The NHL’s collective bargaining agreement will enshrine various changes to long-standing rules, some of which will be going into effect this season…
Just arrived in Detroit where NHL GMs and coaches are meeting. The expectation is that NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly will address everyone about these CBA transition rules either tonight during a league dinner event with GMs and coaches or tomorrow during the formal meeting https://t.co/pibndhg2po
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) September 2, 2025
But PuckPedia reports that the concept that 1 of a team’s CHL-drafted prospects may skip their draft-year tenure in the QMJHL, OHL or WHL and play in the AHL instead, with coordination with the CHL itself, won’t happen until 2026-2027–at the very earliest:
Correction/Clarification:
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) September 2, 2025
The 19 year old AHL change is not yet in effect. It requires agreement with CHL, & the NHL/NHLPA have agreed to push to get this agreement & change done for this season. However, those negotiations have not started yet & no guarantee it's effective… https://t.co/NYT6l1xSaK
So the Hockey News’s Jake Tye’s suggestion that Red Wings prospect Carter Bear might play in the AHL this season…
This upcoming season, Bear is expected to return to the WHL and play for the Everett Silvertips but what if this story was to change?
Bear is already at a decent 6-foot but could add a bit more muscle, weighing in at under 180 pounds. He could spend the season with the Silvertips and build up his strength or he could opt to do so at the pro level. Nothing is ever set in stone and if Bear goes to training camp and excels, there’s a chance he could instead play pro hockey at the AHL level.
Not much will be in Bear’s way in terms of opposing talent at the WHL level as the league has been picked clean with players like Gavin McKenna and Cayden Lindstrom leaving for the United States and the NCAA. It leaves lesser competition for Bear than what he would be getting at the AHL level with the Grand Rapids Griffins. It’s a nerve-wracking move to make as an undersized player could struggle and lose confidence when making the jump to pro hockey bit it could be what Bear needs.
Is of course wishful thinking. Bear can’t make his AHL debut until after his Everett Silvertips complete their WHL season next spring. That’s not going to change just yet.
Could he play in the AHL this upcoming season? Sure, but not until late March or early April.
Next year at this time, he’s fair AHL game. His post-draft season is another story.
