GM Meetings 2016

[Disgruntled70sHab]

NHL opts against making changes to draft lottery
The Canadian Press

Toronto Maple Leafs entering action Wednesday and stand a fair chance of landing the first overall pick for the fifth time in seven years.

But evidently there's no appetite amongst the league's GMs to tweak the rules regarding the draft lottery.

"There was no sentiment to make a change right now," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said following the third and final day of the GM's meetings.

The NHL shifted the lottery system two years ago, implementing changes that lowered the odds of lottery success for the league's worst teams. The process this year will see three lotteries performed for the top three picks.

"There's no incentive to lose now," said Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray. "They're used to be.

"Now the odds are not necessarily in your favour. You get (a) 20 per cent chance. The Toronto Maple Leafs, if they happen to be the (last-place) team, they have 20 per cent chance only. I think anybody that questions it now is wrong."

Some general managers, including St. Louis's Doug Armstrong, expressed interest in devising a rule that prevented teams not last in the standings from winning the draft lottery multiple times in a short period.

"The theory is that if you finish last you always have a chance to win the lottery," Armstrong told PostMedia. "But if you didn't finish last and win the lottery, you can't do it again for another five years."

The rest of the story ...

Cheers.

[franko]

minor edit:

The Edmonton Oilers are just two points ahead of the last-place Toronto Maple Leafs entering action Wednesday and stand a fair chance of landing the first overall pick for the fifth time in seven years.

[blny]

Perhaps the biggest news coming out of the meetings is continued changes to goalie equipment. I don't just want to see smaller pads and gloves. My hope is that they get rid of the bulk in the chest/arm protector as well.

In the end, hopefully more seeing eye shots get through the goalies. This will force defenders to stop collapsing on their goalies and move out to pressure shooters. More man to man defense means more mistakes and missed coverages.

[NWTHabsFan]

I know a lot of the media attention out of these meetings was focused on the potential expansion draft rules. It should be really interesting to see how GMs handle their rosters, contracts, etc next season once the rules get firmed up. I know there is still uncertainty around whether or not guys with NTC or NMC will be exempt from the draft.

Bettman clearly wants the expansion team(s) to get access to some decent players, rather than just cast offs and fourth liners. Teams can only protect 7F, 3D, 1G or 8 skaters and 1G. The unprotected players have to total at least 25% of the team's salary. Players in their first two years of contract are exempt. If there is one expansion team, an existing team can lose a maximum of one player. Two expansion teams, two players.

The fun has began on hockey boards creating lists of who teams will protect. Since expansion could happen at the earliest by 2017-18, this means this draft would occur in the summer of 2017 at the earliest. That would give GMs a full season to determine what moves may be necessary to,protect players or get some return for players that they stand a chance of losing. There could be a rush of signing entry level deals, to protect promising unsigned guys. Also, certain bad contracts could be thrown out unprotected in the hopes that they can come off the books for free! Fun times ahead.

[jkr]

Mar 17, 2016 10:56:36 GMT -5 blny said:

Perhaps the biggest news coming out of the meetings is continued changes to goalie equipment. I don't just want to see smaller pads and gloves. My hope is that they get rid of the bulk in the chest/arm protector as well.

In the end, hopefully more seeing eye shots get through the goalies. This will force defenders to stop collapsing on their goalies and move out to pressure shooters. More man to man defense means more mistakes and missed coverages.

Have you seen this video? I thought it was an excellent start.

www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/hirsch-explains-how-to-fix-the-problem-with-goalie-equipment-2/

[blny]

Mar 24, 2016 7:39:50 GMT -5 jkr said:

Mar 17, 2016 10:56:36 GMT -5 blny said:

Perhaps the biggest news coming out of the meetings is continued changes to goalie equipment. I don't just want to see smaller pads and gloves. My hope is that they get rid of the bulk in the chest/arm protector as well.

In the end, hopefully more seeing eye shots get through the goalies. This will force defenders to stop collapsing on their goalies and move out to pressure shooters. More man to man defense means more mistakes and missed coverages.

Have you seen this video? I thought it was an excellent start.

www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/hirsch-explains-how-to-fix-the-problem-with-goalie-equipment-2/

A great video, and it's everything I've been talking about since the lockout of 1995. The gear has become more about facilitating the style of play than it is about protection.