Speculation: 2020-21 News/Rumors/Roster Thread Part II

[SettlementRichie10]

It's going to be super interesting to watch how the pandemic affects the long term development of players in the 2019-2020 draft classes.

Due to the lockout, the 2003 draft famously gained an extra full year of development, which many cite as the reason so many amazing players emerged from that class. Wonder if the same happens with the 2019 or 2020 classes.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[BigKing]

It's going to be super interesting to watch how the pandemic affects the long term development of players in the 2019-2020 draft classes.

Due to the lockout, the 2003 draft famously gained an extra full year of development, which many cite as the reason so many amazing players emerged from that class. Wonder if the same happens with the 2019 or 2020 classes.

Because they got to play in a suped-up AHL.

I'm actually concerned that we are going to be f***ed by all of this as they will actually lose developmental time. Already have lost time with last season's cancellations and shortened schedules--at best--for the upcoming season.

If you can't have people in the stands, does the AHL even play? Can they afford to?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[Lt Dan]

The lottery is a joke in it's current form.

My non hockey friends seriously didn't believe me that a playoff team jumped to 1st overall

 

[SFKingshomer]

And no contact? That's what I've read. If that's the case then they should let players play elsewhere or it will stunt their development.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Here’s a follow up on the draft lottery talks.

 

[Lt Dan]

Here’s a follow up on the draft lottery talks.

Expect suggestions from everyone except the Rangers

 

[Token]

“We explained how we got to what we have and why.''

I’d like to hear that!

Is it: let’s get the lousy teams better and more competitive?

or

Is it: Let’s spread the talent in a random way?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It's going to be super interesting to watch how the pandemic affects the long term development of players in the 2019-2020 draft classes.

Due to the lockout, the 2003 draft famously gained an extra full year of development, which many cite as the reason so many amazing players emerged from that class. Wonder if the same happens with the 2019 or 2020 classes.

As mentioned above they all got into the supercharged AHL. But I do think even an extra 6 mo of growth goes a long way, look how good Kakko looked after the hiatus, for example.

I would imagine if they thought there would be no season at all instead of a shortened one more guys would go to Europe.

But I don't think there will be significant development changes as a result, guys are still skating/working out, just not playing games (which is obv. important).

Here’s a follow up on the draft lottery talks.

That comes off really douchey. "well there was our idea, you have anything better?" Like yeah Daly how about not giving a f***ing playoff team a chance at 1OA, dumbass. You just got embarrassed on national tv.

 

[All The Kings Men]

Abolish the draft.

 

[bland]

No playoff team had a chance at the lottery, for ****'s sake.

They came up with a play-in round for bubble teams specifically so that teams not good enough to make these truncated years' playoffs would have a similar outside chance in the lottery as those bubble teams who would have missed out if the season went the full 82. Just so happened that a bubble team NOT IN THE PLAYOFFS won the freaking lottery.

 

[DoktorJeep]

2020 was the year the NHL draft lottery went big in terms of tv audience in the US. It’s a revenue generating spectacle first and foremost now. I don’t think the league has any incentive to change rules in favor of the winner being easily predictable. Nor will they ever abolish the draft. Imagine the CHL teams giving up their drafts. Never happen. Wouldn’t surprise me to learn if overseas kids are drafted at 15 too into some league.

My guess is they will introduce some rule where a team can’t pick top 3-5 some number of years in a row.

 

[All The Kings Men]

Nor will they ever abolish the draft.

Sure... but they should.

 

[Reaper45]

Abolish the draft.

Curious to hear your take on why exactly.

 

[All The Kings Men]

Curious to hear your take on why exactly.

There's a number of reasons... but to keep it brief...

The reason nobody create the perfect mouse trap is because the entire premise is flawed to begin with.

I don't think it's fair to the players. I don't think it creates the best product for the fans. I don't think it ensures parity or a spread of talent across the teams which are the only reasons I can think of to use a draft.

 

[King'sPawn]

Abolish the draft.

The players have the choice not to opt into the draft, you know. They can sign as free agents when they are too old to the draft. Sounds like a type of free agency.

Do you have any players, either current or retired, who say they hate it, it's bad, or that it should be abolished?

Why are you so much against the draft but so excited to provide coverage for the draft, Quinton Byfield, and other prospects, even though their rights were wrongfully acquired in your view?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

No playoff team had a chance at the lottery, for ****'s sake.

They came up with a play-in round for bubble teams specifically so that teams not good enough to make these truncated years' playoffs would have a similar outside chance in the lottery as those bubble teams who would have missed out if the season went the full 82. Just so happened that a bubble team NOT IN THE PLAYOFFS won the freaking lottery.

Literally semantics. Glad to see you've joined the NHL PR dept!

I'll rephrase...let's call it a playON team! A team that had a chance to playON for the Stanley Cup ALSO had a chance to win 1oa and did. Wow, that feels so much better, thanks for the correction.

