Mechanical properties for two series of amorphous Al–Y–Ni ternary alloys were measured. Both series of alloys can be divided into two distinct groups. Those whose primary crystallization proceeds by growth of quenched-in Al nuclei and those which show a clear glass transition and their crystallization product is more complex. The Young’s modulus, ranging from 82.3 to 45.5 GPa in these series of alloys, is found to be correlated to the crystallization temperature and thermal behavior as well as the crystallization product implying that the mechanical properties depend on the short-range order in the glass.