Draft lottery rigged?

[madmike77]

The only reason Crosby gets brought up is because him going to Pitt. was Bettman's dream scenario.

The Pitt. franchise was dying and needed a marquis player and they got Crosby. Yeah they had as good a chance to get him as anyone, but their overall chances were quite low. I'm not sure it was rigged, but for that one I honestly wouldn't be shocked if it was.

Most drafts I don't think the league really cares.

 

[Zen Arcade]

I heard back then that they were going to rig it for the Rangers though. A massive fan base struggling to make the playoffs. Then as soon as Pens won everyone speculated they still rigged it.

I remember that, Rangers fans were making fun of people for being paranoid.

Then the Rangers didn't win the lottery and Rangers fans decided that it being fixed was totally logical.

 

[penguins2946*]

Is there any evidence whatsoever that Bettman rigged the lottery? Like anything at all?

 

[CarpeNoctem]

Is there any evidence whatsoever that Bettman rigged the lottery? Like anything at all?

We've got lots of speculation and conjecture. Those are types of evidence.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Is there any evidence whatsoever that Bettman rigged the lottery? Like anything at all?

None. It's the same thing with the NBA. Punish teams that tank. Give high picks to their hometown team even though they barely have a chance (Rose).

If there is any doubt though they should broadcast the drawing and put it up on nhl.com like the NBA does. That would end any rumors and speculation of rigged lotteries.

 

[Zen Arcade]

None. It's the same thing with the NBA. Punish teams that tank. Give high picks to their hometown team even though they barely have a chance (Rose).

If there is any doubt though they should broadcast the drawing and put it up on nhl.com like the NBA does. That would end any rumors and speculation of rigged lotteries.

People would still find a way to say it was rigged, the balls were strategically weighted, if they had a live audience the audience would be actors, etc.

If people really want to believe in something, they'll do all sorts of mental gymnastics to stick with it, no matter what proof you show them.

 

[Soundwave]

I don't think the draft lottery is rigged every year by any means. But I wouldn't exactly be stunned to find out that perhaps it is rigged once in a while. The Crosby lottery kinda sticks out as a "hmmm" moment.

I think the NBA has rigged a couple of its drafts too. The Ewing lottery notwishstanding, the Orlando Magic 'magically' winning the lottery again in 1993 while having like a less than 1% chance couldn't have anything to do with the fact that they had just gotten Shaquille O'Neal in the 1992 lottery and the NBA was eager to build a star team around a budding marketing star like Shaq.

No pro sport is dumb enough to rig the draft every year though.

 

[Gnashville]

I don't think the draft lottery is rigged every year by any means. But I wouldn't exactly be stunned to find out that perhaps it is rigged once in a while. The Crosby lottery kinda sticks out as a "hmmm" moment.

I think the NBA has rigged a couple of its drafts too. The Ewing lottery notwishstanding, the Orlando Magic 'magically' winning the lottery again in 1993 while having like a less than 1% chance couldn't have anything to do with the fact that they had just gotten Shaquille O'Neal in the 1992 lottery and the NBA was eager to build a star team around a budding marketing star like Shaq.

No pro sport is dumb enough to rig the draft every year though.

The NBA is a different animal
There have been legitimate reasons to consider fixing in basketball the game itself has a history of point shaving, a refree arrested for racketeering, very questionable series and several large market teams magically winning lotteries.

Certainly the NHL is not full of saints, but the fixing history is minimal and the NHL has no reason to fix lotteries. The Crosby lottery was going to have the conspiracy people no matter who won. All of 30 teams were involved and all 30 needed Crosby. No one was going to be happy except the Penguins.

 

[Mayor Bee]

Okay, here's what I'm going to do for everyone. Follow this simple series of steps.

1) Go to gettyimages.com
2) In the search box, copy and paste one of the following numbers, then hit the search button
- 53274172
- 53274223
- 53274204
- 53274233
- 53274285
- 53274284

Every single one of these pictures shows the process behind the scenes from the 2005 draft lottery. You can see the case full of numbered balls, you can see them being measured and tested, you can see them going for a spin in the big drum.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

One thing I've learned over the years with the people who accuse leagues of rigging is that, no matter what, they're going to say it was rigged no matter who won. You could make a conspiracy theory case for any team.

 

[VanIslander]

Drawing closed cards out of envelopes?????????????????????????

A lottery should have balls or slips of paper tumbling around and drawn from openly and publicly.

It makes for great T.V. as well.

I have been puzzled by the NHL way of doing things. Why not have an open draw?

 

[Brooklanders*]

This all started when the NBA supposedly rigged a lottery for the New York Knicks. The lottery is now monitored by accounting firms that would lose their license if they participated in a rigged lottery. Add to that McDavid could be a franchise changing player like Crosby, why would ownership of the lottery losing franchises allow him to go to a competitor? The real issue is teams tanking to improve their lottery odds. That issue needs to be addressed.

The 1985 NBA draft lottery was not ever proven to be rigged and no one truly believes it was.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

The 1985 NBA draft lottery was not ever proven to be rigged and no one truly believes it was.

Wasn't that the Ewing draft where Stern supposedly bent the corner of the Knicks envelope or whatever? I don't buy into it but if there were every a commissioner to rig a league it'd be Stern. He's a sneaky little man.

 

[Fenway]

So why not show this live? Why the big mystery?

Okay, here's what I'm going to do for everyone. Follow this simple series of steps.

1) Go to gettyimages.com
2) In the search box, copy and paste one of the following numbers, then hit the search button
- 53274172
- 53274223
- 53274204
- 53274233
- 53274285
- 53274284

Every single one of these pictures shows the process behind the scenes from the 2005 draft lottery. You can see the case full of numbered balls, you can see them being measured and tested, you can see them going for a spin in the big drum.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

So why not show this live? Why the big mystery?

