[Article] Updated: NHL Teams Vote To Decentralize Entry Draft

[RWJC]

Friedman reports a possible change in the NHL draft format

 

The NHL draft is always one of the more coveted times for players and teams, as they prepare all season to strategize and choose players who will help move their team forward. The draft has become more vital with the salary cap remaining flat, and teams are looking to have cost control on their contracts.

It's also known that the talent level in the draft has been growing exponentially over the past several years and will continue to do so as the emphasis remains on the draft itself.

During the second intermission segment of Saturday Headlines, Elliotte Friedman of the "32 Thoughts" released a story that the NHL is considering changing the format of their draft to an NFL and NBA style.

 

 

“And finally the NHL draft. The league is still looking for a location this season. However, the league and teams are considering a format change.

 

If you’ve ever watched the NFL draft, the NBA draft, they don’t have everybody in one location. Just the prospects are there and the teams stay home and do the draft from their home locations.

 

That is being considered for the future. At the board of governors meetings, I think the teams were told that they might end up voting on it. It may not go that way. It might just be a poll of teams to see how they feel about the possibility. But I’m told, don’t be surprised if that’s the way this goes sometime in the future Ron.”

 

The NFL style is different in the sense that the draft is held in one location with all prospects present, but all management teams will remain in their respective cities and boardrooms to conduct their drafting.

A city has not been selected at this time for the draft next year, but many feel that Vegas will be the choice to host the draft. If this decision is made, it will come through the NHL Board of Governors.

The immediate reaction of many NHL fans was not a positive one, with many feeling that this should not change and that the uniqueness of the NHL draft should remain.

 

https://www.hawksinsider.com/Friedman-reports-a-possible-change-in-the-NHL-draft-format-287663
 

 

Edited October 26, 2023 by RWJC

[Nucker67]

Draft is fine. They need to change the Lottery.

[Bob Long]

1 minute ago, Nucker67 said:

Draft is fine. They need to change the Lottery.

 

no kidding. I couldn't care less what team exec's are at the draft. 

[RWJC]

Just now, Bob Long said:

 

no kidding. I couldn't care less what team exec's are at the draft. 

But don’t you get a little excited watching GMs shoot the shit and speculate on what they might be talking about? Have had a draft party for a few years in a row now and this is replicated many times over:

 

[Bob Long]

8 minutes ago, RWJC said:

But don’t you get a little excited watching GMs shoot the shit and speculate on what they might be talking about? Have had a draft party for a few years in a row now and this is replicated many times over:

 

 

nah its been boring lately. 

[Jeremy Hronek]

24 minutes ago, Nucker67 said:

Draft is fine. They need to change the Lottery.

 

Unfortunately, this would likely put teams like Chicago, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and the Rangers at a disadvantage and so I'm not sure if Bettman would be on board with this.  

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

Of all the things in the game that needs fixing, the speculation that they would suggest a cost-cutting measure that reduces interactions between draftees and management/scouts.  

[DeltaSwede]

I think the NHL draft is the best draft in professional sports because of the fact that both teams and players are there on stage. It's usually a great moment for anyone who feels a connection with that team. Welcome on board, to the family, to the show, Vasili Podfalfin. It's ceremonial and iconic. 

 

It's one of the few things the NHL can puff their chest out over compared to the other leagues. It would be a real shame if they changed it permanently. 

Edit: I feel bad, it feels like I'm working against who I would be if I were in NHL management. I love home office. 

Edited October 16, 2023 by DeltaSwede

[grumpyone]

47 minutes ago, Nucker67 said:

Draft is fine. They need to change the Lottery.

the only thing they need to change about the lottery is to televise the entire thing to put the fans at ease regarding 'fixing' the draft. 

[Captkirk888]

1 hour ago, Bob Long said:

 

nah its been boring lately. 

 

[Bob Long]

45 minutes ago, Captkirk888 said:

 

Ok maybe we should go with boring.

[RWJC]

15 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

Ok maybe we should go with boring.

It isn’t for me when I hear Bettman say “we have a trade to announce”.

 

In years past the draft has been a pretty interesting watch. Not so much as of late though. 

[VegasCanuck]

2 hours ago, Nucker67 said:

Draft is fine. They need to change the Lottery.

This!!!!! +50 if the system would let me....

[BabychStache]

The current format is ok, but i don't mind the suggestion either. 

