The Canucks’ 2026 first rounder is eligible to play in the AHL, even though he’s still only 18.
Published Sep 18, 2026 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 3 minute read
While Braeden Cootes has been widely expected to be sent to the American Hockey League as a 19-year-old this season, he may not be the only teenager suited up for the Vancouver Canucks’ minor league affiliate.
Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson has previously indicated that Adam Novotny, who was selected 24th overall in this year’s draft from the Peterborough Petes, would be returning to the Ontario Hockey League this season.
However, there is a possibility he could end up in the AHL instead. This hinges on a recent age eligibility rule change agreed upon by the NHL and the Canadian Hockey League, as well as the unique circumstances of Novotny’s arrival in North America. He was still under contract with his Czech club and was merely loaned to the OHL’s Peterborough Petes.
Recall the case of Danish forward Nick Jensen, who the Canucks drafted from the OHL but could reassign at their discretion in subsequent years. Novotny finds himself in a nearly identical situation to Jensen, the former Canucks first-round pick. Novotny had actually signed a professional contract with his Czech club, Mountfield, and was loaned to the Petes last season; indeed, most European imports in the CHL currently operate under such year-to-year loan agreements.
A similar precedent involves Michal Repik, the Czech import who played for the Vancouver Giants during their Memorial Cup era. To retain him for a third season in North America, the Giants needed Repik to sign with the Florida Panthers after the NHL team drafted him in 2007. (Theoretically, Florida could have assigned Repik to the AHL had they chosen to do so.)
Therefore, although his draft listing indicates the Canucks selected the powerful winger from the OHL this summer, he was technically drafted from Czechia and is not covered by the NHL-CHL agreement at all—a regulation that has itself been modified from its previous iterations.
Under the previous NHL-CHL agreement, players drafted at age 18 from Canadian major junior hockey had two assignment options during their first two seasons following the draft: they either made the NHL as a teenager or were sent back to junior. Playing in the AHL was essentially off the table (though players who made the NHL roster could still be sent to the AHL on a conditioning assignment, such as Seattle did with Shane Wright in 2023-24). During that era, Jensen and Repik were exempt from the agreement due to their loan status.
However, with the NCAA now allowing CHL players, the entire system has been reset. The new NHL-CHL agreement permits 19-year-olds drafted from the CHL, such as Cootes, to play in the AHL, provided they meet a specific set of criteria, one of which is having played three seasons in the CHL.
This is precisely why we anticipate Cootes will be sent to the AHL’s Abbotsford this season, a logical progression for a player who actually played three NHL games last year and was already too good for major junior. Competing against older men in the AHL will greatly benefit his development and serve as an easier stepping stone to the NHL than a direct jump.
Now, the new agreement also classifies players by their birth year. Although Novotny is still only 18, he turns 19 in November, meaning he is considered a 19-year-old under the new system. However, he would not meet the three-season CHL experience criteria. That is not an issue for him, though, as he was on a loan from Mountfield to Peterborough rather than a full transfer.
So there you have it, Abbotsford Canucks fans: if you find yourself watching two intriguing teenage prospects this season instead of just one, you now understand the reasoning behind it.
pjohnston@postmedia.com