NHL Draft Format | General managers appreciate the interaction

(Las Vegas) Brad Treliving loves everything about the NHL Draft.

Conversations. Friendship. Find old colleagues. Meet new ones. Seeing teenagers live out one of their dreams in the spotlight.

The general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs nevertheless voted in favor of a radical change in the annual event compared to its current form.

The only major sport in North America to bring all of its teams — including management and scouting staff — under one roof to select the next generation of players is considering decentralizing the annual event.

Much like the NFL and NBA, most club executives would be remote to communicate with a handful of people on site. One of the benefits would be simplified logistics, while reducing travel and overall costs.

But it would mean the end of the tables, where heads are gathered, with the draft clock ticking down while fans watch impatiently from the stands.

The NHL surveyed teams this season to gauge their interest in changing the format. Although the results have not been made public, things could be very different in the future.

The current setup, which began taking shape in 1984, allows general managers to walk a few tables over to speak with one of their counterparts, meet face-to-face with an agent in a restaurant, and have a final take a close look at the prospects before making decisions that sometimes change their team.

“It’s the interaction,” Treliving said. Interacting with people from the hockey world. »

Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon added that it was an opportunity for the sports’ top minds to come together in one place.

“For the players, it’s really good,” he said. All of these players have a picture in their head of what draft day looks like. »

McCrimmon added that much of daily life is now technology-based and it’s refreshing to shake hands and chat unexpectedly.

This year, the seven-round marathon did not take place in an arena, but rather in La Sphere, a breathtaking auditorium worth US$2.3 billion, with its gigantic and fascinating screen surrounding the building.

“It was an exceptional draft,” said Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan, who added that he also voted in favor of decentralization. “Just the visuals, the reaction of people, the way some of the picks were presented. I thought it was more entertaining than any other draft we’ve ever been to or seen.”

But sport — and the world — has changed. Teams have many more scouts and staff than in the past. It’s expensive and time consuming to get everyone together in one place.

The pandemic, meanwhile, has forced the company to find other ways to communicate. Video conferencing is now a common business practice. The 2020 and 2021 drafts were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It wasn’t as glamorous, but teams adapted and made it work.

The NHL also has a narrow window at the end of its schedule. The season now begins in mid-October, and teams get bye weeks during the 82-game campaign. This year’s Stanley Cup Final ended June 24. The draft was held Friday and Saturday. The free-agent market opens Monday.

“There’s no downtime,” Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. “It’s really busy for us.”

Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy, however, mentioned that something would be lost if the draft format changed.

“It’s like the NHL,” said Conroy, who voted for decentralization. “You’re going to lose that in-person feeling of getting up there and drafting these kids. It’s going to be different.”

Treliving and his management team are staying in Las Vegas for the start of the free agent market rather than returning to Toronto due to that narrow window. MacLellan and the Capitals do the same.

“That’s the way the schedule is,” Treliving suggested. “But the draft is special when you have everyone on the floor. If this is indeed the last one like that, I’m going to miss it.”