Is nepotism a thing in the NHL?

[Gubbhornet]

Does relations/connections play any role when it comes to the NHL draft/trades?

I only have 1 good and 1 semi good examples of occasions when this could be suspected. But maybe you guys know more cases, or you don't.

My good example would be the Yotes using a 1st to pick Henrik Samuelsson in 2014. It was very clears that Henrik was not much of a skater if you saw him the year before the draft. The yotes management knew his dad Ulf since he was their assistant coach just a few seasons earlier.

The second example, and less good one, was when the Kings aquired Lias Andersson from the Rangers for a 2nd. Lias dad Niclas is a scout for the Kings. Lias did acted quite unproffessional in the Rangers, so one could question the return.

...then also Philip Samuelsson was drafted by the Pens in the 2nd where Ulf probably also have connections, but Philip had an ok hockey career so he cannot be considered as big of a bust as his brother.

EDIT: Was mainly thinking about players, not retired players in management etc.

 

[Mathew Barzal]

Of course it is. Have you not seen all the idiots in management positions? One of the biggest fallacies in sports is the idea that former players make the best candidates to run teams in any capacity.

 

[McNurse]

The Edmonton Oilers

 

[txpd]

Do connections play any role? Of course. Having a relationship, an in, often can help. It doesnt have to be nepotism. In any competitive career direction you might choose just getting a chance to show what you can do is key.

 

[Gubbhornet]

Of course it is. Have you not seen all the idiots in management positions? One of the biggest fallacies in sports is the idea that former players make the best candidates to run teams in any capacity.

In management yes. But I was mostly thinking about players. Will clearify.

 

[Oleksiak]

Anthony Brodeur was drafted by the Devils in the 7th round.

 

[LOFIN]

Absolutely they do. Somehow former NHLers have easier job in landing jobs at coaching or FO than those who have not played in the NHL. That's the way it goes.

And as for players, sure it happens with the draft. Taylor Makar drafted in the last round by the Avs as a 20 year old skater? Pretty sure it was because of Cale Makar.

 

[Cornwallace]

The NHL literally let Colin Campbell preside over a stanley cup finals that his kid was playing in.

That same NHL deemed the guy who was incharge of enforcing goalie gear rules as potentially being biased because he played for the Canucks at one point and removed him from the same series lol...

 

[DRW204]

josh doan this year. not sure how he ranked vs pick #37, but IIRC it was a big reach.

Anthony Brodeur was drafted by the Devils in the 7th round.

 

[MXD]

Probably a ton of examples amongst staff. Issue with players is that many of these calls will be of the hindsight 20/20 kindof thing. H. Samuelsson is a good one though, as he was ranked 75th amongst NA skaters and went in the first round...But he did have an absolutely montruous Memoral Cup run in his draft year, and big RHS Centers with a gritty game tend to be picked early due to being considered safe prospects (and because they're something of a rarity)

 

[MXD]

Anthony Brodeur was drafted by the Devils in the 7th round.

The issue with this is -- there are worse 7th rounders picked every year.

 

[Mathew Barzal]

In management yes. But I was mostly thinking about players. Will clearify.

Definitely, even in smaller capacities players who are vouched for within the organization itself are likely held in higher regard than they should. Loui Eriksson and OEL supposedly were vouched for by the Sedin's. The Canucks have drafted a couple of former player's relatives over the years as well such as Cole Cassels.

 

[njdevils1982]

ask lamoriello

 

[Cornwallace]

Definitely, even in smaller capacities players who are vouched for within the organization itself are likely held in higher regard than they should. Loui Eriksson and OEL supposedly were vouched for by the Sedin's. The Canucks have drafted a couple of former player's relatives over the years as well such as Cole Cassels.

The Canucks would have been elite if Fedor Fedorov and Sean Pronger panned out

 

[Drake1588]

Yes. Sure, there are some examples of individuals with terrible track records. Yet these are relatively few. The bigger issue, I think, is the number of folks who are good at their jobs who get a leg up.

Many legacies are solid people that end up in positions of influence across the hockey world, but they get their opportunities exceptionally early, despite long lines of individuals who may have accumulated more experience. They just don't know the right people, or have the right relations. The fact that you have so many people who fetishize bloodlines in hockey just makes it worse.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Didn't Benning hire his son as a scout in Vancouver?

I think as much as nepotism, it's more of "the Old Boys Club", where relationships are required to advance and those outside of the club have a very difficult time establishing those relationships.

 

[chauron]

Yes, especially in coaching

 

[Empoleon8771]

There are so many examples of this from without even thinking about it. Just two from my team:

1. Austin Lemieux constantly got invited to the Penguins rookie camps despite being a NAHL caliber player. He certainly wasn't bad, but he was getting invites at age 23 solely because he was Mario's son.
2. The Penguins hired Ron Hextall as their GM because Lemieux and Hextall became buddies on Team Canada back in the 1990s. I believe they wanted to hire Bergevin as well, who's another buddy of Lemieux's.

 

[Foppberg]

We just drafted Cale's brother in the 7th round.

 

[Bizz]

Yes and who cares.

 

[Gubbhornet]

Yes and who cares.

I would be furious as a Yotes fan if my team used a 1st to draft a player that now is playing in the 2nd Slovakian leauge just because he was the son of a former manager.

 

[ThankGord]

Absolutely, some Wings fans are a bit annoyed at Draper drafting his son in the 7th round. But I do think having a former NHL player in your family would increase your chances of developing well as a hockey player.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

I think some of these picks are fan-appeasing as well. Our fanbase was cheering for the idea of the Lightning selecting Ryan St. Louis in the 7th round this year. It's a waste of a pick to get one day of PR coverage, so I'm glad management decided to instead take who they felt was the best player available.

 

[Flukeshot]

Bobby Clarke acquired (for FC) his son in law Peter White basically to keep his Pro career going... White later divorced Clarke's daughter.

 

[Primary Assist]

Troy Bodie always had a job with the Leafs when his father in law was an executive with the team