Long Running League Hosting a Dispersal Draft - Need Order Ideas

[chuckcouples]

So our 24? year old dynasty league has had trouble filling the last few GMs spots over the past few years so this summer we are reducing the league from 31 to 28 teams. We will be having a dispersal draft of all the assets currently held by the 3 teams that we are removing. The league is trying to figure out the best way to determine the draft order for the dispersal draft. I am completely torn between having it be a completely random snake draft or having it be an ordered draft with some set order based on previous year results (to benefit the worse teams) and GM participation.

What does everyone here think is the draft order that will benefit the league the most in the long run? This is not really a decision that the league can vote on since everyone is just going to vote on what's best for the themselves.

[Pengwin7]

I would recommend a few things:

1a. The strongest assets should find their way to the weakest teams. The 3 vacant teams probably have 2-6 high-end players and your league should obviously look to get those onto the weakest teams in your league.
1b. One way about this is to have a lottery between the bottom 2/3/4 teams, something like that to see who gets pick slot #1.
1c. Another way is to have a lottery... and the winning team gets to CHOOSE their pick slot, they may prefer to draft 25th/28... IF you are having a "snake" draft.
1d. Another way is to just have last year's last place team pick 1st... and last year's first place team pick last (28/28). That said, in a snake draft, sometimes there's big advantage of having two picks in a row.

2. If your league is "tight" from top-to-bottom... a SNAKE draft is probably pretty fair.
2b. If your league has a pretty major gap from top-to-bottom... you may want to do NHL-style, round 1: 1(worst)-28(best), then round2: 1(worst)-28(best).


Those are the ways to set the order.
I personally prefer a draft with "no trading" and "NO trade discussion".
All teams simply should make their picks on what they feel is best asset.
Open trading up after all teams have their players.


Me personally - try to make your bottom teams stronger.
If the "worst" team by standings last year is your league's REAL worst team, let them draft first in every round.
If the team finishing last in standings did a "tank job" or is stronger than the 2nd/3rd last teams... do a lottery for top 2 or top 3 picks.
Round 2-on you can use worst-to-best.


My 2 cents.

[Magicstew]

Agree with Pengy, Thinking to help strengthen the overall league, you draft 1-28 each round. Agree with the no trading too.
Thinking the 3 teams dropping out were not top teams, don't think it will effect the balance in league.

[chuckcouples]

The league always has some bottom feeders either because they lose prospects and are in decade long rebuilds or they are just terrible managers. Some teams move from contenders to rebuilds and back again but those are pretty rare.

Assets that will be available include 2nd overall pick, other first round picks, some great prospects, Hellebuyck, Weegar, Kreider, Petry. Carlson, Nurse, Panarin, and others.

I am trying to figure out why the league would want to reward the bad teams with a once in 2 decade occurrence instead of just thing completely random. I understand that in theory it should increase league parity but more than likely the teams that try to win will pick NHL players while today in perpetual rebuild will choose picks/prospects. When that happens, it won't affect the league standings at all and trying to reward the worse teams won't actually accomplish anything.

Am I wrong with that thought process?

[Pengwin7]

I understand that in theory it should increase league parity but more than likely the teams that try to win will pick NHL players while today in perpetual rebuild will choose picks/prospects. When that happens, it won't affect the league standings at all and trying to reward the worse teams won't actually accomplish anything.

Am I wrong with that thought process?

Your statement suggests that trading is very difficult for some GMs in the league.
Of what's listed, to me (rebuilding in my main league), the 2nd overall pick IS the best asset of what you've listed.
Depending on whether there is cap-numbers or whether goalies have insane value, Hellebuyck & Panarin might be 2nd/3rd.

If a "rebuilding GM" passes on those guys - it just suggests he can't "flip" that player for a rebuilding asset better than what's available in the dispersal draft.
And that would just mean that trading is an issue in your league and that some GMs have "given up" on rebuilding through trade. There league M.O. becomes to simply draft, hold, wait.
That does/can make a league feel like its stuck/stagnant in same ol, same ol'.
I've been in leagues like that... it's very real... and it simply means there is some sort of GM and/or LeagueSettings problem. (sorry, true).


As for your own concern, sounds like you (correct me if I'm wrong) have a strong team that might get "caught" a bit if you are drafting late and others draft before you.
If you work really hard to reach your success, then yeah, contraction whereby other teams get stronger (stronger than by what your team can add) - is going to hurt.

It's unfortunate timing/situation that other teams close the gap simply because some GMs bailed.

Sometimes the "fairest" solution is still slightly unfair to some teams (top teams).
And that'll be this situation. "Fairest" (not "fair") is all you & your league can do.

[chuckcouples]

My team is middle of the pack right now as I missed the playoffs this past season. I am reloading as opposed to rebuilding as who has time for that!

I care more about the state of the league then the state of my team as the league's been around a long time and I want it to continue for a few more decades. I think I am either the all time winningest regular season GM or 2nd in total games won but I am without a ring in my 23 years in the league. Luck in the playoffs has not been kind to me but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Trades are made in the league but it tends to be the same GMs winning trades over and over again. It also feels like it's the same few GMs who initiate pretty much all the trades as we definitely have a few weaker GMs who either don't care as much or are not that bright. That's going to happen when you have 25+ GMs in a league as some are just better at this type of thing than others. There are teams that can effectively rebuild and use prospect capital to build championship teams but a few GMs just love their prospects too much to ever get out of the rebuild cycle.

I completely agree that "fairest" and making the most GMs happy with leaving the least possible unhappy GMs is the goal of this and all league decisions.

Thank you for your insights.

[Magicstew]

Its also hard not knowing what your league rules are? is it a full dynasty or do you have to make some cuts at year end before your draft? Will there be a major benefit to any team?
Not everyone will be completely happy with your decision but it sounds like a solid league, so they should understand your rationale.
Maybe bottom teams get better, then will start initiating more trades to try and contend.

[chuckcouples]

It's a full dynasty sim league where we keep any player/prospect until they become an actual NHL UFA (ie contract runs out and they can sign where they choose in the NHL) or they re-enter the NHL Draft. Sim ratings are based on the previous two NHL seasons.

I put the dispersal draft to a vote to see what GMs are thinking. So far 12 of the 16 GMs who have voted want a draft that increases league parity but also want a snake draft.

I think my plan will be to create a formula that takes into account regular season results for the past 3 seasons with the first two combined being weighted equal to the most recent season and then adding in points for GM participation. It will be 1/3 GM participation, 1/3 last season results and 1/3 previous 2 season results. The results of the formula will determine the order GMs get to pick their draft slot in the snake dispersal draft.

Does that seem like a pretty fair solution for everyone?