues but as they are beneath the AHL in the North American “ladder” of leagues, there is no restriction on games played there. Which is a benefit for players who had split time between the two, such as Xavier Parent and Filip Engaras. Additionally, European elite leagues typically refer to the top league in a European country. Development or secondary leagues apparently do not count either. Also a plus for Engaras among others.
Now that is out of the way, here are the count of professional games played by all of the Utica Comet skaters signed as of yesterday. Veterans will be highlighted in yellow.
Elite Prospects for Game Counts, Utica Comets and PuckPedia for the roster
Say what you want about Dan MacKinnon, the Devils’ assistant GM is Utica’s GM, and Tom Fitzgerald, but they managed to have veteran spots open for their affiliate team. Unless there are games I am missing in the count, only Ryan Schmelzer, Joseph Gambardella, and Colton White are veterans. All three can play as much as head coach Kevin Dineen sees fit. They can even add two more. Three if one of the additions is between 260 and 320 professional games played. This is great from that perspective.
At the same time, they have assembled a roster filled with veteran-ish players for this level. At least at forward. Sam Laberge, whom the Devils signed to an ELC last season, Max Willman, and Justin Dowling are games away from hitting veteran status. Based on the AHL development rule, that will begin next season in 2025-26. Not coincidentally, that status will come in as all three enter unrestricted free agency. This will allow Shane Bowers and Mike Hardman to enter veteran status as they enter the second season of their current contracts with New Jersey. This is not even including the AHL-signed players, whom has one veteran in Joseph Gambardella. You get a no prize if you remember his 15 games with Edmonton in 2018-19. But even there, four of the six have at least a season-plus worth of AHL games under their belt.
This may help keep the Comets competitive given the lack of Devils forward prospects in this group. It also means that there should be opportunities for Chase Stillman and Josh Filmon to earn more ice time. Doing so will at least show they can hang with AHL/NHL tweeners. Still, if the New Jersey Devils need to call up a forward, then do not be shocked if it is one of the many veteran-like forwards under contract.
Defense is certainly much younger. Both Daniil Misyul and Topias Vilen are further along to the game count given their experience in the KHL and Liiga, respectively. They may be young with respect to the North American game but that development player status may be something for management to concern with next season. Misyul will certainly hit the 260-game mark and Vilen will at least come close. Still, the blueline is young as Seamus Casey and Mikael Diotte are brand new, Jackson van de Leest is just about brand new, and Will MacKinnon has plied most of his trade in the ECHL. This makes the signing of Colton White a lot more sensible. Expect White to take on a lot of tougher minutes as the young ones sort themselves out. Do not be surprised if the Devils add another veteran defenseman.
What about the outstanding free agent skaters for Utica? In my view, that is Chris Tierney, Nolan Foote, and Santeri Hatakka. Tierney has 649 NHL games alone so he would be a veteran. The Devils could bring him back and have him play on Utica as-is. But given that he has been allowed to be a UFA since July 1, I have my doubts about that. Nolan Foote would have 161 games (138 AHL, 23 NHL) by this measure. That shows you how much injuries have undercut the 23-year old winger’s career. He would not even count as a veteran should he play a full AHL season. Hatakka is closer to being a veteran. With 72 Liiga games, 97 AHL games, and 21 NHL games, he sits at 190. Given that Foote and Hatakka were qualified, I expect both to be brought back and they can be used freely in Utica for 2024-25. Hatakka, in particular, would be helpful for an otherwise inexperienced blueline.
Is This It For Utica?
Not quite. There are some loose ends to tie up. As mentioned, Hatakka and Foote need to be re-signed. As well as Nico Daws. He is a goaltender so the development rule does not apply to him. But Dineen, MacKinnon, and the Comets need to sort out the goaltending order with Daws, Isaac Poulter (who was signed during last season), Tyler Brennan, and AHL-contracted Jeremy Brodeur.
There is also the matter of two of the Devils’ 2024 NHL Draft Class. They picked two 20-year olds among their seven picks: Max Graham and Matyas Melovsky. I am unsure if they are eligible to be overage players in the WHL and QMJHL, respectively. I am sure they can still be signed to an entry level contract and be eligible for the AHL right away. That would add two younger players to a well-experienced AHL forward group. The other picks are 18 years old; I doubt the Devils sign them to bring them into the AHL right away – even if they could in some of their cases.
Then there is the matter of training camp. The Devils may look to bring in a few players on professional try out contracts. This may be as much for Utica as it is for New Jersey’s own depth. Center remains a position of need and none of the Comets last season really showed they can fill in a fourth-line role. It would not be out of the possibility that a leftover UFA gets a shot, does decently enough to get a deal, and agrees to report to Utica should he clear waivers. Depending on who that is, that may be a veteran for the AHL roster. Something Utica can add without forcing another veteran to sit just so they can play. This could also be a path to trial out a potential NHL contracted center willing to go to the AHL like Colton White. That would add to a blueline relatively short on experience.
