The first wave of CHL talent is beginning to make its way to AHL rosters.

With the CHL regular season complete and the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL all moving into their respective playoffs, players whose teams failed to qualify for postseason play are now eligible to join AHL clubs.

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Leading this early group is Ottawa 67’s forward Luca Pinelli, who is heading to the Cleveland Monsters. This is the first season that the 67’s have missed the OHL playoffs since 2013-14, but the 19-6ear-old captain finished with 37-34-71 in 52 games. He also represented Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship, where he had 1-1-2 in five appearances. The parent Columbus Blue Jackets selected him in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. His brother, Francesco, is a Los Angeles Kings second-round pick in his second season with the Ontario Reign.

Pinelli joins a Cleveland team that is battling with the Belleville Senators and Syracuse Crunch for a pair of North Division playoff spots. After winning two of three games this past weekend, including a 2-1 Sunday matinee decision at Belleville, the Monsters have climbed into fourth place in the North Division, only three points behind the third-place Toronto Marlies. They own a four-point lead on the B-Sens and will be in Belleville for a rematch Wednesday night. Fifth-place Syracuse trails Cleveland by two points. The top five teams in the division will advance to the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Wednesday’s game completes a six-game road trip for the Monsters, who have gone 2-3-0-0 on it so far. They then head home for six consecutive games at home, starting with Friday’s meeting with the Texas Stars.

Jackie Spiegel of The Philadelphia Inquirer also reported this week that 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko is expected to go to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this week.

Luchanko, an 18-year-old forward, went to the Philadelphia Flyers 13th overall last June and just completed his third OHL season with the Guelph Storm. He finished with 21-35-56 in 46 games, but the Storm also missed the playoff cut. Also a member of Canada’s entry at the World Junior Championship (one goal in five games), he also appeared in four games with the Flyers early in the season.

The Phantoms, holding a playoff spot at fifth place in the Atlantic Division, will visit Belleville on Friday night before facing the Laval Rocket on Saturday.

More players should be joining AHL clubs shortly. Peterborough Petes defenseman Brady Stonehouse (14-14-28 in 48 games with the Petes and Ottawa) went undrafted but signed with the Edmonton Oilers as a free agent in 2023 and is eligible to join the Bakersfield Condors, who are in their own fight for a playoff spot in the Pacific Division.

Cooper Foster, a 67’s forward, finished second in team scoring with 19-34-53 in 55 games. Taken in the sixth round by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023, he could join the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Sarnia Sting defenseman Lukas Fischer, a second-round choice by the St. Louis Blues last June, had 15-22-37 in 51 games. With Sarnia’s season finished, he can join the struggling Springfield Thunderbirds, who have lost six games in a row.

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