Or ..... stop using a lottery system. Go back to the ol' 'you finish last, you get first overall' system. The best sports league in the world (NFL) does it that way, and they're just fine. Tanking ? Who cares, let them.
- kritter65

Problem is the revenue dips significantly for bad/tanking teams. NFL doesn’t have that problem. This is a business. It’s not just that cut and dry.

It is? Let's look at 2016 for an example:

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2016e.html

The 4th and 5th overall don't look too good while the 39th overall looks like he should have been a top 5 pick.

That happens many/most years.
- kingcong39

Draft in Hockey is a crap shoot, kids are drafted to young, haven't even developed yet.

every draft is different

you get a jack eichel type player once out of every 15 years

2016 draft, right now, could be one of the better top 10's in years, as long as your not stuck with the nylander in the draft
- homiedclown

And yet, picks 4 and 5 that year don't look too good, along with pick 8.

Gerbe

What type of player is Raymond?

Holtz?

Perfetti?
- dmarsden2988

Raymond - going to be a player in a 3 years that should have went 2nd ( style comparison Marner)

Holtz - boeser

Perfetti- RNH ( people can disagree but i see it )

Raymond - going to be a player in a 3 years that should have went 2nd ( style comparison Marner)

Holtz - boeser

Perfetti- RNH ( people can disagree but i see it )
- gerbe75pts

The Sabres badly need any of those 3 comparables above.

So if Pittsburgh loses the play-in round to Montreal cause Price gets hot for a few games, it's fair for Pittsburgh to be able to get the 1st pick. Buffalo had a crap shoot anyway, but there is a flaw there.
- Buff36

Im cheering for teams that technically shouldnt have a shot at the cup to win their respective play-in round.
Get bounced 1st rnd, lower draft position = less likely to get an impact player. Hinders the team from getting better in the long run. Would you rather have the Habs, Rags, Panthers at a shot for 1OA?
The teams that benefit the most imo are Flames/Jets/Leafs/Jackets. All 4 were in a good position to make the playoffs this year.

Raymond - going to be a player in a 3 years that should have went 2nd ( style comparison Marner)

Holtz - boeser

Perfetti- RNH ( people can disagree but i see it )
- gerbe75pts

RNH now, or RNH when the Oilers needed him to be more. He’s had a roller coaster career

And yet, picks 4 and 5 that year don't look too good, along with pick 8.
- kingcong39

I think they will both be fine next season

I would love to be able to get both on the cheap in a trade

The Sabres badly need any of those 3 comparables above.
- kingcong39

They will be gone now ...

We will have a safe player and be happy with the mikko koivu clone ..

Joy

I would not trade the pick

If your changing your scouting department, and GM puppet and leaning on Ralph going forward with Kym, I feel you need to give them the pick to see what they can do.


I do not think there is a reason to get a long term second line center when you have casey, cozens and the 8th pick in 2020


I think the bigger need is to grab 2 good scoring wingers (assuming you keep reinhart), to give cozens and casey a legit chance to be a center

kahun may end up being that second line center, or could be a third line winger

tage could be a middle six winger, could be a bust

no matter what, casey and cozens both need to get 16 or more minutes a night in the nhl with 2 quality guys on their line, and one of them will probably need to move to the wing


it would not shock me if the lineup opening night is


skinner-eichel-tage
olofsson-cozens-reinhart
casey-kahun-johansson




then again they may overhaul half of the roster
- homiedclown

That is not half bad Homie, but I don't think Tage is there, I think if they can't get that 2C, they will get a top 6 RW.

RNH now, or RNH when the Oilers needed him to be more. He’s had a roller coaster career
- SDSabre

I would say rookie RNH with his D but he has his the same downfalls

I would say rookie RNH with his D but he has his the same downfalls
- gerbe75pts

Yuck

It is? Let's look at 2016 for an example:

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl2016e.html

The 4th and 5th overall don't look too good while the 39th overall looks like he should have been a top 5 pick.

That happens many/most years.
- kingcong39

Obviously.

The point is the stars in the NHL are usually taken in the top 5. Even within the top five, 1 is historically better than 5. The NFL can't say that.

I really don't care we lost I'm more upset that a playoff teams gets the first overall ...

The nhl is joke whats going to stop a team to Totally tank the playoffs just so they have better odds

Yuck
- SDSabre

He will not be available so we good ...

But the 3 we had zero chance at missing at are gone now lol ..

I really don't care we lost I'm more upset that a playoff teams gets the first overall ...

The nhl is joke whats going to stop a team to Totally tank the playoffs just so they have better odds
- gerbe75pts

I think it's much more of a possibility that somebody like Crosby tests positive for Covid and is out for the play-in round than teams tanking it.

That is not half bad Homie, but I don't think Tage is there, I think if they can't get that 2C, they will get a top 6 RW.
- Buff36

Tage,Casey will be gone

He will not be available so we good ...

But the 3 we had zero chance at missing at are gone now lol ..
- gerbe75pts

Holtz has been dropping in some mocks.

I think it's much more of a possibility that somebody like Crosby tests positive for Covid and is out for the play-in round than teams tanking it.
- kingcong39

I'm sure some teams are thinking it that hace zero shot at the cup

Tage,Casey will be gone
- gerbe75pts

They are trade bait, agreed.

I really don't care we lost I'm more upset that a playoff teams gets the first overall ...

The nhl is joke whats going to stop a team to Totally tank the playoffs just so they have better odds
- gerbe75pts

there are play-in games and playoff games...

the play-in series' finish the regular season, as does the round-robin format for the top-four teams in each conference

the playoffs begin after the play-in round is finished...

not sure what part of this equation people don't understand

Or ..... stop using a lottery system. Go back to the ol' 'you finish last, you get first overall' system. The best sports league in the world (NFL) does it that way, and they're just fine. Tanking ? Who cares, let them.
- kritter65

The point is for for teams not to purposely tank.
In the NFL, there are 100+ Div 1 schools. If each school produces a star player there is a good possibility for a team to draft high end talent in the 2nd/3rd rnd as there is in the 1st rnd.

Holtz has been dropping in some mocks.
- kingcong39

I dont see him going 8th .. im not going to get my hopes up the only thing thats a little weakness is his speed moves like Vanek but his scoring is elite

They are trade bait, agreed.
- kingcong39

At this point they can trade everyone but jack
We have to make the playoffs next year or our captain will be gone

there are play-in games and playoff games...

the play-in series' finish the regular season, as does the round-robin format for the top-four teams in each conference

the playoffs begin after the play-in round is finished...

not sure what part of this equation people don't understand
- Michael Pachla

The teams that would never be part of the lottery that now might be. The Penguins weren't missing the playoffs, for example.