I have no idea how the NHL does it but if it's anything like the NBA it would be completely stupid and anticlimactic.

The NBA only draws the top 3 teams and you either move up or down based on the 3 draws.

So you would know the top 3 teams in the lottery first and then figure out the rest later. Nobody would watch the entire thing when they know who would get the top pick right away.

If the NHL is anything like that, it wouldn't be worth it. You're much better off building suspense starting at 14 and going down to 1.

 

[Fenway]

I agree the studio show is good drama but why can't we see the balls being drawn after the fact?

I have no idea how the NHL does it but if it's anything like the NBA it would be completely stupid and anticlimactic.

The NBA only draws the top 3 teams and you either move up or down based on the 3 draws.

So you would know the top 3 teams in the lottery first and then figure out the rest later. Nobody would watch the entire thing when they know who would get the top pick right away.

If the NHL is anything like that, it wouldn't be worth it. You're much better off building suspense starting at 14 and going down to 1.

 

[Smart Dunsparce*]

Why would the NHL help the Penguins when they had a highly touted player in Malkin already.

 

[madmike77]

Why would the NHL help the Penguins when they had a highly touted player in Malkin already.

Malkin wasn't touted like Crosby.

Also, hockey talent is one thing, but marketability for a struggling franchise is another thing completely. Crosby was much more marketable, even if the talent level was comparable.

I still don't think the lottery was rigged. Just saying I wouldn't be shocked if it turned out it was, because the outcome was exactly what the NHL and Bettman were hoping for.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

Why not show the actual ball selection?

They should show the actual balls and the draw itself. I've always been curious why they don't.

Because it's balls bouncing around a glass jar for thirty seconds, streched out to a 30-60 minute program with talking heads stating the obvious and trying to fill air time. Enormous who-cares.

If there is any doubt though they should broadcast the drawing and put it up on nhl.com like the NBA does. That would end any rumors and speculation of rigged lotteries.

Yeah, nobody would be accusing the NBA of rigging the 1985 draft if it had been televised....

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

One thing I've learned over the years with the people who accuse leagues of rigging is that, no matter what, they're going to say it was rigged no matter who won. You could make a conspiracy theory case for any team.

Struggling team: It was rigged! They wanted to keep the team from folding or relocating!

Southern team: It was rigged! They wanted to drum up interest in a non-traditional market!

American team: It was rigged! They want a bigger US TV contract!

Original 6 team: It was rigged! They're pandering to hardcore fans!

Canadian team: It was rigged! They've been rigging the lottery for years to benefit struggling teams, southern teams, American teams, and Original 6 teams, and they threw Canadian teams a bone so we wouldn't get suspicious!

 

[Jumptheshark]

I started a thread on a different topic and it derailed into a discussion on the NHL rigging the lottery. I was surprised to see several people suggest that it was rigged for Crosby and that it will be rigged for McDavid.

I don't really buy it, but I can't say it's impossible.

I doubt that they are as happy about helping the Oilers as they seem to be if the lottery is indeed rigged.

I think that maybe, just maybe they would rig it if they knew with 100% certainty that they could get away with it, but they can't know that for sure so I don't think it's happening.

while the nhl set the rules the actually do not run the lotto, draw and weight the balls, not sure if it is price warerhouse or another new york--but an independant company does over see it and if the lotto was rig--it would have ramification that would have federal authoriteis involved because as I recall the accounting arm of the company annylizes the books of bad people and rigging a lotto would allow a lot of bad people to appeal their sentences

 

[Mayor Bee]

Drawing closed cards out of envelopes?????????????????????????

A lottery should have balls or slips of paper tumbling around and drawn from openly and publicly.

It makes for great T.V. as well.

I have been puzzled by the NHL way of doing things. Why not have an open draw?

Drawing from envelopes is only the reveal. The lottery has already been done by that point, and it consists of balls.

So why not show this live? Why the big mystery?

I agree the studio show is good drama but why can't we see the balls being drawn after the fact?

How thrilling that would be.
"Uh, the four-number combination is....1-4-6-6. Check the tables."
"Did you say 1466 or 1646?"
"1466".
"Okay, hold on."
(10 second pause)
"Huh, I must have grabbed my old reading glasses. Does anyone have a pair or a magnifying glass?"
"Yeah, here's mine."
"Okay, 1466, right?
"Right."
"1466 corresponds to....Ottawa."

 

[Mayor Bee]

Struggling team: It was rigged! They wanted to keep the team from folding or relocating!

Southern team: It was rigged! They wanted to drum up interest in a non-traditional market!

American team: It was rigged! They want a bigger US TV contract!

Original 6 team: It was rigged! They're pandering to hardcore fans!

Canadian team: It was rigged! They've been rigging the lottery for years to benefit struggling teams, southern teams, American teams, and Original 6 teams, and they threw Canadian teams a bone so we wouldn't get suspicious!

I think you need to borrow my avatar for a little while.

 

[tempofound]

I still don't think the lottery was rigged. Just saying I wouldn't be shocked if it turned out it was, because the outcome was exactly what the NHL and Bettman were hoping for.

I wouldn't be shocked either, would anyone? But that's a weird way of arguing, my level of schock has no impact on the rigging of the draft.

Also i hate how it has become established fact that Bettman wanted the Pens to win. Is there any real proof of that?

 

[Fugu]

I wouldn't be shocked either, would anyone? But that's a weird way of arguing, my level of schock has no impact on the rigging of the draft.

Also i hate how it has become established fact that Bettman wanted the Pens to win. Is there any real proof of that?

2009 Stanley Cup final scheduling change, and an unprecedented crackdown on officiating face-offs and obstruction.