2:45pm: Those issues were quickly resolved. Friedman reports that most of the changes will not take place until the 2022 draft and previous lottery victories will not be included. The 2021 lottery will indeed go down to two picks instead of three, should the changes be approved.
2:05pm: The NHL appears to be changing the draft lottery once again. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that in a memo circulated to clubs today, the league has proposed several changes. Teams would now be limited to no more than two lottery wins in a five-year period, would only be allowed to jump ten spots with a win, and only two picks (instead of three) will be determined with a lottery win. The changes are still subject to approval from the league’s board of governors.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet adds that news of these changes coming out is another sign that the draft will not be pushed back, though the official announcement has not been made on that. There was ample support from teams for the event to be moved so that there is more time to scout the 2021 draft class, but it would be very complicated to do so and needed to be bargained with the NHLPA.
The lottery changes—which certainly will make things more complicated if instituted—seem designed to prevent teams that barely miss the playoffs from winning the top spot, while also punishing a team that tears it all down to stay at the bottom of the league for several years. That five-year period will be a very important thing to remember for clubs in a rebuild and could block them from even having a chance at some of the best incoming players.
Discussion over the lottery goes back a while, but in October it was reported that the Detroit Red Wings were leading the charge on changes. Detroit themselves are in a rebuild phase and dead last in the league in 2019-20, but failed to receive a top-three pick when the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Ottawa Senators won the lottery spots. That would mean if these rules are immediately put into action (and retroactively considered), the Red Wings would still be eligible for picks. The New Jersey Devils, however, who are near the bottom of the standings once again, would not be eligible to win a lottery pick if their previous wins were taken into account. The Devils won the first overall pick in both 2017 (Nico Hischier) and 2019 (Jack Hughes), so they may be ineligible this time around.
There are no specifics released yet on whether the new rules would use previous outcomes or if they would start new in 2021, but it’s clear that changes of some sort will come in the future.
Or perhaps instead of a lottery, they could all play a game of snakes and ladders, with handicaps for some teams to roll with different dice. It would take longer but the league might need the extra entertainment.
So when the Rangers get the #1draft pick are all the GM and owners going to cry
Most likely… lol
No, just the player they pick
Dope NHL! No more than two top-spot wins in a five year period? Fine. None of this BS jumping more than one spot, though. Quit getting your shorts in a knot about the tankers. The 14th-best team NEVER deserves the top pick. Neither does the tenth, etc.
No more than two lottery wins in 5 years is OK, but they should add no consecutive lotto wins. No more than 3 straight years in the top 5.
Other than that, the old system was fine.
If a boring, tanking dumpster fire like the Wings drop in the draft, so be it. The league should not incentivize tanking in any form, it hurts the league.
But, since the Wings whined, Gary had to hop to…evidently.
Oh please…. if your Pens didn’t land McFlurry Malkin and Crosby you would be whining too so get off your high horse Redmond.
Your better than this.
Pot meet kettle. Josh is a brain dead troll don’t mind him
“brain dead” okay dude whatever you say
Did you whine when we got them and won all of those Cups?
I seem to recall a LOT of whining about how Gary Bettman rigged a dynasty for team in one of the league’s smaller markets that he likely had never been to in his life before becoming NHL commish.
What can’t be denied is that we absolutely tanked to get Mario and then the MAF/Geno/Sid/Staal run.
If you want to enable us to do it again, OK…
I think the league should maintain competitive balance and parity, even if it’s bad for the Pens.
Hmmm…I see the problem…I’ll assume that I accidentally deleted it before posting as I can’t see why the mods would delete it…
The top of my post began by noting that I’m a fan of the team that both invented and perfected tanking, so if you want to let us do it again, so be it.
I’m not being a hypocrite or denying that the Pens tanked. On the contrary, I’m saying that the system shouldn’t allow that. Hawks did the same. Tampa, too, even if it took a decade.
If people disagree with my “the NHL shouldn’t let the Pens tank to build another dynasty” stance and want to say that “the NHL should let the Pens tank to build another dynasty”, I guess that is their right and I can live with the results should they prevail in the debate.
@forwhomjoshbelltolled – You didn’t accidentally delete it – I read it that way, too, the first go-round. The refresh shows a new (edited?) version. Maybe do screencaps for tracking this…
I did post that on the other thread. I thought I did here, too, but…not sure, maybe I didn’t…
@forwhomjoshbelltolled – Mean Ol’ Mr. PrintScreen can be your friend and sanity-saver! ;)
Why always reward shit teams every team should rotate through the lottery. Why punish the best incoming players
Get rid of the lottery in total and have it descend from teams with most wins after being eliminated from playoff contention.
i agree i made that comment in the poll on the lotto. tanking is bad for any sport as a fan how can i get invested into my team if i know there gonna be unwatchable and tickets prices stay the same. i’m firm believer of if you want my hard earned cash then put out a good product.
Wings should be awarded the top pick every year until they make the playoffs. No cheese with this whine.