Who's Playoff Eligible for Texas?

How about this for a blast from the past? In case you forgot (or if you're new), Maxime Fortunus is assisted by Andrew Hutchinson protecting Matt Climie's net in the 2010 Calder Cup Finals. (Credit: JustSports Photography)
With Texas officially into the playoffs on Sunday, it's definitely past time to take a look at the Stars' playoff eligibility.

In previous seasons, the eligibility for the AHL playoffs was determined using a rather confusing system called "Clear Day Rosters", which were submitted the day of the AHL trade and movement deadline. Only players on this list could participate in the rest of the season and the playoffs unless there were a certain number of injuries, callups or suspensions involved.

Just when you thought you understood Clear Day, the AHL moved this year to a model more like the ECHL, where each team submits a playoff roster at the end of the season.

Here's the AHL's summary of the deadline and playoff rosters:
The AHL’s trade and loan deadline is this Wednesday, Apr. 10, at 3 p.m. ET. Following the deadline, no player may be acquired via trade between member clubs, and no AHL club may accept a player on loan from a club other than its NHL affiliate.

In addition, the AHL’s playoff roster deadline is Monday, Apr. 22, at 3 p.m. ET, by which time all 16 playoff teams must submit to the league a list of playoff-eligible players. Only those players on a team’s playoff eligibility list, plus signed draft choices and players signed to amateur tryout contracts, are eligible to compete in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Players from lower professional leagues can also be added if they played in at least eight games in the AHL and/or a lower league in 2012-13.

The AHL’s Clear Day roster restrictions have been removed. Any eligible player on a club’s roster may participate at any time during the remainder of the regular season and the Calder Cup Playoffs.
There is no mention of the length of the playoff eligibility list. However, the restrictive Clear Day format seems to have loosened up this season. There's no mention of only using players not on the list if those on the list are injured, called up or suspended. You just add them to the list. It's a more wide-open system and it makes things more understandable for the fans.

So, who is eligible? Well, everyone currently in Texas or Idaho is eligible, according to these rules. Also eligible are Matt Fraser, Alex Chiasson and Jordie Benn, who were assigned to the Texas Stars temporarily on NHL Trade Deadline Day for the pursposes of making them AHL playoff eligible. This also means that Cody Eakin, Brenden Dillon, Antoine Roussel and Richard Bachman, who have all played games in Texas this season, are not eligible.

Texas could also pick up ATOs or signed draft picks. Those might include D John Klingberg, D Jyrki Jokipakka or F Scott Winkler.

It's a lot simpler than last year; that's for sure.

Comments

  1. Thanks so much for posting this! I found it very helpful. Now I can tell my daddy what's up.
    Will playoffs work the same as years past?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Matchups will be 1v8, 2v7, 3v6, 4v5.

      First round is only best of 5 though. All other rounds are best of 7. Split of home games depends on travel. Close opponents will play 2-2-1-1-1. Far opponents play 2-3-2.

      Delete
  2. I'm so glad you know what is going on. It truly makes me smile to know there are kind people welcoming newbies like me into hockey so kindly and with such understandable information!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome. I hope you continue to enjoy the greatest game on earth.

      Delete
  3. Got a question.. If Chiasson and Fraser are on the AHL roster tomorrow, will they still be eligible to play in the NHL playoffs if Dallas makes it?

    ReplyDelete

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