This is true... I think they would have had to have weighted it or limited the top few picks to non-playoff teams though.
- rival22

those non-playoff teams could have made the playoffs though... AVS? should have been equally weighted IMO

The whole lottery, and I think every lottery since, just looks bad... Showing the actual ball drawing would be nice, but has zero drama for TV. You would see the first pick drawn first then turn off the tv. They'd rather have the opening of the envelope thing from 30-1 on TV.

But back to 2005, there were a ton of things against the Pens financially, and getting Crosby did save the franchise, at least in Pittsburgh.

I used to have a Bob McKenzie article bookmarked, but he gave some detail as to how the 2005 draft worked. The balls were drawn at the NHL offices, with reps from all 30 teams present, plus an accounting firm to verify. When we saw the lottery thing on TV, all of the GM's already knew the result. It was a TV event only.

Just the idea that 29 teams (and a legit accounting firm) would sign off on a fraudulent lottery and stay quiet about it for 10 years is impossible. I mean, there were some cash strapped owners in the league, what motivation would they have to allow Pittsburgh to benefit and not their own teams?
- rival22

Here is the part, as a fan, I am skeptical of. Who's to say that there was not some sort of deal made where all the teams get a cut of some pie? We don't know the business side of the NHL, and there could very well be hush-money put in owner's pockets to keep it quiet for 10 years. But I also think that all that was a front, that there was a deal in place long before any lottery, made for TV or not, was held. remember, Bettman worked under David Stern.

I think more people were upset that the Pens still had great odds. It was unfair for teams to get the same odds without having to play a season. They should have altered it.

Imagine the Sabers having a 50/50 shot at the first pick this year and next year without having to play a season in between.
- PhillySportsGuy

Completely agree with this.

My only question for those who believe the Crosby draft was fixed (I'd probably feel the same if I was a fan of another team)... Why wasn't the Ovechkin draft fixed as well to guarantee them the first pick in that draft in a season that they were the worst in?

I always hated that they weighted that lottery. Should have been one in 30 chance for all teams.

Here is the part, as a fan, I am skeptical of. Who's to say that there was not some sort of deal made where all the teams get a cut of some pie? We don't know the business side of the NHL, and there could very well be hush-money put in owner's pockets to keep it quiet for 10 years. But I also think that all that was a front, that there was a deal in place long before any lottery, made for TV or not, was held. remember, Bettman worked under David Stern.
- powerenforcer

Yeah, I hear ya. I can't help but feel this way about it too. The circumstances just point to it being a contrived plan. But again, nothing is being stated as factual, just what appears to have been the case.

Completely agree with this.

My only question for those who believe the Crosby draft was fixed (I'd probably feel the same if I was a fan of another team)... Why wasn't the Ovechkin draft fixed as well to guarantee them the first pick in that draft in a season that they were the worst in?
- jonnemo8771

My only simple answer is "the perfect storm" and the Pens, in my opinion at the time, were a more "important" franchise for the league to keep and save face. Not saying the Caps weren't or aren't, but when Mario Lemieux is your franchise face, and is still owed tons of money, just makes sense the NHL/Bettman would try and re-ignite hockey and money in Pitts.

Here is the part, as a fan, I am skeptical of. Who's to say that there was not some sort of deal made where all the teams get a cut of some pie? We don't know the business side of the NHL, and there could very well be hush-money put in owner's pockets to keep it quiet for 10 years. But I also think that all that was a front, that there was a deal in place long before any lottery, made for TV or not, was held. remember, Bettman worked under David Stern.
- powerenforcer

guess that means the truth comes out next year than!

those non-playoff teams could have made the playoffs though... AVS? should have been equally weighted IMO
- ChrisMS

Yeah, but could you imagine the backlash if a powerhouse team at the time like Detroit got the "next one"?

Here is the part, as a fan, I am skeptical of. Who's to say that there was not some sort of deal made where all the teams get a cut of some pie? We don't know the business side of the NHL, and there could very well be hush-money put in owner's pockets to keep it quiet for 10 years. But I also think that all that was a front, that there was a deal in place long before any lottery, made for TV or not, was held. remember, Bettman worked under David Stern.
- powerenforcer

But at the same time, it would have to be a lot of money... I mean for most teams, getting Crosby would be an economic boom. To pass that up for a little bit of money on the side is a hard sell.

And it's not like the NHL had a ton of money at that point... The basically gave away their US TV contract to the Outdoor Life Network.

Why would the owners of the Lightning or Anaheim or Carolina care if the Pens moved and Lemieux lost money? Most of these owners are competitive, egotistical jerks, I can't see hush money working on Jeremy Jacobs of Ed Snyder. Guys like that drive Bettman, not the other way around.

Yeah, but could you imagine the backlash if a powerhouse team at the time like Detroit got the "next one"?
- rival22

worse than the "backlash" of the pens getting it?

worse than the "backlash" of the pens getting it?
- ChrisMS

Who knows... there would have been backlash for anyone getting him. I guess that's the problem.

