Possible Changes for the 2021 and 2022 Draft

[Brawndo]

On Sportsnet Saturday Night Headlines the topic of the upcoming drafts. With the CHL not playing, the idea of a draft camp for eligible players in June-July if the Draft remains as scheduled for July 2021
 

Another is moving the 2021 Draft back to December or January 2022, which would allow the CHL Players to get some games in. 
 

Finally another idea being floated is having two separate drafts in June 2022.  The players eligible for the 2021 Draft would be selected over a two day period and then a few days later having the players eligible for the  2022 draft selected. 
 

I imagine there would be two separate draft orders, based on the results of this season for the 2021 draft and the 2021-22 Season for the 2022 Draft. 

[French Collection]

The NHL draft is difficult enough without having any data or views on prospects.

Maybe this is the time to change it to a 19 year old draft. Players would have one more year of development to prepare them for pro hockey. The CHL would keep top players for an extra year. 19 year olds could be assigned to the AHL if their NHL team figures that is best for their next step. The NHL would make better selections by having more mature players and an extra year of scouting.

There may have to be an option for elite 18 year olds to be selected in the first round only.

[triumph_communes]

19yo draft would be better, now is the best time to do it

[LGR4GM]

Yup, change the draft to 19. 

It will make the nhl better by doing it. 

[Curt]

8 hours ago, French Collection said:

The NHL draft is difficult enough without having any data or views on prospects.

Maybe this is the time to change it to a 19 year old draft. Players would have one more year of development to prepare them for pro hockey. The CHL would keep top players for an extra year. 19 year olds could be assigned to the AHL if their NHL team figures that is best for their next step. The NHL would make better selections by having more mature players and an extra year of scouting.

There may have to be an option for elite 18 year olds to be selected in the first round only.

 

1 hour ago, triumph_communes said:

19yo draft would be better, now is the best time to do it

No thanks.  Keep the 18 year olds in.  They don’t need to be kept out just to protect NHL teams from themselves.

Keep the draft this summer, suck it up this year.  Have the draft camp or whatever you need to get a look at the guys.  

[dudacek]

I’ve long been an advocate of a 19-year-old draft. 18-year-olds can opt in, but are only eligible for top-10 or lottery picks.

If skipping the draft this year, or limiting it to the first round is a way to make that happen, then do it.

[Taro T]

11 hours ago, French Collection said:

The NHL draft is difficult enough without having any data or views on prospects.

Maybe this is the time to change it to a 19 year old draft. Players would have one more year of development to prepare them for pro hockey. The CHL would keep top players for an extra year. 19 year olds could be assigned to the AHL if their NHL team figures that is best for their next step. The NHL would make better selections by having more mature players and an extra year of scouting.

There may have to be an option for elite 18 year olds to be selected in the first round only.

Agree that a 19 yo, or even 20 yo like the draft was originally set up as, would make drafting a far more exact science; but have a hard time seeing why the players union would agree to it.

And, any move to raise the draft age would necessarily have to have an exception to allow 18 yo's opt into the draft.

[French Collection]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

Agree that a 19 yo, or even 20 yo like the draft was originally set up as, would make drafting a far more exact science; but have a hard time seeing why the players union would agree to it.

And, any move to raise the draft age would necessarily have to have an exception to allow 18 yo's opt into the draft.

Why would the union be opposed? Entry level contracts keep the salaries lower. 
The CHL would be happy to keep guys around longer and could provide some movement on the AHL assignments.

I like seeing elite 18 year olds break into the NHL, but not many have much impact.

[Taro T]

Just now, French Collection said:

Why would the union be opposed? Entry level contracts keep the salaries lower. 
The CHL would be happy to keep guys around longer and could provide some movement on the AHL assignments.

I like seeing elite 18 year olds break into the NHL, but not many have much impact.

For 1, they'd necessarily be delaying their new members entry into the league, lowering their career earnings.  The players will not be on board w/ that.

For a 2nd, delaying entry into the league delays players reaching FA status.  Another thing the players won't be on board with.

The reason there is an 18 yo entry draft rather than a 20 yo entry draft is due to a court order ~40 years ago.  Pretty sure that if the players actually wanted a raised age of eligibility, they would have agreed to one sometime during the last 6-7 CBA renegotiations.  

[French Collection]

36 minutes ago, Taro T said:

For 1, they'd necessarily be delaying their new members entry into the league, lowering their career earnings.  The players will not be on board w/ that.

For a 2nd, delaying entry into the league delays players reaching FA status.  Another thing the players won't be on board with.

The reason there is an 18 yo entry draft rather than a 20 yo entry draft is due to a court order ~40 years ago.  Pretty sure that if the players actually wanted a raised age of eligibility, they would have agreed to one sometime during the last 6-7 CBA renegotiations.  

I kind of feel some of your arguments could go either way.

For every new member that is delayed an existing member stays in an extra year. Every member in means another out. Besides, how many 18 year olds get in? More years for vets mean better pensions. This is not your typical union but seniority is an important factor in most of them.

I am not sure about the court order but elite 18 year olds could still be drafted in the first round. The NHL would not be denying young men a job if they opt in and are elite enough to be selected.

 

Edited January 24, 2021 by French Collection

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, French Collection said:

I kind of feel some of your arguments could go either way.

For every new member that is delayed an existing member stays in an extra year. Every member in means another out. Besides, how many 18 year olds get in? More years for vets mean better pensions. This is not your typical union but seniority is an important factor in most of them.

I am not sure about the court order but elite 18 year olds could still be drafted in the first round. The NHL would not be denying young men a job if they opt in and are elite enough to be selected.

 

That's nice.  

I am.

[Curt]

30 minutes ago, Taro T said:

That's nice.  

I am.

Could you elaborate on this court order?  I’m interested.

[Taro T]

12 minutes ago, Curt said:

Could you elaborate on this court order?  I’m interested.

Ken Linseman sued the NHL when he was an 18 yo to get the draft age dropped.  While that suit was ongoing he signed w/ Birmingham of the WHA as a 19 yo which was underage for that league as well.  The league had a restraining order placed on it forcing it to allow underagers.  

So, shortly after the WHA was forced to accept 18 & 19 yo's (and on occasion even true underagers, cough, cough, Gretzky, cough) the NHL followed suit & lowered the age of eligibility from 20.

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

That's nice.  

I am.

 

31 minutes ago, Curt said:

Could you elaborate on this court order?  I’m interested.

https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/439/1315/1578130/

I want to see how the Second Circuit justified its decision in the Maurice Clarett case in light of this.

EDIT:  NM, I had forgotten about the antitrust exemption.  

Edited January 24, 2021 by Eleven