[Speculation] Friedman reports some agents want NHL Draft shortened to only 4 rounds

[RWJC]

In the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman reports that some agents feel the draft needs to be shortened to as little as four rounds. Most of the players who ultimately don’t sign with the teams that drafted them come from the final few rounds so some believe they should have the opportunity to be free agents earlier compared to waiting for their rights to be relinquished.  The last time the draft was cut was back in 2005 when it went from nine rounds to the current seven.  This is a collectively bargained issue so no changes will be on the short-term horizon.

 

https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/06/snapshots-domi-girgensons-escrow-draft.html#ref=home

[Guest]

Maybe 5 rounds would be good. I always thought 7 was a bit long, but I wonder if it would affect drafting strategies. 

[Elias Pettersson]

If we only had 4 rounds, we wouldn't have drafted Arturs Silovs...

[gwarrior]

11 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

If we only had 4 rounds, we wouldn't have drafted Arturs Silovs...

Indeed!!!! So "some agents" can go pound sand and fuck off!!!!

[steviewonder20]

53 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

If we only had 4 rounds, we wouldn't have drafted Arturs Silovs...

But he could have been signed as a free agent instead.

[gwarrior]

Hey agents who want the draft shortened to 4 rounds!!! Don't be afraid to earn your fuckin pay cheque!!!!!!

[Iron Fist]

They should get rid of 7th round, that's about it. GMs throw around 7th rounders like they're nothing.  Gunna need 6 rounds to look for talent once 36 teams in the league

[Bob Long]

Hmm... Not sure how this would increase signings, guys would still need to be in development leagues, and with no connection to NHL teams maybe they don't get better guidance. 

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

I say the reverse should happen - extend it to the 13th round.  Because, why not?  

[Provost]

Players after the 4th round aren’t going to be making the NHL right away anyways.

 

They either get signed or become UFAs before they would ever be NHL ready.  They are free to play in all the leagues they would be good enough for.

 

At least those kids get to say for the rest of their lives that they were drafted into the NHL.  Teams also start pumping money and development time into prospects that their agents aren’t going to fund.

 

This isn’t about doing favours for the players.  If you want to make a change, raise the draft age to 20 and make it more beneficial for teams to draft players from college, at least the bulk of kids would still have an education.  

Edited June 10 by Provost

[Shekky]

its rare to see someone drafted in laters become stars or solid NHL Players but they do happen. 

 

Kevin Bieksa was a notable late draft pick. So I don't think they should cut it off after 4 rounds. Then again if these players go to free agency might be a interesting option.

 

here is a list of late picks that became NHL stars or solid NHL Players.

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/the-top-25-late-round-nhl-draft-steals-of-the-past-25-years

[Warhippy]

Speculation:

 

Some Fans Want NHL Player Agents to Stop Being Greedy Pricks With Marginal 3rd Line Talent With 2nd Line Star Player Salary Demands

[Elias Pettersson]

So, if the draft were only 4 rounds, these are all of the significant players we would not have drafted...

 

Arturs Silovs

Gustav Forsling

Ben Hutton

Jannick Hansen

Kevin Bieksa

Matt Cooke

Brent Sopel

Scott Walker

Adrian Aucoin

Gino Odjick

Pavel Bure

Dixon Ward

Garry Valk

Robert Kron

Igor Larionov

Dave Lowry

Petri Skriko

Doug Lidster

Patrik Sundstrom

Dirk Graham

 

Some notable names.  However, Bure and Larionov were exceptions as nobody knew if Bure was even eligible for the draft and Larionov was in the USSR at the time and nobody knew if he could even come over.  You take those two players out and really there are only handful of impactful players we took after round 4 in our history...

[Smashian Kassian]

Don't like it. I understand their point, maybe go down to 5th or 6th, but I feel like erasing 3 full rounds is a bridge too far.

 

Also there are contract limits, drafting these kids later allows you additional time to hold their rights - and allow them to develop - without having to make a decision on them. 

 

I feel like this proposal limits margins between perceived 'sure things' & 'projects' in the draft. It does open up those late gems to a contract earlier, but also puts a ton of pressure on kids who need more development time to accelerate their development ASAP. For some it might work but most I doubt it.

