The NHL, AHL, and CHL are close to an agreement allowing teams to assign unlimited 19-year-old first-round picks directly to the AHL starting in 2026-27, building on a recent CBA change that permitted one per team. This addresses GMs’ calls for more development flexibility amid NCAA competition, letting elite prospects like Vancouver’s Braeden Cootes, Philadelphia’s Jack Nesbitt, and Nashville’s Brady Martin and Cam Reid bypass another junior year if they don’t make the NHL roster. While the CHL worries it could drain major junior talent, others see it as a needed update to keep stars in pro systems.