Several folks have asked the question if Flyers veteran players would be eligible to play for the Phantoms in the event of a prolonged NHL lockout. Well, technically speaking, I suppose some of them could. However, I really don't expect it.
If there's no CBA in place, the current waiver rules would not be enforceable until there's a new agreement reached between the NHL and NHLPA. So it wouldn't be a question of whether the post-entry-level contract players would have to pass through waivers.
Something that WILL remain in place, though, is the AHL's development rule. The rule states:
Of the 18 skaters (not counting two goaltenders) that teams may dress for a regular-season game, at least 13 must be qualified as "development players." Of those 13, 12 must have played in 260 or fewer professional games (including AHL, NHL, IHL and European elite leagues), and one must have played in 320 or fewer professional games. All calculations for development status are based on regular-season totals as of the start of the season.
Assuming that Flyers entry-level contract players Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn, Eric Wellwood, Zac Rinaldo and Erik Gustafsson end up playing with the Phantoms, there wouldn't be many roster spots left, even if some veterans would want to play in Glens Falls. Don't forget that that first-year contracted players such as Andrew Johnston, Matt Mangene and Matt Konan are penciled into the Adirondack starting lineup.
Most of the contracted players who spent the majority of last season on the Phantoms are classified as development players. Tom Sestito now has 245 games of AHL regular season experience, 27 games worth of NHL experience plus 9 AHL playoff games. Matt Ford now has played 252 AHL/ECHL regular season games plus 13 playoff games. The status of prolific scoring AHL veteran Denis Hamel, 35, is unclear for next season.
On top of that, there is the money question. Even if some Flyers on one-way contracts had the chance to negotiate an individual deal with the Phantoms, there is more money to be made in the top European elite leagues for players for whom the latter is an option.
Bottom line: Don't expect to see Flyers veterans suiting up for the Phantoms. But the farm team figures to be bolstered by quite a few Flyers second-year players in the event of a lockout.
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