What will happen to the 2005 Draft if the lockout cancels the season??

[vanner]

I have heard/read some interesting possibilities. Here are some:


1) The Draft would be cancelled because the Draft can't take place legally if a lockout exists. Players eligible might have to wait a year......

2) The draft would take place with the same order as last year

3) The draft would take place however the order would be determined via a lottery (perhaps using some weighting system reflecting each team finish in the 2003/04 season)



With such a high profile player (Crosby), a huge debate will probably take place as soon as the season is officially cancelled.

Here is a theory based on 1) that I have heard:
From what I understand there definitely might be some legal issues to holding a Draft during a lockout. If this is the case, I have heard that without a Draft all players eligible for the 2005 Draft would become Free Agents. Players could sign with any team as soon as a new Collective agreement is reached or when a new league is started. If you think this is far fetched then consider the NHL folding and then starting a new league (suggested in many cirlces). It has been suggested that the NHL may honor old contracts (minus a certain %) and all players who refuse to sign with their old teams by such a date would become unrestricted Free Agents. How else would a new league start up?? As such all 18 year olds not drafted might also become unresricted free agents......



Any other theories out there??

Click to read more...

 

[Wally112pac]

There will be a draft just no one knows when.

One thing is certain. They won't become free agents.

The NHL is in lock down mode and no contracts can be signed.

I'm sure they'll figure it out after the cba.

 

[Til the End of Time]

SOS. This must be stickied.

 

[vanner]

There will be a draft just no one knows when.

One thing is certain. They won't become free agents.

The NHL is in lock down mode and no contracts can be signed.

I'm sure they'll figure it out after the cba.

It is NOT certain.

1) The Draft is PART of the CBA and will be part of a new CBA (if a new one is ever signed). So they won't be figuring anything out "after" a new CBA.

2) It is quite possible that there will be no CBA when hockey starts again. This is under the "new league" theory. With a new league will come "new rules". Under a hard cap system, unrestricted free agency isn't nearly as significant

If there is no NHL come September 2005 - look for many of the top draft eligible players to have some leverage to play in other leagues (perhaps in NA or overseas). The last time the NHL had some competition for their top draft eligible players was in 1979 where they lost some of hockey's finest players to a competing league (Gretzky, Vaive, Goulet, Gartner, Messier, Howe, Riggin & Napier and more)

Picture the NHL saying to Crosby in Sept 2005 - We are starting a new league a league that will max your salary at $ 900K with no possible bonus or arbitration rights for the next 3/5 years (as suggested in the latest round of negotiations) a league that probably will have lots of uncertainty associated with it at the time and a league that won't be able to start in Sep 2005. Do you think he might consider another league? This competition will put pressure on the NHL.......


The bottom line is that no one really knows if a draft will take place and how if it does will it be structured......

 

[Wally112pac]

It is NOT certain.

1) The Draft is PART of the CBA and will be part of a new CBA (if a new one is ever signed). So they won't be figuring anything out "after" a new CBA.

2) It is quite possible that there will be no CBA when hockey starts again. This is under the "new league" theory. With a new league will come "new rules". Under a hard cap system, unrestricted free agency isn't nearly as significant

If there is no NHL come September 2005 - look for many of the top draft eligible players to have some leverage to play in other leagues (perhaps in NA or overseas). The last time the NHL had some competition for their top draft eligible players was in 1979 where they lost some of hockey's finest players to a competing league (Gretzky, Vaive, Goulet, Gartner, Messier, Howe, Riggin & Napier and more)

Picture the NHL saying to Crosby in Sept 2005 - We are starting a new league a league that will max your salary at $ 900K with no possible bonus or arbitration rights for the next 3/5 years (as suggested in the latest round of negotiations) a league that probably will have lots of uncertainty associated with it at the time and a league that won't be able to start in Sep 2005. Do you think he might consider another league? This competition will put pressure on the NHL.......


The bottom line is that no one really knows if a draft will take place and how if it does will it be structured......

I'm just relayin what Bob Mckenzie said last night. I'll take his word for it.

 

[MN_Gopher]

I thought with no season there will be no draft. And create a roll over for a super draft in 06.

