NHL draft options

[Dr.Brad]

Board of Governors virtual meeting Monday. I would think we’ll have decision about the draft before we SHOULD have that decision - because there are those (many?) who viewed the NFL as a success, and want hockey to be newsworthy - maybe want that more than getting it right. While I’m a purist, and want full schedule played/ full playoffs/ full 82- game season for ‘20-21 (ok, maybe a November start...), I see the other side too. $$$$$. But there’s not “perfect,” is there?

Community thoughts?

[pmorrow]

It doesnt sound like theyre gonna do it. At least I hope not. Theres been so much pushback around the league, the only way the NHL can do it is by basically forcing them to do it. I hope they dont do it because I love seeing the trades before and during the draft. Although it would be something to fill the time - but I feel like we're already kind of used to having no hockey content right now anyways haha.

[Zorro]

Please don't do the draft NHL until the regular season and playoffs have been completed/cancelled.. Please!!

[ericdaoust]

Throw "perfect" out the window. This is a shitty situation and they're going to try and make the best of it.

[DusterDave]

It would be a very stupid decision and wouldn’t make much sense for the NHL to hold the Entry Draft before a decision is made on the conclusion of the season. So I fully expect the NHL to go ahead and have a June draft.

[ericdaoust]

To me the one nice benefit of an early draft is being able to have a slightly more compressed offseason after the Stanley Cup. But yeah it's definitely a bad situation with so many conditional trades still up in the air.

Like I said though, either way this is all going to suck somehow.

[Zorro]

It would be a very stupid decision and wouldn’t make much sense for the NHL to hold the Entry Draft before a decision is made on the conclusion of the season. So I fully expect the NHL to go ahead and have a June draft.

HaHa.. This is exactly why I think it will happen aswell.. Bettman obviously wants it to happen for some unknown reason, so it probably will!!

What would be Bettman's motives?? There will be zero trades, BORING.. All the conditional draft picks will be obviously tossed.. Don't do it!!!!!

[DusterDave]

It doesn’t give much incentive to watch unless your an Ottawa or Detroit fan.

[newfcollins]

You'd still watch the draft, just not the draft lottery.

Also, there are other factors at play here. One that the Athletic's Pronman brought up on the weekend had to do with the scouts. For some, their contracts are up this summer and many teams are on a hiring freeze.

In the case of scouts, the issue is they carry intellectual property and are not represented by any union or association. They have intel they’ve gathered on players over the course of years, as well as knowledge of a team’s preferences. There has never been an issue of scout mobility prior to a draft but there is a real concern of that if there is a fall draft given that some scouts become free agents in July.

[chuckcouples]

The only way that having the draft in June is to add a 2nd trade deadline to the current season. Open the trading back up for the current season. If that doesn't happen, it will be the most boring draft in NHL history.

[DocMcPuffin]

The only way that having the draft in June is to add a 2nd trade deadline to the current season. Open the trading back up for the current season. If that doesn't happen, it will be the most boring draft in NHL history.

A 2nd deadline actually sounds exciting to me.

[The Comish]

Also, there are other factors at play here. One that the Athletic's Pronman brought up on the weekend had to do with the scouts. For some, their contracts are up this summer and many teams are on a hiring freeze.

This isn't an insurmountable issue. As Pronman's article pointed out, the scouts aren't represented by any union or association, so the NHL could cover the costs of employing the scouts until the new draft date. They could also arbitrarily prohibit NHL teams from hiring scouts until after the draft (haha, no union, so sue the NHL...good luck with all their lawyers! lol).

I can't imagine the NHL could sort out the draft order before the end of the regular season for sure, but doesn't the Stanley Cup winner pick last? I guess they could just throw out the rules because NHL.

[pmorrow]

Was listening to Bobby Mack on TSN 1050 today. From what he said, it sure sounds like they're gonna do this thing in June after all...

[Blues_fan1000]

Was listening to Bobby Mack on TSN 1050 today. From what he said, it sure sounds like they're gonna do this thing in June after all...

It will definitely make for some interesting fantasy FA moves prior to the end of the season. Imagine having the No1 pick next year only to have Lafreniere scooped up prior to the end of the season!

[PenguinHunter]

Was listening to Bobby Mack on TSN 1050 today. From what he said, it sure sounds like they're gonna do this thing in June after all...

If they are gonna do it in June they should make the announcement ASAP haha