Why Were So Many NHL Players Sent to the AHL on Deadline Day?

Rest assured – if that player on your favorite team was sent to the AHL before 3 p.m. ET on Friday despite performing well in the NHL, there's a reason for it.

Players had to be on an AHL roster as of the 3 p.m. ET deadline on Friday to be eligible for NHL teams to send them back down at any point during the rest of the season and playoffs.

With clubs wanting their young players to have the chance to compete in the AHL playoff race or Calder Cup playoffs, they had to be sent back down. These moves are generally paper transactions to ensure eligibility, and the player is recalled back to the NHL club after the deadline, but not every player was recalled immediately.

Let’s take see who was sent back to the AHL on Friday, according to AHL.com and reports.

Abbotsford Canucks (VAN): Aatu Raty (C), Vasily Podkolzin (W), Noah Juulsen (D), Christian Wolanin (D)

Bakersfield Condors (EDM): Philip Broberg (D), Devin Shore (C)

Belleville Senators (OTT): Mads Sogaard (G)

Bridgeport Islanders (NYI): Otto Koivula (C)

Calgary Wranglers (CGY): Walker Duehr (RW), Jakob Pelletier (LW), Dryden Hunt (LW)

Charlotte Checkers (FLA): Alex Lyon (G), Zac Dalpe (W)

Chicago Wolves (CAR): No assignments

Cleveland Monsters (CBJ): Cole Sillinger (C)

Coachella Valley Firebirds (SEA): Jesper Froden (RW), Jake McLaughlin (D)

Colorado Eagles (COL): Keith Kinkaid (G), Gustav Rydahl (F)

Grand Rapids Griffins (DET): No assignments

Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR): Anton Blidh (LW), Wyatt Kalynuk (D)

Henderson Silver Knights (VEG): No assignments

Hershey Bears (WSH): Vincent Iorio (D), Aliaksei Protas (C), Gabriel Carlsson (D), Dylan McIlrath (D)

Iowa Wild (MIN): Dakota Mermis (D)

Laval Rocket (MTL): Rafael Harvey-Pinard (LW), Jesse Ylonen (RW), Frederic Allard (D)

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI): No assignments

Manitoba Moose (WPG): Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (LW)

Milwaukee Admirals (NSH): Luke Evangelista (W), Mark Jankowski (C), John Leonard (LW), Philip Tomasino (RW), Zach Sanford (C), Kiefer Sherwood (RW)

Ontario Reign (LA): Quinton Byfield (C), Rasmus Kupari (C), Nate Schnarr  (C)

Providence Bruins (BOS): Jakub Lauko (LW)

Rochester Americans (BUF): Austin Strand (D)

Rockford IceHogs (CHI): Lukas Reichel (LW), Joey Anderson (RW)

San Diego Gulls (ANA): Chase Priskie (D), Andrej Sustr (D)

San Jose Barracuda (SJS): Jacob Peterson (C), Derek Pouliot (D)

Springfield Thunderbirds (STL): Tyler Tucker (D), Nikita Alexandrov (C)

Syracuse Crunch (TBL): Darren Raddysh (D), Jaydon Dureau (LW)

Texas Stars (DAL): Fredrik Olofsson (LW), Fredrik Karlstrom (C), Matt Murray (G)

Toronto Marlies (TOR): Joseph Woll (G), Radim Zohorna (C)

Tucson Roadrunners (ARI): Laurent Dauphin (C), Vladislav Kolyachonok (D), Victor Soderstrom (D)

Utica Comets (NJD): Kevin Bahl (D), Akira Schmid (G), Graeme Clarke (RW)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT): Drake Caggiula, (LW) Drew O’Connor (LW)

Some names are more eye-catching than others. 

Goaltender Mads Sogaard was the NHL's rookie of the month for February with the Ottawa Senators, Rafael Harvey-Pinard has had 11 points in 18 games for the Montreal Canadiens, and Jakob Pelletier has been on the Calgary Flames' second line with Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau. 

Or take Philip Tomasino, who had five points in nine games after getting called up in February, and Cole Sillinger, who's appeared in 56 of 62 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Most of these players and many others were recalled to their NHL clubs shortly afterward just so they satisfied the AHL requirement. The front offices think these players would benefit from AHL playoff experience if their parent club is eliminated or if they lose a roster spot. Pelletier, however, has not been recalled as of 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, according to the AHL website.

Some players sent down were new club additions at the trade deadline, such as Calgary's Dryden Hunt or Anaheim's Andrej Sustr.

Teams couldn’t assign everyone they wanted as freely as they wished, though. Some players did not meet requirements, and others were on injured reserve, which meant they were ineligible for assignment – with the St. Louis Blues’ Jake Neighbours being the best example. 

Players who have been unfit for 24 calendar days and 10 games or are on the long-term injured reserve are an exception to the rule once they are fit to play, but only for a conditioning loan of no longer than six days and three AHL games, according to the CBA. 

NHL rosters no longer have 23-man limits from here on out, and many of the AHLers who will feature prominently in the AHL playoffs may go up to the big club as black aces in the final stage of the regular season.