 

[Roger's Pancreas*]

I think that's wishful thinking. Fact of the matter, no professional sport's league have ever cancelled a full season. Everyone's guess is just that...speculation, so we can all dream of Crosby joining our favorite franchise and becoming the next Gretzky. Personally we should all have our eyes elsewhere, because it only takes 1 concussion to cripple a franchise player...cough* Lindros.

 

[vanner]

Let me clarify:


Of course there will be another draft at some point - but will there be a draft that includes all the top 2005 eligible players or will the NHL lose some of these players to other leagues because these players don't feel like waiting another year (2006) or might they grant them unrestricted free agency as an incentive to stay. Why should these players wait another year when they can go out and earn some money in another league?

This is exactly what happened in 1979.....

 

[vanner]

I think that's wishful thinking. Fact of the matter, no professional sport's league have ever cancelled a full season. Everyone's guess is just that...speculation, so we can all dream of Crosby joining our favorite franchise and becoming the next Gretzky. Personally we should all have our eyes elsewhere, because it only takes 1 concussion to cripple a franchise player...cough* Lindros.

It's not about "wishful thinking" - Fact of the matter is no professional league has come this close to cancelling a whole season. And if you actually understand what is going on you would realize that it will take a miracle for a season to take place. If not I would be willing to take your money via a wager.

 

[CH Wizard]

IMO it'll be combined with the 06 draft.

 

[Roger's Pancreas*]

It's not about "wishful thinking" - Fact of the matter is no professional league has come this close to cancelling a whole season. And if you actually understand what is going on you would realize that it will take a miracle for a season to take place. If not I would be willing to take your money via a wager.

Thanks for reiterating what I, and many others have already said.

 

[Jacob]

What will happen to the 2005 Draft if the lockout cancels the season??

I'll never tell.

 

[Habsfan 32]

Jacobv2 know but he will never tell us.

 

[jcpenny]

It shows that no season means havoc for the draft: Why should there be a draft without a season? makes no sense, why should they keep the same order as last year? First its unfair for some teams and some GM wouldnt accept it.

This lockout is trouble for everybody.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I am pretty sure that I read in a linked article from one of the league officials in one of these threads that there would be two drafts, even if they were one right after another. The real question is not whether they will hold a draft, they have said that they will. The real question is how they will determine the order, whether to use last seasons finish and the same weighted lottery or some other system to determine order. I personally believe that the most likely scenerio is last seasons finish, same weighted lottery because anything else would be some made up on the spot arbitrary choice where at least there is some rational basis for using what was in place already. Though I am hardly unbiased in that assessment being from Pittsburgh, I stand by it as most logical to use what was in place already and not just pulling something out of their rear ends. It also is all the more likely because the Pens did NOT end up with AO. If they had, the fairly good chance of getting Crosby too might have moved them to said pulling something out of their rear ends to lessen that possibility. I also believed that to be the case before the end of last season, which is why I 'rooted' so hard those last couple of games for the Pens to stop with that damn win streak.

 

[BronxBruin]

Let me clarify:


Of course there will be another draft at some point - but will there be a draft that includes all the top 2005 eligible players or will the NHL lose some of these players to other leagues because these players don't feel like waiting another year (2006) or might they grant them unrestricted free agency as an incentive to stay. Why should these players wait another year when they can go out and earn some money in another league?

This is exactly what happened in 1979.....

If the entire season is cancelled, the easiest and most logical solution would be to just make the draft age 19 so the "Class of 2005" would just be pushed back to 2006. Why should these players wait another year? Because they don't have much of a choice. Most European prospects don't come to North America until a year or two (when they're 19 or 20) after they're drafted anyway so they won't really be effected. Most NCAA prospects stay in school for at least another season after drafted. That pretty much just leaves those players in the CHL...if they have a problem waiting an extra year, then by all means go sign with the ECHL or go play in Europe. Otherwise, deal with it.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

The bottom line is that no one really knows if a draft will take place and how if it does will it be structured......

So why did you start this thread asking the question?

 

[Panopticon]

I hope it happens, I already got the goddamn plane tickets...