Look I know it's not a normal year but if you and Daly can't see a fatal flaw there I've got nothing more to say on it.

 

[King'sPawn]

No playoff team had a chance at the lottery, for ****'s sake.

They came up with a play-in round for bubble teams specifically so that teams not good enough to make these truncated years' playoffs would have a similar outside chance in the lottery as those bubble teams who would have missed out if the season went the full 82. Just so happened that a bubble team NOT IN THE PLAYOFFS won the freaking lottery.

The points scored during the "play-in" rounds counted as playoff points. They set playoff records.

They were playoff games.

 

[DoktorJeep]

It’s not a coincidence that all major sports leagues have a draft. It’s not just hockey. The draft was a feature of a monopoly system. Just like the salary cap. If nhl franchises were as numerous as Starbucks, there might not be a draft.

 

[All The Kings Men]

The players have the choice not to opt into the draft, you know. They can sign as free agents when they are too old to the draft. Sounds like a type of free agency.

Do you have any players, either current or retired, who say they hate it, it's bad, or that it should be abolished?

Why are you so much against the draft but so excited to provide coverage for the draft, Quinton Byfield, and other prospects, even though their rights were wrongfully acquired in your view?

I don't like paying taxes and I have a number of thoughts about the way taxes are levied and collected.

I am very excited to pay my accountant to do my taxes every year.

Also... it's my job man.

The Kings are an NHL team and NHL teams participate in the draft. That is the current method of acquiring talented young players entering the league. I want the Kings to win, therefore I want them to draft well.

Telling an 18 year old that if he doesn't want to enter the draft he's free to opt out and wait, jeopardizing his ability to pursue his career doesn't really address my opinion of the system being unfair to players.

As for current players who may not like the institution of the draft... I haven't asked him specifically but I imagine Lias Andersson might have some thoughts about how his career played out as a result of the draft.

I've spoken to former players who lamented the fact that they didn't live up to the expectations people placed on them based on their draft spot. It's not really the kind of conversation people have. It's also not really germane in my opinion. Players that have had success will likely not critique the system and we tell ourselves that players that aren't successful are to blame for their own failure. I just don't think that's always the only reason.



EDIT : Also I told myself I was going to keep my thoughts brief and I have plenty of platforms to spew my unpopular nonsense so I'll just apologize for taking over a page of this thread and say toodles for now.

 

[cyclones22]

The points scored during the "play-in" rounds counted as playoff points. They set playoff records.

They were playoff games.

Not only that, those players for the teams who got to play their way in or out, especially the young players got the benefit of training with their teams and playing meaningful games which helps in advancing their development. The teams that didn't make the bubble? Too bad, zero benefits. Not to mention the fans of those teams who get to see nothing from their franchises until the 2021.

 

[Reaper45]

There's a number of reasons... but to keep it brief...

The reason nobody create the perfect mouse trap is because the entire premise is flawed to begin with.

I don't think it's fair to the players. I don't think it creates the best product for the fans. I don't think it ensures parity or a spread of talent across the teams which are the only reasons I can think of to use a draft.

I can understand that. But then I think of a league without the draft and I think of the league where everyone signs with the Canadiens, Rangers, Leafs and Bruins. I don’t think that ensures parity either.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

Why don't they just make the draft like a tiered raffle? Make sure the bottom 6 teams have and equal chance at every pick 1-6. Do the same with the next 7 teams with an equal chance to get 7-13. Then take all of playoff teams with an equal chance to win the remaining first round slots. It allows bottom tier teams to get the best prospects with no incentive to completely tank. I'd also like to see the lottery done with the GM's playing a live round of bingo for each pick in their corresponding groups. That way it's more equitable while maintaining the circus atmosphere!

 

[tbrown33]

I can understand that. But then I think of a league without the draft and I think of the league where everyone signs with the Canadiens, Rangers, Leafs and Bruins. I don’t think that ensures parity either.

If there were to be no draft, the league could find a way to set rules and contract caps for signing 18 year olds - you could even have specific rules for signing international talent like baseball does. But there are tons of ways to regulate that.

Also, all the talent would not just go to those teams, even if they might have better sales pitches/overall popularity. It would only go so far - the kids and their agents would see which organizations had greater needs and make the best choices for their careers. If the agents and players inherently have their own best interest at heart, they won't just go to those big market clubs in droves. Some will, but a player's not gonna f*** himself by putting himself in a position where he would be the 8th best prospect, vs being the best prospect on a team that needs the youth. So in a way, and in theory, it would be more likely to ensure parity than the draft itself, which many times forces a square peg into a round hole. Or allows a team like the Kings to just load up on centers lol. Can't say I'm complaining about how it's benefitted us recently.

But undoubtedly the draft has sunk some careers by putting players in situations that weren't to their benefit. It would be a radical move but I could see it working out if done correctly.