Who knows... there would have been backlash for anyone getting him. I guess that's the problem.
- rival22

yeah... bad timing... too bad it wasn't the eric johnson year

Sorry but me personally would rather have Malkin. I know I am the minority and I think its because Crosby is the better player and I konw that but I would just prefer to have Malkin.
- Daveflyers36

Been watching both players in person for a long time and I can assure you Crosby is the better player.

Malkin is a wreck in his own end and often plays selfishly. Malkin like his moronic linemate, Neal has a propensity for bad penalties. Either one can be considered the dirtiest player in the league on any given night. Neither will be splitting atoms when their careers are over.

Crosby on the other hand is a complete player at both ends of the ice and on occasion is a willing combatant. I would agree he still needs some work in the leadership department, but he is still far superior from his redline back than Malkin and at the very least is as good at the other end of the ice.

When you watch Malkin and Neal over a seven game series you realize just how dirty and detrimental their antics are to a team. I have never seen superstars focus soooo much energy on trying to injure the opposition with elbows and cross checks to the head. Ironic how their own teammate almost had his head taken off on many occasions. Interesting how that works out.

Been watching both players in person for a long time and I can assure you Crosby is the better player.

Malkin is a wreck in his own end and often plays selfishly. Malkin like his moronic linemate, Neal has a propensity for bad penalties. Either one can be considered the dirtiest player in the league on any given night. Neither will be splitting atoms when their careers are over.

Crosby on the other hand is a complete player at both ends of the ice and on occasion is a willing combatant. I would agree he still needs some work in the leadership department, but he is still far superior from his redline back than Malkin and at the very least is as good at the other end of the ice.

When you watch Malkin and Neal over a seven game series you realize just how dirty and detrimental their antics are to a team. I have never seen superstars focus soooo much energy on trying to injure the opposition with elbows and cross checks to the head. Ironic how their own teammate almost had his head taken off on many occasions. Interesting how that works out.
- acmilano3

besides the obvious malarky about Malkin and cheap shots, he is the pens leader in takeaways for the past several seasons. His two way game is one of the last issues he has. Malkins problems are in his head... stupid penalties and he gets easily frustrated. He takes stupid penalties but he is far from a cheap shot artist.

My only simple answer is "the perfect storm" and the Pens, in my opinion at the time, were a more "important" franchise for the league to keep and save face. Not saying the Caps weren't or aren't, but when Mario Lemieux is your franchise face, and is still owed tons of money, just makes sense the NHL/Bettman would try and re-ignite hockey and money in Pitts.
- Flyers_V88

And, if I could ask the Kool-Aid drinking Pans fans - how do you explain the "rogue employee" who decided not to send camera views of a Flyers goal to the Toronto War Room?

And, if I could ask the Kool-Aid drinking Pans fans - how do you explain the "rogue employee" who decided not to send camera views of a Flyers goal to the Toronto War Room?
- danham92

He was a Root sports employee that I think was fired... what a jackass...

You know, regarding the lottery, Pittsburgh had 3 balls in that lottery. Same number as Buffalo, Columbus, and the Rangers. Even if the lottery had only been between those 4 teams, they still would have only had a 25% chance of winning. Now add in the fact that 10 teams had two balls, and there were still 16 more balls going to the rest of the teams. So they had a 3 in 48 chance of winning that lottery, or in other words, a 6.25% chance. Now look at it a different way. There was a 93.75% chance that a team OTHER THAN PITTSBURGH was going to win that lottery. Pretty good chance it was going to one of the other 29 teams.

Now, take into account the financial implications of losing an American team when the dollar was good, the failing infrastructure of the old arena, the fact that no one in Pittsburgh (or anywhere else, really) cared about a team with such stars as Richard Tarnstrom and Alexei Morozov, and it made good financial sense to put a generational talent into that market. There's no question that it saved Pittsburgh, and there's no question that he went to Pittsburgh specifically because they were the only team at the time in need of saving.

But I don't think that's why the lottery was rigged. And I really do believe it was rigged.

Here's a list to consider:

California Golden Seals, Cleveland Barons, Kansas City Scouts, Atlanta Flames, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota North Stars, Quebec Nordiques, Winnipeg Jets, Hartford Whalers, Atlanta Thrashers.

Since the first expansion of the NHL, those are the teams that have moved. Not one Stanley Cup between them.

Further to that, here's another list:

Quebec Nordiques, Winnipeg Jets, Hartford Whalers, Edmonton Oilers.

Those are the four legacy teams from the NHL-WHA merger, and the only one that survived was the Edmonton Oilers. Incidentally, the only one with a Stanley Cup are the Edmonton Oilers.

