The American Hockey League is one of the best finishing schools in professional sports. With nearly 90% of NHL players who suited up in games last season spending at least some time in the AHL, there really is no denying it.

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Over the years, NHL teams have invested more in player development and have more aggressively utilized the AHL to prepare top players for the highest level the sport has to offer. More frequently, teams are getting their first-round picks more reps at the AHL level before calling them up for good in the NHL.

That will be plainly evident in the 2024-25 season as well. Dozens of players that were selected in the first round in each of the four most recent NHL Drafts will at least be starting their seasons in the AHL.

To help you find out which among the highest drafted players will be competing in the AHL, here’s a list by NHL team. 

Recent First-Round NHL Draft Picks Playing In AHL

Here is the full list of players drafted in the first round of the NHL Draft since 2019 or later that are expected to be competing in the AHL at the start of the season. 

Anaheim Ducks – San Diego Gulls

• Nathan Gaucher, C – 2022, 22nd overall

Boston Bruins – Providence Bruins

• Fabian Lysell, LW – 2021, 21st overall

Buffalo Sabres – Rochester Americans

• Konsta Helenius, C – 2024, 14th overall
• Noah Östlund, C/W – 2022, 16th overall
• Isak Rosén, C/W – 2021, 14th overall
• Ryan Johnson, D – 2019, 31st overall

Calgary Flames – Calgary Wranglers

• Jakob Pelletier, C/W – 2019, 26th overall

Carolina Hurricanes – Chicago Wolves

• Bradly Nadeau, C/W – 2023, 30th overall
• Ryan Suzuki, C – 2019, 28th overall

Chicago Blackhawks – Rockford IceHogs

• Kevin Korchinski, D – 2022, 7th overall
• Frank Nazar, C – 2022, 13th overall

Colorado Avalanche – Colorado Eagles

• Oskar Olausson, C/W – 2021, 28th overall

Columbus Blue Jackets – Cleveland Monsters

• Denton Mateychuk, D – 2022, 12th overall
• Corson Ceulemans, D – 2021, 25th overall

Dallas Stars – Texas Stars

• Lian Bichsel, D – 2022, 18th overall

Detroit Red Wings – Grand Rapids Griffins

• Nate Danielson, C – 2023, 9th overall
• Marco Kasper, C – 2022, 8th overall
• Sebastian Cossa, G – 2021, 15th overall

Edmonton Oilers – Bakersfield Condors

• Matthew Savoie, C/W – 2022, 9th overall (by BUF)

Florida Panthers – Charlotte Checkers

• Tobias Björnfot, D – 2019, 22nd overall (by LAK)

Los Angeles Kings – Ontario Reign

• N/A

Minnesota Wild – Iowa Wild

• Carson Lambos, D – 2021, 26th overall

Montreal Canadiens – Laval Rocket

• Felip Mesar, RW – 2022, 26th overall
• Logan Mailloux, D – 2021, 31st overall
• Jacob Perreault, RW – 2020, 27th overall (by ANA)

Nashville Predators – Milwaukee Admirals

• Joakim Kemell, RW – 2022, 17th overall
• Reid Schaefer, LW – 2022, 32nd overall (by EDM)
• Fedor Svechkov, C/W – 2021, 19th overall (injured)
• Zachary L’Heureux, LW – 2021, 27th overall
• Ozzy Wiesblatt, RW – 2020, 31st overall (by SJS)

New Jersey Devils – Utica Comets

• Chase Stillman, RW – 2021, 29th overall
• Nolan Foote, LW – 2019, 27th overall

New York Islanders – Bridgeport Islanders

• N/A

New York Rangers – Hartford Wolf Pack

• Brennan Othmann, LW – 2021, 16th overall

Ottawa Senators – Belleville Senators

• Tyler Boucher, RW – 2021, 10th overall
• Xavier Bourgault, C/W – 2021, 22nd overall (by EDM)

Philadelphia Flyers – Lehigh Valley Phantoms

• N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

• Owen Pickering, D – 2022, 21st overall
• Samuel Poulin, C/W – 2019, 21st overall

San Jose Sharks – San Jose Barracuda

• Filip Bystedt, C/W – 2022, 27th overall
• Shakir Mukhamadullin, D – 2020, 20th overall (by NJD)
• Yaroslav Askarov, G – 2019, 11th overall (by NSH)

Seattle Kraken – Coachella Valley Firebirds

• Eduard Šalé, RW – 2023, 20th overall

St. Louis Blues – Springfield Thunderbirds

• Dalibor Dvorsky, C/W – 2023, 10th overall
• Zach Dean, C – 2021, 30th overall (by VGK)

