Do you believe in any NHL conspiracy theories?

[WreckingCrew]

It'd be damn near impossible to rig the draft lottery with it being televised and representatives watching the whole thing. That DOESN'T however mean they can't tamper with how many of a certain number ball are in the pot, or have some ever so slightly lighter or heavier to change the odds they'll rise to the top. I'm not saying I think they do this, but it's not totally inconceivable to influence odds in subtle ways (that is of course assuming they don't have everyone doing a quality check of every ball weight, size, shape, number, etc as they're putting them in)

 

[LaCarriere]

Arizona had a lottery pick in the Auston Matthews draft. If the NHL rigged these things, you have to believe Matthews goes to the Coyotes, as a franchise saviour.

The team/owner filed bankruptcy in 2009 and the NHL was operating the team for the next 4-5 years until they found a new ownership group in 2014. In the summer of 2015 the year before Matthews was drafted, Glendale cancelled the team's lease on the arena. Things were already much worse off in Arizona when Matthews was draft eligible (compared to the whole Crosby/Pittsburgh/Lemieux situation). And that's just what we know publicly,

Maybe the league saw more benefit in not rigging the draft for a team that seemed to be past the point of saving, and just chose to keep the draft on the level? Toronto had the best chances at 20% that year, and they were basically in full rebuild from the Kessel/Phaneuf days. Having Matthews end up in Toronto was probably a better gamble for the overal financial health of the league than gifting him to Arizona, given the state of the Coyotes basically for their entire existence.

In all honesty it would have almost been too suspicious if the Coyotes won just two years after Barroway/IceArizona took over the team from the NHL... and with just a 6.5% chance at #1OA.

 

[koivalev]

Usually this is where I post Company X over saw the lotto. Eanst and Young do it now. But I believe in 2005 it was not done to the standard that it is now.

2005 was EY as well, but again...BCCI, Lehman, Dubai gold, etc.

 

[miscs75]

Coul

Perhaps because it was 25 consecutive years of same teams, no relocations?

MLB had a run but before expansion they had a rash of relocations

There’s 32 teams in the league. There’s more to push than the original 6 when it comes to selling the game. They just don’t know how to market players for crap. They have one of the most marketable players in the league who just won The Calder this year but his team isn’t on “the list” so you know they’ll push him aside in favor of whoever Toronto drafts #1 this year.

 

[miscs75]

I believe the refs intentionally call a looser game sometimes, and they know they’re doing it.

I believe superstar players sometimes get preferential calls in-game and preferential treatment from the department of player safety.

I believe the Blackhawks covered up some serious bs to cover their own asses.

That’s about as far as I’m willing to go.

Bolded is 100% correct on a team by team basis. If they didn’t, a certain Finnish superstar would have been suspended after his first dirty play a few months back.

 

[Jumptheshark]

2005 was EY as well, but again...BCCI, Lehman, Dubai gold, etc.

I thought EY took over the next year.

 

[koivalev]

I thought EY took over the next year.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/penguins-win-nhl-lottery-1.559504

Nope, they did it in 2005

 

[slimey]

we definitely cheated for mckenna hehe

just had a feeling ;p

 

[Team_Spirit]

The hot dog industrial complex has complete control of Arena food.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

Nail Yakupov dominated in Sarnia and looked like a first overall pick level player because he's 2-3 years older than he and his family led the world to believe.

now that's an interesting one. Is there anything resembling proof of this?

 

[PistolPete]

There’s 32 teams in the league. There’s more to push than the original 6 when it comes to selling the game. They just don’t know how to market players for crap. They have one of the most marketable players in the league who just won The Calder this year but his team isn’t on “the list” so you know they’ll push him aside in favor of whoever Toronto drafts #1 this year.

History is always a good appeal though.

The NFL markets themselves a lot through a lens of history. Longevity gives a sense of legitimacy.

The issue you have is likely noy with the Original Six per se but the lack of historical references outside of that, such as the '67 Six, the '70s Six, the Merged....etc

But they certainly do lack a decent marketing department- always have.

 

[PistolPete]

Already addressed. Its harder to rig lotteries now. I don't think they're rigged anymore and haven't been for a while.

Atlanta did get a first overall pick in this era. Arizona/Phoenix's arena problems didn't surface until around 2009 IIRC.

Who says they went along with it? They all agreed to the lottery rules and then the lottery was held in a secret backroom, with the drawing procedures (aka the ping pong balls being drawn out of the machine), to the best of my knowledge, never being revealed.

