The NHL recently provided teams with a clarification on a new rule that now requires a player to be sent down to play one AHL game before being recalled back up. PuckPedia is breaking the news that the NHL and Gary Bettman have made it clear <a href='https://puckpedia.com/LTIR25' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>what its new no paper loans rule will be</a>. <h3>Teams Have Until October 10 to Play Around With Their Rosters Before This New Rule is Active</h3> Intended to keep teams from loaning players to the AHL on paper while still allowing them to play, the league advised the rule would become effective on October 10. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/1973799344383131859'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> This rule provides clubs with less roster maneuverability after opening nights. Prior to that date, teams have the ability to send players down and recall them prior to playing a game in the AHL. The biggest impact is on clubs with players on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) and cap room. By sending players down on a temporary basis, presenting a cap-compliant roster, and then putting a player on LTIR, teams can recall those players instantly without running afoul of the rules. For the Edmonton Oilers, an example, with Zach Hyman who is <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/edmonton-oilers/edmonton-oilers-head-coach-kris-knoblauch-announces-an-expected-return-date-for-zach-hyman' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>dealing with an injury</a>, the Oilers can keep players from being lost on waivers by shuttling waiver-exempt players such as James Hamblin, Raphael Lavoie, or Carter Savoie to the AHL on paper, report an open roster below the salary cap, assign Hyman to LTIR, then recall said players directly back up, if they're under the 23-man roster threshold. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/1973799978385727607'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> Past October 10, this new rule will constrain teams, and all recalls must have at least one game of action in the AHL, so the Oilers will need to get busy now before this new rule comes into effect. In the meantime, look for front offices around the league to stretch the cap to its utmost utilization.