1st Round draft Choice stuck in OHL [ Edited ]

[RumOak163]

My first-round draft choice I traded up for is in my contract list but is unavailable for call up in roster moves. He signed for 3 years 2 way contract at 1 mil right after drafting. I figured maybe it was some cap issue in year 1. Now he's in his 2nd contract year, shows up in my player list under contracts, but is invisible on the NHL or AHL team. I have 2 mil in cap space. This has never happened to me before. I don't want to trade, I could but I don't want to. Why does he not appear in the "in the system" in roster moves list so I can call him up to the NHL? I can't even get him in the AHL. HELP!!

[heavydutyrammer]

@RumOak163 You have to call him up in the preseason. If he’s sent down, he’ll be in the juniors and unavailable for call up until the start of next pre season

[heavydutyrammer]

@heavydutyrammer Also if he’s under 20/isn’t 20 by a certain day, I think sometime in September, he’s not eligible to play in the AHL

[RumOak163]

@heavydutyrammerOK thanks I'll try that out and let you know. The only thing is I've never had to do this before but who knows. I've had 18yr olds play in the NHL without me doing a thing. The guys only 19 and almost all his stats are in the high to mid 80's.

[kyl_35]

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@heavydutyrammer wrote:
@heavydutyrammerAlso if he’s under 20/isn’t 20 by a certain day, I think sometime in September, he’s not eligible to play in the AHL

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Needs to be 20 by Dec 31, in my experience. Not that you’d have any way to know when they turn 20 if they’re game generated…

wait, maybe through the edit player screen you’d know? I just now thought of that 

[RumOak163]

@kyl_35 Well in year 3 when he turned 20 I can use him. But I've had 18 and 19 yr old in my lineups always. I think what may have happened is it was the first time ever I went over the cap after FA's and then a trade came along, so once he got sent down I had wo wait until he was 20. Like I said I have never seen this before with a top end rookie. Thanks for the help!

[kyl_35]

Ahh! Yeah; that would explain it 

[MV75]

I think that players for europe can be in your line up (NHL/AHL) when they 18 or 19. The rules of 20 is more to the north american players, specially canadiens.

[VeronicatheCD]

@heavydutyrammerYep. The CHL was worried, decades ago, that the NHL would steal all of their top players - this is after Gretzky entered the CHL at 14, then jumped to the WHA at 16. They signed an agreement so that NHL players had to be 18 and AHL players had to be 20 - if they are claimed by the CHL only - so that they would stay in the CHL.

If they're from the US leagues, Europe, or Rest of the World they can play in the AHL at 18.

[VeronicatheCD]

@MV75 Only CHL players. Any other league in the world can lose their players at 18 or 19 - but the CHL has an agreement with the NHL.