Dreger: NHL Investigating Arizona Over Testing Draft Eligible CHL Players

TribalPhoenix

Former TribalPhoenix
Dec 2, 2005
9,696
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It gives a clear competitive advantage to show progression of physical growth and cardiovascular development over the course of the season. Can help identify if a player is hitting a growth spurt, if their muscle development has changed, fast-twitch muscle fiber, etc. Clearly should be illegal.

If you understand the players in the hockey world, there are a TON of ties between CHL players/clubs (particularly OHL players in this draft class - 2002 is a SPECIAL year) and the Coyotes front office.
 
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TheLegend

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Aug 30, 2009
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Coyotes did a complete change to their scouting staff this past year. Some of them are contracted out and it’s hard to know what might have gone down unless maybe one of the contractors went rogue on them.

Without any details it’s simply impossible to know how far up the chain this goes.
 

Tom Polakis

Eternal Optimist
Nov 24, 2008
4,495
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The punishment total fine is under the discretion of Bettman. Theres no way he lets Zona go down under financially for this. He considers Zona as his legacy

I have no opinion on that buy I do have a non-sequitur for this thread: "Zona" is almost as annoying as "ARZ" instead of "ARI" as the three-letter abbreviation.
 

barabas21

Registered User
Mar 9, 2016
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My understanding is they don't want it getting out of hand and the kids being forced to go through 31 (soon to be 32) rounds of testing with very little oversight. That's why the combine exists.

I am curious if anyone knows for sure, but don't NFL teams hold private workouts with draft eligible players who have also attended the Combine? If so, is there a rule that limits how many private workouts the players can attend prior to the draft?
 

Lupuls Grit

Registered User
Oct 12, 2018
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Imagine judging a draft 1.5 years after it happened. Too bad about that bust Scheifele.
I think the post was more of a compliment to Hughes than a criticism of Hayton. Hayton may turn out to be a fine player but I doubt he'll end up as valuable as Quinn Hughes, who is projecting as a number 1 defenceman.
 

romba

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
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I don’t even see how this is even much of an advantage if at all. So what you know before other teams? Everyone knows well before the draft anyway.
You can 'trend' development. Compare the recent showing to the combine and see who's improved, regressed etc. Gives you an extra data point to review/compare, plus you can also start building relationships etc.
 

Ctrain2k

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Dec 3, 2016
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You can 'trend' development. Compare the recent showing to the combine and see who's improved, regressed etc. Gives you an extra data point to review/compare, plus you can also start building relationships etc.

I guess so, seems marginal at best. Just doesn’t seem worth the risk at all imo.
 
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SotasicA

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Aug 25, 2014
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So if I have a budget of $5m for picking the best kid, I can freely test 20 prospects and just foot the bill? Should they not lose their draft pick(s) as well? Otherwise it seems like there's a chance of a trade-off that can prove favourable to the side breaking the rules.
 

InfinityIggy

Zagidulin's Dad
Jan 30, 2011
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So if I have a budget of $5m for picking the best kid, I can freely test 20 prospects and just foot the bill? Should they not lose their draft pick(s) as well? Otherwise it seems like there's a chance of a trade-off that can prove favourable to the side breaking the rules.

Exactly the problem with simply fining them. It's just 'paying for access'. Bar them from drafting anyone they've tested. You'll never see a team try this again.
 

tsujimoto74

Moderator
May 28, 2012
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I know that. I was wondering why that is.

2 reasons immediately jump to mind: (1) to ensure fairness between all the teams, not allowing teams with bigger bank rolls to do extra interviews/on-ice testing/combine-type scouting outside of the combine; (2) to save the draft eligible teenagers from having to travel to dozens of cities and workout for dozens of teams, instead just having them do it once at the combine for everyone.
 

Chan790

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Jan 24, 2012
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Tsn has something up now

They tested 40 to 80 players

If found guilty that could be in trouble

So...potentially $10-20M in fines. The volume of the crime almost necessitates the maximum individual fines, at-that.

Do the Coyotes have a spare $20,000,000 to pay those fines?
 

TheLegend

Megathread Gadfly
Aug 30, 2009
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Dreger's bored being shut in......

I watched the clip yesterday and he was whipping up some fake drama among GMs..... rambling on about a lot of details he wasn't even sure of and then trying to sell it as fact..

Other GM's are "worried" because the combine has been postponed and there's no guarantee they'll even have one, so the Coyotes would be perceived to have an advantage. Except....... these presumed workouts took place several months ago and the data collected then would be out of date by now. The advantage would kick in if they do hold a combine. Then the Coyotes would have some comparable data to work with in how the prospects were progressing (or not).

Not excusing the Coyotes here for what they did. But this is all still a bunch of here say right now.


So...potentially $10-20M in fines. The volume of the crime almost necessitates the maximum individual fines, at-that.

Do the Coyotes have a spare $20,000,000 to pay those fines?


Their owner has a net worth of $2 billion and is directly contributing aid to the arena personnel who have lost income to the postponed games (Coyotes had 8 home games left out of 12 when the league paused). So YMMV.
 

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