They Raised The Draft Age

[Rails]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=130343&hubName=nhl

At the bottom of the advertisement

- The entry-level system will limit those players to $850,000 a year in salary (which it was 10 years ago) with bonuses not as easily reachable as the previous deal. The maximum possible amount in bonuses is $4.5 million although it's unrealistic for almost anyone to reach all the lofty targets. The age for draft eligibility will also be raised from 18 years to 19 years.

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[Big McLargehuge]

Oh please, please, please be true.

 

[Jacob]

So what then, Crosby, Johnson, Brule, etc. will not be elligible for this year's draft?

 

[Rails]

I'd guess that it won't affect a draft until next year...

The NBA raised their eligibility year before this previous draft and it didn't effect that

 

[PecaFan]

Then we don't need the lottery. It makes zero sense to do this *next* season, it should be now.

 

[Jacob]

Then we don't need the lottery. It makes zero sense to do this *next* season, it should be now.

I agree. Just ditch this year's draft altogether.

 

[tomerez]

It makes zero sense to do this *next* season, it should be now.

Implementing it immediately would delay the Crosby ordeal and the NHL can't wait any longer for its saviour.

 

[Johnnybegood13]

If this is true i'm assuming it will start "after" this years draft or Crosby will be in the Swiss league for sure.

Personly i'm agains't it, maybe because i live in Alberta where a 18 year old is considered an adult (legal drinking age) and should have the right to support his habits. come to think of it,maybe the NHL should only allow players to be drafted by the legal drinking age in each region,are there any states where an 18 old can drink legally? after all,their all piss tanks!

 

[Cropduster]

Then we don't need the lottery. It makes zero sense to do this *next* season, it should be now.

I agree as well, but I take it this isnt until the 2006 draft? Can anyone confirm that it isnt until next year?

 

[Flyguy_1ca]

This also gets rid of 25 year old UFA's. The lowest would become 26 year olds!

 

[Rails]

Common sense would say that it isn't until next year. Otherwise they wouldn't invite Crosby to the lottery next week

 

[NYRangers]

Then what happens after next year? Wouldnt all the players turning 19 be drafted already?

 

[Cropduster]

So I guess they will do the lottery balls minutes before the owners ratify Thursday...

 

[PecaFan]

Then what happens after next year? Wouldnt all the players turning 19 be drafted already?

Yup, most would. Next years draft would end up being the dregs of this year, the ones who got passed over.

The only time it makes sense to raise the age is when you've missed a year. AKA now.

 

[tomerez]

Then what happens after next year? Wouldnt all the players turning 19 be drafted already?

Yay! Leftovers!

 

[starsgal09]

Does this mean no Kessel next year?

 

[FLYLine27*]

WOW, this blows. Really it does. Great..Rangers will be a crappy team next season and they will get a top 4 pick for the worst players. , They should just cancel NEXT years draft because it will be a COMPLETE JOKE.

 

[Hiishawk]

It is likely that the age change will adopted in implements.

For example, by the usual standard, next year's (2006) draft would be Sept. 16/87 to Sept. 15/88. As a result of the planned change, it is more likely to be something like Sept. 16/87 to May 01/88 instead (so Kessel would be fine- by any criteria, in fact).
Then, in 2007 it would be May 01/88 to Dec. 31/88. Then, the 19 yr. old draft would become a reality.

I'm not saying that the May 01 date is the one that has been set- just using it as an example.

 

[FLYLine27*]

It is likely that the age change will adopted in implements.

For example, by the usual standard, next year's (2006) draft would be Sept. 16/87 to Sept. 15/88. As a result of the planned change, it is more likely to be something like Sept. 16/87 to May 01/88 instead (so Kessel would be fine- by any criteria, in fact).
Then, in 2007 it would be May 01/88 to Dec. 31/88. Then, the 19 yr. old draft would become a reality.

I'm not saying that the May 01 date is the one that has been set- just using it as an example.

That is pure speculation, and I dont see that happening (though i hope ur right)

 

[kruezer]

That is pure speculation, and I dont see that happening (though i hope ur right)

I think that makes a lot more sense than just arbitrarily changing the age one year and having a pointless draft IMO. I still see no reason for the NHL to screw with the draft age anyway, but I guess teams can't resist rushing their players.

 

[norrisnick]

The last time the raising of the draft age came up in various reports it was speculated that they would do it incrementally over a few years to avoid a "leftover" draft so to speak. Yes, ideally they would have done it this year but Crosby has been hyped for 3-4 years now and if they delayed it a year the PR mess would be ugly. It would be like going through a full marketing campaign for a movie and then releasing it the next. The let down could undermine the previous efforts to build excitement.

 

[BigE]

Bob was on this afternoon saying that a player has to be 18 by January 1st of the draft year. Phil Kessel will be 18 by January 1st, 2006. Phil Kessel will, therefore, be eligible for the 2006 entry draft.

Although, maybe Bob was wrong or mis-spoke.

 

[BigE]

Just to clarify:

People are getting very confused by this because most players will be playing in the league no earlier than 19 years of age (which also reflects favourably upon the 7 years experience clause). However, players such as Kessel that were born later in the year (say October) could play in the NHL as an 18 year old - having been drafted a few months earlier in June. The thing to remember is that these types of guys wouldn't have had a different draft year under the old CBA.

Two examples.

Sidney Crosby (Aug. 7, 1987)
-Old CBA: Eligible in 2005 (18 as of Sept 15th, 2005)
-New CBA: Eligible in 2006 (18 as of January 1st, 2006)

Phil Kessel
-Old CBA: Eligible in 2006 (not 18 as of Sept 15th, 2005)
-New CBA: Eligible in 2006 (18 as of January 1st, 2006)

 

[Hiishawk]

That is pure speculation, and I dont see that happening (though i hope ur right)

Actually it's not pure speculation- not only has this idea been floating around for awhile at the exec levels but I have heard it stated with some authority (although the intermittent date nor number of incremental years were clear).

But neither is it a 100% certainty.

If it were a direct jump, only the Sept. 16-Dec. 31/1987 players would be available for 2006.

 

[Phil Parent]

Or next year's draft could be a draft where the teams stock on overagers who went undrafted their first time through, or who were drafted and never signed.