So a few employees- including Bettman whose job is contingent on not making enemies of the owners- conspired to save Pittsburgh and deny 29 other owners a chance to land a generational talent?

And all these owners wouldn't get suspicious and be cool with Bettman and continue to employ him?

 

[oXo Cube]

now that's an interesting one. Is there anything resembling proof of this?

Not really. People whispering claims like this about prospects coming out of Russia was semi common at the time.

I don't really actually believe it either but it fits the thread and is a lot more fun than all the posters who are just mad that their team lost a draft lottery.

 

[PistolPete]

The hot dog industrial complex has complete control of Arena food.

View attachment 1254968

Aren't all arenas' concessions run by two companies?

 

[PistolPete]

The team/owner filed bankruptcy in 2009 and the NHL was operating the team for the next 4-5 years until they found a new ownership group in 2014. In the summer of 2015 the year before Matthews was drafted, Glendale cancelled the team's lease on the arena. Things were already much worse off in Arizona when Matthews was draft eligible (compared to the whole Crosby/Pittsburgh/Lemieux situation). And that's just what we know publicly,

Maybe the league saw more benefit in not rigging the draft for a team that seemed to be past the point of saving, and just chose to keep the draft on the level? Toronto had the best chances at 20% that year, and they were basically in full rebuild from the Kessel/Phaneuf days. Having Matthews end up in Toronto was probably a better gamble for the overal financial health of the league than gifting him to Arizona, given the state of the Coyotes basically for their entire existence.

In all honesty it would have almost been too suspicious if the Coyotes won just two years after Barroway/IceArizona took over the team from the NHL... and with just a 6.5% chance at #1OA.

Putting Matthews in Toronto doesn't benefit the league overall.

Putting any player anywhere doesn't benefit the league overall given it's 32 independently operated franchises. Toronto making more revenue doesn't put more money in the pockets of the other 31 owners.

This is where any draft lottery conspiracy theories always break down. They ignore the obvious to push a view that falls apart under the smallest of scrutiny

 

[Team_Spirit]

Aren't all arenas' concessions run by two companies?

The plot thickens

 

[PuckFegula]

Adderall use not specifically in the NHL but who knows really soared during the pandemic and lockdowns. My Dr who has more acronyms behind his name that i have ever seen said in review panels he has been part of recently that a large part of the population who did stayed quarantined suffered more instances of low self esteem, depression and over lack of willingness to work or have a social life as best they could due to COVID. There was a 300% increase in ADHD medication being prescribed to help, specifically Adderall more so than any other ADHD medication. So it wouldn't come as a shock that NHL players are on it.

Ya, I’m borderline ADD according to the one doc I saw about it- ended up using adderall to get through a few college classes, but it also made me wanna work out for 2.5 hours. Whatever I was trying to focus on, boom, that was it, I was 100% on it. Ended up quitting because addictive personality and it wasn’t really me, but I remember seeing McDavid after a game- and I just thought “ah shit, that’s me on Adderall!” Like- the hyperfocus, no time for conversation, no emotion, dig the f*** in- idk. Could just be his natural state and thus why he’s so good, could be a bit of both, I think it’s a chicken/egg thing to a degree. I’d also wonder if ADHD boys aren’t drawn to a sport like hockey, so some of ‘em might be legit medicated and just don’t question if that’s a competitive edge.

I think PEDs as a whole are utilized way more than most think and the NHL doesn’t want to find out.

Ya, I read about how concert musicians use beta blockers to get rid of shakes/nerves- when you’re competing for 1st chair in the London Symphony that’s actually a thing. So ya, I wonder if there’s all sorts of shit that blurs the line.

 

[PistolPete]

The plot thickens

View attachment 1254997

Where was the Senstors dog when I was in Nashville???

 

[PistolPete]

Ya, I’m borderline ADD according to the one doc I saw about it- ended up using adderall to get through a few college classes, but it also made me wanna work out for 2.5 hours. Whatever I was trying to focus on, boom, that was it, I was 100% on it. Ended up quitting because addictive personality and it wasn’t really me, but I remember seeing McDavid after a game- and I just thought “ah shit, that’s me on Adderall!” Like- the hyperfocus, no time for conversation, no emotion, dig the f*** in- idk. Could just be his natural state and thus why he’s so good, could be a bit of both, I think it’s a chicken/egg thing to a degree. I’d also wonder if ADHD boys aren’t drawn to a sport like hockey, so some of ‘em might be legit medicated and just don’t question if that’s a competitive edge.