So, my theory is that the league cares about the legacy of championship teams more than it cares about the financial health of any specific market, which says to me that no team that ever wins a Stanley Cup will ever move. When it became obvious that the Penguins were going to leave, the league made sure that Crosby would wind up in Pittsburgh.

Now, next year, you've got this Connor McDavid kid entering the league, and he's allegedly supposed to be as good or better than Crosby. He's exactly the kind of player that would revive a fading NHL market, but the trick is that it would have to be a team that has won a Stanley Cup and fallen on hard times, and based on the condition of the US dollar right now vs the Canadian dollar, I'd speculate that it'll be an American team.

So, you want to see if the NHL has rigged it's draft lottery? Here's the way I see it going.

If the US dollar remains as strong as it is through to the end of next season, then I think the McDavid lottery goes to the New York Islanders or the New Jersey Devils, depending on who has a worse season next year.

BUT

If the Canadian dollar recovers, then throw the Calgary Flames into the conversation.

It's between those three teams, if the Crosby lottery provides a blueprint for this.

Islanders, Flames, Devils.

Oh, and James Neal is a turd.

You know, regarding the lottery, Pittsburgh had 3 balls in that lottery. Same number as Buffalo, Columbus, and the Rangers. Even if the lottery had only been between those 4 teams, they still would have only had a 25% chance of winning. Now add in the fact that 10 teams had two balls, and there were still 16 more balls going to the rest of the teams. So they had a 3 in 48 chance of winning that lottery, or in other words, a 6.25% chance. Now look at it a different way. There was a 93.75% chance that a team OTHER THAN PITTSBURGH was going to win that lottery. Pretty good chance it was going to one of the other 29 teams.

- the_terror

I stopped reading after that... You realize that it was at least a 93.75% chance that any other team you name wouldn't win the lottery either?

Paul Stewart: James Neal: The Poster Child for What's Wrong With NHL Discipline System
- Paul Stewart

nice read


i

You know, regarding the lottery, Pittsburgh had 3 balls in that lottery. .
- the_terror

it's simple

NHL network and TSN would put it on live TV

show each teams and the balls, put them in the hopper and draw the team on live TV like the lottery


way too simple yet they refuse to change

LOL, dude.... First off, you're a joke


No one ever said the Flyers are saints, or that the organization and fans are saints either... But you are completely delusional if you think that what Stewart wrote is inaccurate or not reflective of Neal's incidents on the ice and the COMPLETE LACK of equal punishment. Crosby gets away with more than almost anyone in the league with respect to calls from the ref. Your whole team does man. Neal should have been suspended for anywhere from 10-20 games THIS season... Get your head out of your ass.
- Flyers_V88

Um yeah, Im a joke. Right... Accuse Neal of being dirty, fair enough. But seriously? Crosby gets away with more than anyone? PUHLEESE. Your precious Flyers have gotten away with stuff for years.... I remember watching a game in 2000 I believe..where one of your THUG defenseman (I think Dan McGillis) broke his stick over Jaromir Jagr's head... Then watched as the referee--Kerry Fraser I believe-- refused to make a call. He watched the whole entire thing, looking straight at it, then ignored it. Yeah, the Pens ALWAYS get the calls.

What really irks me is that if the Pens ALWAYS got the calls, Mario Lemieux would have treated the world to many more years of his amazing talent. Instead, Lemieux's back gave out on him after years of carrying around players from other teams who hooked and held him and otherwise interfered with him for years because there was no other way to stop him. Rarely were penalties called. It wasnt just Pittsburgh fans who were cheated, no fans of the NHL lost out. You dont get to see that type of talent very often and we ALL missed out...

Typical Flyers fans...

LOL, dude.... First off, you're a joke


No one ever said the Flyers are saints, or that the organization and fans are saints either... But you are completely delusional if you think that what Stewart wrote is inaccurate or not reflective of Neal's incidents on the ice and the COMPLETE LACK of equal punishment. Crosby gets away with more than almost anyone in the league with respect to calls from the ref. Your whole team does man. Neal should have been suspended for anywhere from 10-20 games THIS season... Get your head out of your ass.
- Flyers_V88

How about you pull yours out long enough to read my comments criticizing NEAL. Pens fans are sick of the stupid penalties and dirty play. We dont want our team to become the Flyers.

No, I actually believe the "Code" explicitly states that if you can't take it, meaning if you can't stand up for yourself and back your actions up, don't do them.

Like I said, if Neal went out and fought and kept the issues on the ice, I'd be more ok with it. He's at least showing he has balls and won't back down and will settle the score there, on the spot.

Instead, Neal plays with virtually no control and constantly goes around dishing out cheap shots. I can't even think of another player in the league like Neal, with his talent, that goes around doing this. I mean really think about that... Says everything right there.
- Flyers_V88

Because we all know that Flyers and their fans are true judges of how to play clean disciplined hockey, how not to cross the line.

and none of those previous few posts reflect poorly on pens fans....