NHL Draft - Has "tampering" even been penalized?

[JIMVINNY]

Has a team ever been penalized for tampering with a potential draft pick? It occurs to me that a high profile pick could be coached by a team how to handle draft interview questions to try to ensure that he drops to them. So I have 2 questions;

1. Is there any evidence that this has occurred?

2. Would it be actionable by the NHL?

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[SEALBound]

The team makes the pick. If they want the player, they have every right to draft the player.

Jagr told 4 teams he wasn't coming over. Told Pittsburgh he'd be over tomorrow because he wanted to play with Mario. Any one of the first 4 teams could have picked him. That was their choice ultimately.

 

[jaywills1020]

The team makes the pick. If they want the player, they have every right to draft the player.

Jagr told 4 teams he wasn't coming over. Told Pittsburgh he'd be over tomorrow because he wanted to play with Mario. Any one of the first 4 teams could have picked him. That was their choice ultimately.

That’s not tampering though. He’s asking if a team 1 has coached a kid in what to do in an interview so teams will pass on him and hope he falls team 1.

 

[JIMVINNY]

That’s not tampering though. He’s asking if a team 1 has coached a kid in what to do in an interview so teams will pass on him and hope he falls team 1.

Precisely. Has a player tried to control their landing spot? The answer is obviously yes. Lindros is a good example of a player who was initially unsuccessful, but he certainly tried. I'm talking about a team actually working with a player to try to achieve a more favorable result for the team.

 

[Rec T]

I'm talking about a team actually working with a player to try to achieve a more favorable result for the team.

I strongly doubt it. If the kid is 'that' good, somebody will probably grab him before Team 1. A couple of interviews won't out balance highlight reels, prior interviews, etc. Maybe drop a spot or three (depending on the quality of the draft too), but if Team 1 had say the 8th pick & he was projected prior to the draft to be #3-4...probably not.

Then too you are expecting a LOT of people to keep their mouths absolutely shut for years. Probably at least a dozen for Team 1 (execs, scouting dept, coaches, interviewers, lawyers (most likely), secretaries doing all the paperwork, etc. Then the player, his agent, probably his parents (wondering why he wants to go later in the draft...), girlfriend, etc.

One person tipsy in a bar trying to impress someone with how important they are. Girlfriend getting dumped for someone hotter. Secretary pissed they didn't get an expected raise. Etc. You're relying on people with grudges or being stupid not to do or say anything...forever.

The cost:benefit ratio just isn't there for that level of tampering. Especially when it's unknown if he'll even work out & the others around him in the projected draft order probably aren't 'that' different than him all things considered.

Much safer to just try to trade up in the order to get him if you want him that badly.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Has a team ever been penalized for tampering with a potential draft pick? It occurs to me that a high profile pick could be coached by a team how to handle draft interview questions to try to ensure that he drops to them. So I have 2 questions;

1. Is there any evidence that this has occurred?

2. Would it be actionable by the NHL?

The St. Louis Blues found out that the NHL takes no-tampering rules seriously. The team will pay dearly for tampering with the New Jersey Devils' Scott Stevens in 1994. The NHL fined the Blues record $1.5 million for negotiating with Stevens while he was still property of the Devils back in 1994.