An NHL goalie can usually be loaned to his club’s AHL affiliate without regular waivers only while he remains waiver-exempt. Once he is waiver-eligible, the club generally must place him on waivers and let the claim process run before assigning him to the AHL. Another NHL team may claim him; if no team does, he clears and may be loaned, subject to further limits in the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
What waivers mean for a goalie
In this context, waivers are the NHL’s claim process connected to a club’s proposed loan of a player to a minor-league team. They are not the same as releasing a goalie outright, and they are unrelated to an emergency backup goalie appearing in a game.
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The current governing framework is the NHL/NHLPA agreement that took effect September 16, 2026. The 2025 memorandum of understanding adopts the prior CBA except where modified. Read Article 13 alongside the MOU for a transaction on or after that effective date. NHL/NHLPA CBA · NHL CBA and MOU information
How to tell whether a goalie is waiver-exempt
Article 13.4 sets goalie exemption thresholds using age, time elapsed since signing an NHL Standard Player Contract (SPC), and NHL games played. NHL regular-season and playoff games count. The exemption ends immediately when the goalie reaches the applicable games-played threshold.
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| Age in the CBA table | Years from NHL SPC signing | NHL games threshold |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | 6 | 80 |
| 19 | 5 | 80 |
| 20 | 4 | 80 |
| 21 | 4 | 60 |
| 22 | 4 | 60 |
| 23 | 3 | 60 |
| 24 | 2 | 60 |
| 25 or older | 1 | No games threshold shown |
These are not simply season counts. To apply the table to an individual goalie, a club must match the applicable age entry with the time since NHL SPC signing and the goalie’s NHL games history. AHL games are not included in the table’s NHL games threshold.
What happens when a waiver-eligible goalie is sent down
- The club requests regular waivers. If the goalie is waiver-eligible and the club wants to loan him to the AHL during the playing-season waiver period, it generally must expose him to the regular-waiver process first.
- Other NHL clubs can make a claim. If a team claims the goalie, waiver priority determines which claiming club receives him. Carolina’s transaction primer describes priority as based on the prior-season record at the start of a season and the current record from November 1; the CBA and applicable league rules control a particular claim. Carolina Hurricanes transaction primer
- If no claim is made, the goalie clears. The club may then loan him to the AHL, but clearance does not give the club unlimited future ability to move him without waivers.
Limits after a goalie clears
Article 13.2 permits a loan after clearance only while the player has played fewer than 10 cumulative NHL games and spent no more than 30 cumulative days on an NHL roster since that clearance. Waiver expiration and recall rules also apply, so the club’s recall and loan history can affect whether it may rely on an earlier clearance. The NHL games and roster days are separate limits; the relevant transaction history must be checked against the CBA.
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- DESIGNED FOR COMFORT: The adjustable backplate ensures a comfortable fit for any youth head size and makes this goalie helmet ideal for all street hockey players
- CHROME-WELDED STEEL: Specially designed with a chrome-welded steel cage for premium protection during street-hockey games
- QUICK-SNAP STRAPS: This hockey helmet goes on and off smoothly in seconds, thanks to its easy-to-use quick-snap elastic straps
- BALL & STREET HOCKEY APPROVED: These hockey goalie masks are not HECC/CSA-certified and are only made for street-hockey play with a 2 ⅝” ball. Not certified for ice hockey or any other type of puck play
A recent example: Cayden Primeau
On September 30, 2026, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that goalie Cayden Primeau had been placed on waivers for reassignment to the Chicago Wolves, their AHL affiliate. The announcement shows the club pursuing an AHL assignment through waivers; by itself, it does not establish the final claim outcome or all the facts needed to calculate Primeau’s waiver status. Carolina Hurricanes announcement
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- DESIGNED FOR COMFORT: The adjustable backplate ensures a comfortable fit for any youth head size and makes this goalie helmet ideal for all street hockey players
- CHROME-WELDED STEEL: Specially designed with a chrome-welded steel cage for premium protection during street-hockey games
- QUICK-SNAP STRAPS: This hockey helmet goes on and off smoothly in seconds, thanks to its easy-to-use quick-snap elastic straps
- BALL & STREET HOCKEY APPROVED: These hockey goalie masks are not HECC/CSA-certified and are only made for street-hockey play with a 2 ⅝” ball. Not certified for ice hockey or any other type of puck play
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- DESIGNED FOR COMFORT: The adjustable backplate ensures a comfortable fit for any youth head size and makes this goalie helmet ideal for all street hockey players
- CHROME-WELDED STEEL: Specially designed with a chrome-welded steel cage for premium protection during street-hockey games
- QUICK-SNAP STRAPS: This hockey helmet goes on and off smoothly in seconds, thanks to its easy-to-use quick-snap elastic straps
- BALL & STREET HOCKEY APPROVED: These hockey goalie masks are not HECC/CSA-certified and are only made for street-hockey play with a 2 ⅝” ball. Not certified for ice hockey or any other type of puck play
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How to check a specific goalie’s situation
- Use the CBA and MOU in force on the date of the proposed transaction.
- Match the goalie’s age and NHL SPC signing date to the Article 13.4 table.
- Count NHL regular-season and playoff games—not AHL games—against the applicable threshold.
- If he previously cleared waivers, check NHL games, NHL-roster days, recalls, and loans since that clearance.
- Check the transaction outcome separately: a placement announcement does not prove that the goalie cleared or was assigned.
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