Takeaways or Impacts for New Jersey
While this is all good for Utica, what does this all mean for the New Jersey Devils? To me, a couple of conclusions immediately jump out thanks to the AHL Development Rule and how MacKinnon and Fitzgerald (remember, NHL contracts come from New Jersey) signed players.
First, you can see that this is absolutely a factor in how the roster is built. Criscuolo, Russo, and Wotherspoon were let go and that opened the spots for veterans to be brought in like Gambardella and White. Not to mention keeping some like Schmelzer. Even so, I can tell that this could very well be the last season for Willman, Laberge, and Dowling as their UFA status begins just after they become veterans in the AHL’s eyes. They can walk as Hardman, Beckman, and Bowers can stay on as veterans for one more season. Credit to MacKinnon and Fitzgerald for having space instead of forcing Dineen to juggle experienced players in and out of his lineup on a nightly basis to meet the roster rule. Also credit to them for doing so with 42 contracts on the books. After re-signing RFAs, they will have 46 contracts – which gives them four more they can add.
Second, you can see that the Devils did make room for players to develop. Which is going to be difficult for the forwards as the more experienced players will make up a bulk of the roster. But it means they need to earn their spots, which is something I can get behind provided it is fair. Which I have to presume since I doubt Dineen just buries youth at this level with MacKinnon’s blessing somehow. Especially since the defense is the opposite situation. The younger players will have to play quite a bit and effectively grow up fast. Casey is certainly talented enough. Is the rest of the group as ready? White (and Hatakka) cannot do it all himself. The point is that I do not think anyone is blocked to move up. If Stillman, Filmon, Wendt, etc. are ready then they will be able to show it and get promoted within the Comets accordingly.
Third, you can also see that the rule adds a bias towards adding North American-based players. Misyul is entering his second season ever in North American ice hockey and he is just 32 games played away from being a veteran in the AHL’s eyes next season. Topias Vilen split time between Utica and Adirondack, a sign that he needed some additional minutes at a lower level to get ready for the AHL. He is seen as on par with a 2-3 season AHL player when he really is not. Mikael Diotte, who has been a QMJHL-only player until he was signed, is at a fresh zero games played and will have at least four-plus seasons to go through the ‘A’ before he hits that 260 games played mark. I get the intention, but the game is different enough in North America compared with the European elite leagues (SHL, KHL, Liiga, etc.). I can understand why some teams may opt to bring in players over as early as possible or, alternatively, see if they sink or swim at the NHL level quickly since they may not have the room on the AHL roster by the time they come over. Keep in mind I wrote North American-based players. Matyas Melovsky, who had just 1 game in the Czech top league and otherwise played for Baie-Comeau of the QMJHL, will not have this issue. I do not think it was a coincidence in his selection last month.
Fourth, it is critical to develop a good process of development with the organizations. Thanks to this rule, there is plenty of roster turnover in each season. Contracts rarely go beyond the three seasons you see with entry level contracts. The players will come and go, but management can set the expectations and requirements for growth. Tampa Bay did so with Syracuse by not only giving their players opportunities to succeed with the Crunch, but also in call-up situations with Tampa Bay. Florida’s Cup-winning roster had AHL-experienced players that helped them get to where they needed to be to contribute to their recent Cup. And success can yield more success as players from those AHL teams see who gets “rewarded” by moving up and/or getting NHL deals, and they can follow suit. The Devils can take lessons from both to develop the players to fill in holes in their roster rather than solely signing free agents to fill out a NHL roster, or trading young players still with a future for the likes of, say, Paul Cotter.
They have plenty going for them to follow Tampa Bay’s and Florida’s examples (among other teams). They have a veteran head coach in Dineen, who has been with the Comets since 2021. They have consistency in management as MacKinnon has been in charge since the Devils bought Utica. They have a roster that will free up spots for forwards in the future and has opportunity for defensemen today. What they need to do is to continue to add potential players, either through the draft or free agents, to continue to populate this roster. No, it will not necessarily yield the next Carter Verhaeghe, but it could be an economical way of completing the roster and have confidence in call-ups when needed in the future. Something very important for a team likely to be near the salary cap ceiling. One can lament that it was not done or that the process has not worked. I say that the second best time to start is today. And, again, the Devils have set themselves up in some ways to do this. It could be in the works as-is.
Your Take
This is all to say that this goes into development and the AHL affiliated teams need to built with this in mind. The Utica Comets have certainly done so in creating their roster for 2024-25. Now I want to know what you think of all of this. What do you make of the Utica Comets roster? Who do you see really has the opportunity to move up in the lineup with good performances and improvements in their game? Does the lack of experience concern you on defense? Does the bulk of experience at forward give you confidence about their performance? How do you see this impacting the New Jersey Devils for next season? Please leave your answers and other thoughts about Utica, the Devils’ development pipeline, the AHL development rule, and other related subjects in the comments. Thank you for reading.