Understanding the AHL Veteran Rule's Impact on Coachella Valley

The Coachella Valley Firebirds have reached the Calder Cup finals in their first two seasons. Despite their success, this offseason has seen significant roster changes, with several key players leaving and new faces joining.

The AHL and the «Veteran Rule»

The AHL is primarily a developmental league for potential NHL players, and it has specific rules for roster construction to maintain this focus. The "veteran rule" mandates that on any game day, teams must include:
- At least 12 skaters with fewer than 260 professional games (development players).
- At most one skater with fewer than 320 professional games (veteran exempt).
- At most five skaters with over 320 professional games (veterans).

These rules apply to skaters over 25 years old as of July 1. The number of professional games is calculated before the season starts and remains fixed throughout the season. For example, Cale Fleury, who started the 2023-24 season with 217 professional games, transitioned from a development player to a veteran exempt player for the 2024-25 season after surpassing 260 games.

Impact on the Firebirds' Roster

For the 2023-24 season, the Firebirds had several players classified as veterans or veteran exempt. To comply with the veteran rule, the team could only dress five veterans and one veteran exempt player per game, despite having more on the roster. This offseason, the Seattle Kraken, the Firebirds' NHL affiliate, had to make space for incoming players like Jagger Firkus, David Goyette, Jani Nyman, and Ty Nelson, which led to several Firebirds moving on.

Departures and Additions

Ten Firebirds players became free agents or signed with other teams. Six of them quickly found new teams, suggesting better opportunities or clearer paths to the NHL. Four remain free agents, with Marian Studenic being the standout due to his 44 points last season. Peetro Seppälä, a restricted free agent, signed with Örebro in Sweden after receiving a qualifying offer from the Kraken.

The Kraken re-signed veterans Max McCormick, John Hayden, and Gustav Olofsson. They also signed Mitchell Stephens and Maxime Lajoie, filling their veteran slots. Additional signings included Brandon Biro and Nikolas Brouillard, who are still classified as development players, and Josh Mahura and Ben Meyers, who may compete for spots on the Kraken's NHL roster.

2024-25 Roster Outlook

Assuming players like Ryker Evans and Shane Wright make the Kraken's NHL roster, the Firebirds will remain compliant with the veteran rule and maintain flexibility. Despite the roster changes, the Firebirds are well-positioned for another strong season.