 

Limit the number of folks on stage, and ditch the "thank you to blah blah blah, the city of blah blah blah, and we want to take this opportunity to wish the assistant laundry services guy a happy retirement. "

 

I want to see Brian Burke half corked, tie eschew, strutting up there like Vince McMahon to say the following: "Hey host city, suck it. We draft Gavin Mackenna 1st overall" 

 

The sheer number of people walking up to announce the 23rd overall pick is ridiculous. 

[Maninthebox]

Elliotte Friedman is elevator music.

[Coconuts]

 

 

[Coconuts]

 

 

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

1 hour ago, Coconuts said:

 

 

 

And so I re-iterate, but this time corrected for the league's approach to issues they need to fix: 

 

On 10/16/2023 at 8:47 AM, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

Of all the things in the game that needs fixing, the speculation that they would suggest a cost-cutting measure that reduces interactions between draftees and management/scouts.  

 

Is it really any wonder why people call the league the "Need Help League" or "No Hope League"?  

[RWJC]

Snapshots: NHL Draft Format, Phil Kessel, Jesse Puljujarvi

 

October 19th, 2023 at 5:56pm CST • By Gabriel Foley

 

NHL teams have begun requesting that the draft be decentralized, so front offices have more time to prepare for the draft and free agency in their home markets, rather than needing to travel to the draft city. On TSN’s latest Insider Trading segment, Pierre LeBrun shared that the league sent a memo out to teams on Wednesday of this week discussing this idea, requesting that all teams vote on it by Tuesday of next week. Pierre shared that he’s heard from over a dozen teams on this topic and is expecting that the league will ultimately vote in favor of the change. If this decision goes through, the NHL Draft could mirror the NFL or NBA Draft, where players are greeted by the commissioner after being selected, while teams draft from their own offices.

 

Insider Trading co-panelist Chris Johnston added that the NHL is confident in their ability to find a location for the 2024 NHL Draft, with the new Vegas sphere as a top option. Even if the sphere doesn’t work out, Vegas still sounds like the league’s preferred host city, with the NHL already identifying alternate locations in the city. If nothing in Vegas pans out, Johnston mentions two unnamed cities are also in the running.

 

link to rest of article:

https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2023/10/snapshots-nhl-draft-format-phil-kessel-jesse-puljujarvi.html#ref=home

[Quinn4theWin]

On 10/16/2023 at 8:20 AM, Nucker67 said:

Draft is fine. They need to change the Lottery.

I think it would be cool if they did the draft lottery live just before the draft, I think it would make things more interesting that teams didn’t know their draft position until moments before they pick.

[Coconuts]

4 minutes ago, Quinn4theWin said:

I think it would be cool if they did the draft lottery live just before the draft, I think it would make things more interesting that teams didn’t know their draft position until moments before they pick.

 

They should just do it live on the draft stage

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

8 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

 

They should just do it live on the draft stage

 

They should do it after the first half of the first round of the draft.  Then all the players that got drafted thus far would be re-assigned to teams based on the post-lottery order.

Edited October 20, 2023 by 6of1_halfdozenofother
first half, first half of the first round, same diff

[Kragar]

If it means execs stop bringing their kids on stage, especially to make the announcements, I can get onboard.

 

Seems a lot of time gets wasted with everyone marching up on stage and such.  I don't bother with the draft often, except maybe the first round, so my vote counts for less than nothing  I don't watch the other drafts mentioned to know if their way is any better.

[Kragar]

20 minutes ago, Quinn4theWin said:

I think it would be cool if they did the draft lottery live just before the draft, I think it would make things more interesting that teams didn’t know their draft position until moments before they pick.

It would definitely be more fun us, but would make trades involving those teams less likely.

[6of1_halfdozenofother]

10 minutes ago, Kragar said:

If it means execs stop bringing their kids on stage, especially to make the announcements, I can get onboard.

 

Seems a lot of time gets wasted with everyone marching up on stage and such.  I don't bother with the draft often, except maybe the first round, so my vote counts for less than nothing  I don't watch the other drafts mentioned to know if their way is any better.

 

That's part of the anticipation and the anticipation is what makes the event good for TV.

 

Moving it to remote drafting would save them costs, sure - and it'd probably save Gory Buttman some grief because he won't get booed on live television - but seeing a bunch of bodiless heads making announcements through a television screen twice removed hardly seems like a made-for-tv type of endeavour, and the tv stations that used to broadcast it will quickly find that it's not worth their money to stage a tv event around it.  Obscurity - seems like it's what the NHL craves.