NHL considering cancelling 2005 draft?

[Taranis_24]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/hearsay.jsp

Click to read more...

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Interesting. I like this a whole lot better than the 1 ball for each team approach. I know where my team is going to fall on the spectrum, more or less, and this way the teams that are and will remain loaded will not get a free ride on the lottery rail without paying for it by sucking at least one season.

 

[HockeyCritter]

Make the draft age 19 (now and forever) ...... problem solved.

 

[Riggs]

Make the draft age 19 (now and forever) ...... problem solved.

What happens to an 18 yo. prospect? Is he now back in the draft?

 

[MojoJojo]

Make the draft age 19 (now and forever) ...... problem solved.

I agree. I hate that the draft age is so low. In a typical draft year how many guys are ready to go straight to the NHL? More do than should, and the result can be the premature ending of someones career because their 18 year old body wasnt strong enough to withstand the beating. Besides, given another year, the draft order might mean a little something for a change. Scouts will be able to see another full year of developement and growth before making their final judgement about how a prospect will turn out.

 

[Spungo*]

Interesting. I like this a whole lot better than the 1 ball for each team approach. I know where my team is going to fall on the spectrum, more or less, and this way the teams that are and will remain loaded will not get a free ride on the lottery rail without paying for it by sucking at least one season.

You know where your team will fall on the spectrum? You own a crystal ball I guess. You couldn't even tell me what your teams roster will look like next year, let alone where they will finish.

 

[ACC1224]

Make the draft age 19 (now and forever) ...... problem solved.

I agree, Crosby can wait.

 

[mooseOAK*]

It would be kind of stupid to cancel the draft after holding the combines, not to mention the Crosby factor.

 

[usiel]

I also have the opinion that they just change the draft age to 19. Very few young players can make the jump anyways.

 

[Skk82]

excluding the players like crosby, thornton, nash and lecavalier, how many 'average' 19 year old prospects could make the show?....I'm guessing not more than the 'average' 18 year old.

but changing the age does make sense, it allows for a more crucial pre-draft development and ends the complaining (or atleast dissatisfaction) from 29 teams and their fans that wouldn't have won a crosby lottery.

 

[HockeyCritter]

Make the draft age 19 (now and forever) ...... problem solved.

What happens to an 18 yo. prospect? Is he now back in the draft?

An 18-year old wouldn’t be eligible for the draft. He'd have to wait a year before entering the draft.

 

[timlap]

A bad idea, in my opinion. The NHL could really use the excitement of seeing Crosby drafted and in the league next year. I'm looking forward to the draft and I would be very irritated if it were suddenly postponed.

Anyway, consider the source of this info. I'll believe it when I hear it from a reliable source (if there is such a thng in these tight-lipped days). Otherwise, I think the idea is unilkely.

 

[Skk82]

the only real negative about cancelling a draft is that crosby wouldn't be in the 'new' NHL upon launch. he would be a perfect way to market the game, you know, if the NHL had any marketing ability at all. but since they'd probably bungle that just like they do everything else, probably no big loss there.

 

[Mess]

It would be kind of stupid to cancel the draft after holding the combines, not to mention the Crosby factor.

Great it opens up the opportunity for Crosby to join the AHL and the Marlies and help grow the game ..

A year in the AHL will do him good ..

 

[FLYLine27*]

Good idea. That way some undeserving teams won't have that chance for Crosby(or any other top draft pick for that matter) like they shouldn't have to begin with.

 

[HockeyCritter]

the only real negative about cancelling a draft is that crosby wouldn't be in the 'new' NHL upon launch. he would be a perfect way to market the game, you know, if the NHL had any marketing ability at all. but since they'd probably bungle that just like they do everything else, probably no big loss there.

The league is a hell of a lot more than Crosby . . . . relaunch with rules designed to increase flow and speed . . . . . that more than anything else will ensure the survival of the sport/league.

 

[Skk82]

Great it opens up the opportunity for Crosby to join the AHL and the Marlies and help grow the game ..

i don't believe anyone should be playing professional hockey in north america prior to them being eligible for the draft. i'd bet if they decide to cancel the draft, they'll put a clause in to block this occurance.

 

[littleD]

I would think there would be too many legal problems in just cancelling the draft.

The last thing the league needs is to be in court with some prospect who's pissed off with the cancellation of the draft.

 

[oildrop]

Great it opens up the opportunity for Crosby to join the AHL and the Marlies and help grow the game ..

A year in the AHL will do him good ..

Crosby can't join the AHL. Isn't there an agreement for players that play in the WHL, OHL, QMJHL, etc...that state that their players can't join the AHL until they are too old to play in the Junior Leagues?

And, I highly doubt the Draft gets cancelled this season. The NHL can't afford to lose another part of their season. Whoever came up with this article was just trying to get a reaction out of people. I doubt there's any substance to this article.

 

[Epsilon]

Are people still under the delusion that Crosby means something in the United States?

 

[Skk82]

The league is a hell of a lot more than Crosby . . . . relaunch with rules designed to increase flow and speed . . . . . that more than anything else will ensure the survival of the sport/league.

doubtless. but a fresh young player coming out of juniors with a statline to (almost) rival to lemieux and gretzky would be a great way to front a new campaign to bring people back. changes in the rules are fundamental and the most important part of the sport, but crosby's presence and marketability would be exciting and something to base a revival PR campaign.

 

[HockeyCritter]

I would think there would be too many legal problems in just cancelling the draft.

The last thing the league needs is to be in court with some prospect who's pissed off with the cancellation of the draft.

There would be no legal repercussions if the new (higher) draft age is written into the CBA.

And as so many here have pointed out, there was no season .... a natural extrapolation would be no draft.

 

[Lard_Lad]

Well, with the NBA going to a minimum age of 19, too, a 19-year-old NHL draft seems like a lot more realistic a possibility than it did a few months ago. And it'd fit in well with the CHL's new rule changes limiting the number of under-17 players in major junior. But this means losing out on a year's salary for Crosby and probably one or two other 2005 first-rounders, so it'll wind up in the courts, I'm sure...

 

[Skk82]

Are people still under the delusion that Crosby means something in the United States?

but he can, especially in a major market like new york or LA. the NHL needs to market something, and such a player is almost perfect.

 

[Anthony Mauro]

Good idea. That way some undeserving teams won't have that chance for Crosby(or any other top draft pick for that matter) like they shouldn't have to begin with.

True but then there are gonna be those that intentionally tank the season to get a shot at him.