Tampa Bay Lightning – Syracuse Crunch

• N/A

Toronto Maple Leafs – Toronto Marlies

• N/A

Utah Hockey Club – Tucson Roadrunners

• Maveric Lamoureux, D – 2022, 29th overall
• Brayden Tracey, LW – 2019, 29th overall (by ANA)

Vancouver Canucks – Abbotsford Canucks

• Jonathan Lekkerimäki, RW – 2022, 15th overall

Vegas Golden Knights – Henderson Silver Knights

• Brendan Brisson, RW – 2020, 29th overall

Washington Capitals – Hershey Bears

• Ivan Miroshnichenko, RW – 2022, 20th overall

Winnipeg Jets – Manitoba Moose

• Brad Lambert, C/W – 2022, 30th overall
• Chaz Lucius, C/W – 2021, 18th overall

AHL Opening Weekend Schedule

AHL Schedule For Oct. 11, 2024

• 7:00 PM ET: Milwaukee Admirals vs. Grand Rapids Griffins, Van Andel Arena - Grand Rapids, MI
• 7:00 PM ET: Syracuse Crunch vs. Utica Comets, Adirondack Bank Center - Utica, NY
• 7:05 PM ET: Laval Rocket vs. Providence Bruins, Amica Mutual Pavilion - Providence, RI
• 7:05 PM ET: Belleville Senators vs. Rochester Americans, Blue Cross Arena - Rochester, NY
• 7:00 PM CT: Henderson Silver Knights vs. Texas Stars, H-E-B Center at Cedar Park - Cedar Park, TX
• 7:00 PM MT: Abbotsford Canucks vs. Calgary Wranglers, Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary, AB
• 7:05 PM MT: Tucson Roadrunners vs. Colorado Eagles, Blue Arena - Loveland, CO
• 7:00 PM PT: Bakersfield Condors vs. Coachella Valley Firebirds, Acrisure Arena - Palm Desert, CA

AHL Schedule For Oct. 12, 2024

• 4:00 PM ET: San Diego Gulls vs. Toronto Marlies, Coca-Cola Coliseum - Toronto, ON
• 6:05 PM ET: Charlotte Checkers vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza - Wilkes-Barre, PA
• 7:00 PM ET: Providence Bruins vs. Bridgeport Islanders, Total Mortgage Arena - Bridgeport, CT
• 7:00 PM ET: Cleveland Monsters vs. Hershey Bears, Giant Center - Hershey, PA
• 6:00 PM CT: Manitoba Moose vs. Iowa Wild, Wells Fargo Arena - Des Moines, IA
• 7:00 PM ET: Belleville Senators vs. Syracuse Crunch, Upstate Medical University Arena - Syracuse, NY
• 7:00 PM ET: Rochester Americans vs. Utica Comets, Adirondack Bank Center - Utica, NY
• 7:05 PM ET: Hartford Wolf Pack vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms, PPL Center - Allentown, PA
• 7:05 PM ET: Laval Rocket vs. Springfield Thunderbirds, MassMutual Center - Springfield, MA
• 7:00 PM CT: Milwaukee Admirals vs. Chicago Wolves, Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL
• 7:00 PM CT: Grand Rapids Griffins vs. Rockford IceHogs, BMO Center - Rockford, IL
• 7:00 PM CT: Henderson Silver Knights vs. Texas Stars, H-E-B Center at Cedar Park - Cedar Park, TX
• 6:00 PM PT: San Jose Barracuda vs. Ontario Reign, Toyota Arena - Ontario, CA
• 7:05 PM MT: Tucson Roadrunners vs. Colorado Eagles, Blue Arena - Loveland, CO

AHL Schedule For Oct. 13, 2024

• 1:00 PM MT: Abbotsford Canucks vs. Calgary Wranglers, Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary, AB
• 3:00 PM ET: Charlotte Checkers vs. Bridgeport Islanders, Total Mortgage Arena - Bridgeport, CT
• 3:05 PM ET: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. Springfield Thunderbirds, MassMutual Center - Springfield, MA
• 3:00 PM CT: Manitoba Moose vs. Iowa Wild, Wells Fargo Arena - Des Moines, IA
• 4:00 PM ET: San Diego Gulls vs. Toronto Marlies, Coca-Cola Coliseum - Toronto, ON
• 5:00 PM ET: Cleveland Monsters vs. Hershey Bears, Giant Center - Hershey, PA
• 3:00 PM PT: San Jose Barracuda vs. Ontario Reign, Toyota Arena - Ontario, CA

How To Watch The AHL On FloHockey 

The AHL is streaming on FloHockey and the FloSports app. Live games, replays, highlights and breaking news also will be available on both platforms. 

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