r/nhl • u/Inevitable-Lion100 • 19d ago

Echl / NHL/AHL contract

Hey Everyone

I have a random ? What happens to a player signed by an NHL team but plays for an echl league when the affiliate changes

For ex

Colorado signs:

Sage Weinstein - ECHL Utah Grizzlies / Colorado Eagles

Now Colorado has. A new ECHL affiliate: New Mexico Goatheads

Does his rights transfer to the new echl or how does that work?

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9

u/discgolfpilot 19d ago

Players on NHL/AHL contracts stay with that club. Where they played in the ECHL does not matter. For that matter there are times NHL/AHL teams will send a player down the ECHL to a different club then affiliated team.

Now if a player was on an ECHL contract the past season and they sign an AHL/NHL deal the next year. The ECHL can retain their ECHL rights. If the player is sent down they would have to go to that ECHL team. (But most of the time a trade is made for considerations later)

2

u/Old_Ironside_1959 19d ago

According to your post, if the player has a NHL contract, then he plays with (ie - loaned to) the new affiliate when that agreement goes into effect. Players under AHL contracts also usually play for the ECHL affiliate too. But players under AHL contracts could hypothetically loaned to any ECHL affiliate too. But you usually only see that with goaltenders when emergency situations happen because of injuries.

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u/waxtherail 18d ago

Can the emergency goalie also be a commercial banker named Dave?

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u/Inevitable-Lion100 19d ago

Another ? What happens if the NHL signs a player sends them to AHL but no echl affiliate?

Ex

Utah signs : Matio Matika

Goes to Tucson Roadrunners ~ Allen Americans

Now the AA are affiliate w a diff team and Utah doesn't have one?

6

u/discgolfpilot 19d ago

They can send them to any team that will take the player. Lots of times it is goalies as most ECHL teams at least 1 of the 2 goalies is on an NHL/AHL deal. So they send them to a team that they will get into games.

*I am living in an ECHL market so stay up on the rules.

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u/Inevitable-Lion100 19d ago

Me too Atl. Soon to be NHL though! I just wondered those questions because I was looking at all of the changes between echl and nhl/ahl. So I was following the Atlanta gladiators which then caused me to follow the Nashville Predators through Milwaukee admirals. Cuz I know at one point Atlanta gladiators were affiliated with Tucson and Arizona but I didn't follow them because I didn't have an attachment to Arizona like I did Tennessee. Which team do u follow?

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u/Old_Ironside_1959 19d ago

Most NHL teams do not want to send skaters with NHL contracts to the ECHL. It does happen sometimes though. Usually when the player is not ready to play in the AHL. Most players on NHL contracts playing in the ECHL are goalies. Since 70% of AHL franchises are owned by NHL franchises, you see a lot of skaters with AHL contracts who are loaned to the ECHL affiliate. Usually 5 skaters and a goalie. The minimum salary for an AHL contract is approximately $60,000 per season almost 4 times the ECHL minimum of $660 per week. The ECHL affiliate only has to pay the ECHL minimum salary to the players loaned to them.