Ya, I read about how concert musicians use beta blockers to get rid of shakes/nerves- when you’re competing for 1st chair in the London Symphony that’s actually a thing. So ya, I wonder if there’s all sorts of shit that blurs the line.

In a world that consumes ahit tons of caffeine via coffee and such just to get through a regular day it's not surprising prescription drugs would be utilized as well by people in pursuit of careers or larger life goals

 

[Golden_Jet]

The plot thickens

View attachment 1254997

Haha a poutine dog.

 

[LaCarriere]

Putting Matthews in Toronto doesn't benefit the league overall.

Putting any player anywhere doesn't benefit the league overall given it's 32 independently operated franchises. Toronto making more revenue doesn't put more money in the pockets of the other 31 owners.

This is where any draft lottery conspiracy theories always break down. They ignore the obvious to push a view that falls apart under the smallest of scrutiny

Which is why I said maybe the Matthews draft was as organic as they come. I don't think Matthews in Arizona would have saved that franchise the way Crosby did Pittsburgh.

The Leafs had the best odds in 2016 of any team at 20% and won (even though that meant they had an 80% chance of not winning), but there's really not anything crazy about how that draft turned out.

This years draft seems pretty crazy given the Leafs massive decline from 1st to 8th in the Atlantic and losing one of the leagues top wingers in a sign/trade (and it just so happens that a winger is projected to go #1OA). They just barely kept their pick by falling into the bottom 5 -- It's like a perfectly written story book that worked out a little too well.

 

[Unspecified]

Ya, I’m borderline ADD according to the one doc I saw about it- ended up using adderall to get through a few college classes, but it also made me wanna work out for 2.5 hours. Whatever I was trying to focus on, boom, that was it, I was 100% on it. Ended up quitting because addictive personality and it wasn’t really me, but I remember seeing McDavid after a game- and I just thought “ah shit, that’s me on Adderall!” Like- the hyperfocus, no time for conversation, no emotion, dig the f*** in- idk. Could just be his natural state and thus why he’s so good, could be a bit of both, I think it’s a chicken/egg thing to a degree. I’d also wonder if ADHD boys aren’t drawn to a sport like hockey, so some of ‘em might be legit medicated and just don’t question if that’s a competitive edge.


Ya, I read about how concert musicians use beta blockers to get rid of shakes/nerves- when you’re competing for 1st chair in the London Symphony that’s actually a thing. So ya, I wonder if there’s all sorts of shit that blurs the line.

I have been ADHD all my life and was tossed on Ritalin when i was a kid but played hockey for 30 years until i had to quit due to knee issues and 3 shoulder surgeries all from hockey. I played on travel teams in Saskatoon, parts of Ontario and Los Angeles (where i grew up). Hockey i think is really good for people with ADHD, it instills a sense of focus on the multi-dimensional aspects of the game. Plus it being fast paced unlike the other major sports it holds their attention more.

 

[Buckley]

Sure, leagies hate relocation but your claiming they'll rig a lottery to do it. Why would the 29 other owners go along with it? Would they rather see a relocation or potentially land a generational talent for themselves? And 29 men who got rich for always looking out for Number 1?

The NHL, like every other professional sports league, is a cartel. It is not 32 independent votes. Like most organizations, 4 or 5 owners will generally control and dictate an outcome. Anyone remember how powerful Jeremy Jacobs was within the ownership ranks?

 

[Buckley]

Which is why I said maybe the Matthews draft was as organic as they come. I don't think Matthews in Arizona would have saved that franchise the way Crosby did Pittsburgh.

The Leafs had the best odds in 2016 of any team at 20% and won (even though that meant they had an 80% chance of not winning), but there's really not anything crazy about how that draft turned out.

This years draft seems pretty crazy given the Leafs massive decline from 1st to 8th in the Atlantic and losing one of the leagues top wingers in a sign/trade (and it just so happens that a winger is projected to go #1OA). They just barely kept their pick by falling into the bottom 5 -- It's like a perfectly written story book that worked out a little too well.

Curiously, at a time when MLSE is negotiating the largest US private equity investment in the NHL's most valuable team.

 

[Zarzh]

The league does not want a new dynasty. So whichever team gets a generational talent is encouraged to hire an "idiot" or make dumb moves in order to maintain the competitive balance.