[Ilunga]

4 hours ago, Provost said:

Players after the 4th round aren’t going to be making the NHL right away anyways.

 

They either get signed or become UFAs before they would ever be NHL ready.  They are free to play in all the leagues they would be good enough for.

 

At least those kids get to say for the rest of their lives that they were drafted into the NHL.  Teams also start pumping money and development time into prospects that their agents aren’t going to fund.

 

This isn’t about doing favours for the players.  If you want to make a change, raise the draft age to 20 and make it more beneficial for teams to draft players from college, at least the bulk of kids would still have an education.  

 

Eligibility for the Draft 

 

https://www.usahockey.com/nhldraft 

 

Players that have NHL draft eligibility

 

" North American players 18-20 years old and Europeans of all ages entering the draft for the first time. "

 

So NA Players are eligible at 20, and Europeans are free to enter the draft for the first time at any age. 

 

This is the 2021 NHL 

draft.

The last draft that NA players are now ineligible for.

 

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2021e.html

 

As you can see, there are only 2 players from the 3rd round.

Only 3 players from the fourth round.

And only 2 players from the 5th round, that have already played games in the NHL.

 

And none from the 6th and 7th rounds. 

 

I am not arguing about how many rounds there should be.

 

 

 

Edited June 10 by Ilunga

[iinatcc]

Quick Allvin !!! 

Trade away all your 5, 6, and 7 round picks 

[Bounce000]

9 hours ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

I say the reverse should happen - extend it to the 13th round.  Because, why not?  

Lets copy the MLB and increase it to 20! Maybe I'll get drafted then

[stawns]

If you're going to alter the draft, it should be an age increase, not eliminating rounds, imo

[NewbieCanuckFan]

1 minute ago, stawns said:

If you're going to alter the draft, it should be an age increase, not eliminating rounds, imo

Don't see that happening (at least in the near future).  Unless laws have changed since then, the reason why the draft age went down was a result of court cases I *think*.

(re: Ken Linseman case)

[stawns]

21 minutes ago, NewbieCanuckFan said:

Don't see that happening (at least in the near future).  Unless laws have changed since then, the reason why the draft age went down was a result of court cases I *think*.

(re: Ken Linseman case)

 

I don't either, but they should.  It'd be better for NHL teams, better for the lower tier pro leagues, better for the amateur leagues and better for the kids.

[Bob Long]

55 minutes ago, stawns said:

If you're going to alter the draft, it should be an age increase, not eliminating rounds, imo

 

Maybe we need another developmental league? The chl-ahl age gap seems to be part of the problem. Maybe we need another u21 development league of some kind. Would give kids a non college option.

[Coconuts]

Agents can go pound sand

[Hairy Kneel]

Let's just open up movement for current late round prospects.  If we like a certain player on another team, especially if that player isn't advancing in that system.  Like stuck in the ECHL. Then our team can sign them to a 'type' of exchange offer sheet. ie. That if we sign an agreement with that player we pay with a 5th round draft pick for a 7th rounder. Or a 3rd round draft pick for a 5th rounder. I'd say we would FOR EXAMPLE target much needed grit and physical players buried in other systems. 

[Rekker]

Rather see an older age for draft eligible players. Even two years older. There are plenty of Junior leugues now to develop in, Universitys, Pro. This would allow for a more broad selection process. 

[DrJockitch]

On 6/10/2024 at 12:44 PM, NewbieCanuckFan said:

Don't see that happening (at least in the near future).  Unless laws have changed since then, the reason why the draft age went down was a result of court cases I *think*.

(re: Ken Linseman case)

The NBA draft pushed back a year several years ago so I doubt that that precedent still stands(if it ever did, I just don’t know). NBA is multinational as well so should apply reasonably to NHL. 
I think the NHL likes throwing the stars in early even though the results of that was serious injuries to their two golden Connors. 
‘I personally prefer the bigger draft but having more undrafted UFAs around is not a terrible thing and likely opens the doors for a lot more locally grown prospects for teams in areas that they are locally grown like Canada, Minnesota and New England