"Double-Grad" problem for 2005-06?

This is not a question asking about the Entry Draft first of all, because we've all been over that numerous times.

Let's assume that there is no NHL season entirely, that zero games get played, but that a new CBA is worked out sometime in time for the season to begin in September 05.

I foresee a problem much like Canada's universities experienced the year Ontario "dropped" OAC from the curriculum where you had TWO years of students graduating at the same time from a major part of the feeder system into universities.

If we have no hockey this year, and subsequently no prospects graduate to the NHL, we will essentially have TWO years worth of rookies trying to enter the NHL at the same time. In other words guys like Jeff Carter, Alex Auld, etc, etc who were all but guaranteed spots in the NHL this year will be breaking into the league, or trying to, at the same time as guys who needed another year of seasoning (or were just drafted perhaps) like Ovechkin, Steve Bernier (who I don't think would have played in the NHL this year) etc.

Obviously those are just examples, and wouldnt be a problem playing on dramatically different teams. But now instead of having three rookies battling for two spots per se, you may have six fighting for the same numer.

How will tihs be resolved? Will an adequate number of players retire opening the gate for these new prospects, or will some players who would have made it to the show in 2005 have to wait for the start of 2006?

 

well one way to look at it is that if you have 5 new players this year and 5 new players next year or 10 new players next year it is still the same number of guys over that 2 year spans...so the problem i think becomes integrating the larger group together. a team can easily insert 2 rookies into the lineup, but a team that is competing for the cup would find it harder to insert 4 rookies...

also remember that a lot of contract will expire during the lockout too so that will open spots for kids.

 

Knowing how the NHL works, they'll probably use this as a reason for more expansion.