Los Angeles to host 2025 NHL Draft
- Thread starter MMC
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Golden_Jet
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Bouboumaster
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Hopefully they won't charge the Province of Québec 7M$ again, our dumbass Prime Minister could also pay that fee
Grinner
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tny760
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hopefully they at least have the teams gather at local production facilities so the quality doesn't suck, i'm sick and tired of hearing people talk into their logitech webcam mics at 240p. would really cheapen the event for the players imo
Gaylord Q Tinkledink
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Jumptheshark
Rebooting myself
Only the top 15 prospects in attendance not GMS and only maybe a PR and AGM in the place. All teams will be in their war rooms in the home arenas
Matty Sundin
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ItWasJustified
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What's the point in having the prospects and their families there if nobody who've been involved in picking the players are there? Are the players only going to shake Gary Bettman's hand instead of the GMs?
hotcabbagesoup
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I think it was overdone. I would like a hybrid between what it has been, and what it's changing to. Teams don't need a table with 500 guys. A banquet table with a max of 3 people for each team is enough (GM, an AGM and head scout)
Terry Yake
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ItWasJustified
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Those leagues suck.
It's a theater across the street from the Kings arena. Probably cheaper to rent for the weekend and I'm sure Crypto aka Staples Center would rather host a concert on a summer Friday+Saturday as well.
I'm sure the top players will still enjoy the camera time. Easy to forget that these guys are teenagers, so the spotlight of being on national TV (with your new jersey) is still alluring. I remember Scott Gomez telling a story about calling his friends to ask how he looked after being drafted with the final pick of the first round only to be told that the TV feed had already switched to a different event. I'll be curious if more of the 2nd day guys opt to stay home though.
I was under the impression that teams would still send a representative to make the pick (and greet the player). Instead of the GM (or somebody involved in the draft process), it would be a notable alumnus, current player, or celebrity fan. We got a taste of that this past draft with Joe Thornton, Connor Bedard, Celine Dion, Michael Buffer, and Anders Lee doing the announcement for their respective teams. Mix in other guys like Scott Niedermayer, Rick Nash, and Martin Brodeur who work for their teams. Last time the draft was in LA, the Islanders let actor Kevin Connolly announce the Brock Nelson pick.
As others pointed out, the NBA/NFL do their drafts this way as well. While I did enjoy the NHL teams physically being there, functionally it won't be that much of a different experience for the prospect. I think most of them would remember their requisite photoshoot and celebratory meal with their family than quickly meeting the hockey ops from the club that just drafted them. Most of the prospects will be in camp just a few days later to meet with their new team anyways.
While I did enjoy the optics of the teams physically being there, I totally get why teams pushed to decentralize so they didn't have to pay for flights/hotels.
Golden_Jet
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The Sphere was fantastic but from the sounds of it that venue is hemorrhaging money. The rough thing was that Day 2 started at 8:30am local time this year and I had to drag myself out of bed at 6am. In other years it was typically 10am. As soon as the draft was over, the ushers were imploring us to leave because they had to clean before an afternoon showing of their Planet Earth-esque movie.
I remember in 2018 that there was a delay in announcing the location because nobody was volunteering. As I understood it, hosting the draft was typically caused the host to lose money in terms of renting the arena and paying staff. Up until 2016 it had been free to attend but now the prices have been going steadily up. I'd imagine most arenas would rather host a concert or some more profitable event on a summer Friday/Saturday. Part of the reason the 2023 Draft took place on Wednesday/Thursday was because Nashville's arena already had a weekend concert booked.
Might be an unpopular observation on a prospect message board, but the NHL Draft is a bit of niche audience even among hockey fans. Casual fan wouldn't notice/care if the hockey ops people aren't there. They might even find it more interesting if they see the prospect in a photo with a celebrity fan than the GM who might not even be around when the prospect cracks the NHL.
Voight
#winning
I absolutely hate that the changed the set up of the draft. Should've kept it as its, and maybe dont hold it a handful of days after the finals ends.
I don't disagree with you, but it was a change requested by the teams and not something that say Bettman unilaterally decided to do.
Teams had a taste of being remote for the two pandemic drafts and realized it was easier for them to stay home and phone in the picks. Some GMs thought it was too chaotic on the draft floor to have trade talks. Brian Burke tells some stories about how he truly believes that he got the Pronger/Sedin (1993/1999 draft) trades done because he was there in person, but hearing the other side of the story makes me think Burke overdramatizes it.
I was naive and figured teams had their own charter flights, but I happened to be on same Southwest flight with the Penguins in 2015 departing Florida. In 2019 I thought I made pretty good time leaving the draft and getting to the airport. I ended up being in a security line with Colorado's crew, LA/Arizona were already at adjacent gates by the time I got to mine. In 2019 the draft was a week+ before free agency, but several teams were still in a rush to get home.
The other problem is the proximity to free agency on July 1st. Unfortunately the season keeps dragging because of the TV scheduling so the draft gets pushed to the last week of June. Sounded like a few teams just stayed in Vegas after the last draft and left after the free agent dust settled on July 1. Now they don't have to fly somewhere and pay for flights/hotels for 15+ staffers and rush to get home.
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