2026 NHL Draft

[donlever]

Is no one else chapped about the league decision on Ottawa and their draft pick?

Is it not fair to say that every team in the league has been operating for some time under the presumption that their pick will be one better than where they finished in the standings and arguably could have been making decisions based on that?

[Lancer]

Truth be told, that kind of capricious league BS towards the Canucks - and, yes, the other teams who picked after Ottawa in the first round - is like Bonnie Blue nearing 100: no matter how big the phallus, nor how roughly it's applied, you just have a hard time feeling it.

[Hockey Widow]

No Canuck's justice but other teams seem to catch a Bettman break.

Honestly I thought it was a harsh penalty in the first place but ya, teams maybe set back a bit. I mean I figured not only would we get Minny's pick but the 32nd.

[Meds]

Is no one else chapped about the league decision on Ottawa and their draft pick?

Is it not fair to say that every team in the league has been operating for some time under the presumption that their pick will be one better than where they finished in the standings and arguably could have been making decisions based on that?

Unless I’m reading it wrong, everyone’s pick will be one better. Ottawa gets their 1RP back but they pick 32nd overall. I suppose it affects the subsequent rounds when considering that their forfeiture originally meant that they just didn’t get a selection.

I’m somewhat ok with the decision as the ownership and management of the team are completely different. The league should have enforced the punishment much sooner.

In this case, when showing mercy, I would modify the decision by giving them the pick back but relegating their draft position to last place in the first 3 rounds.

[dbr]

Mëds it was literally going to be our 32nd overall pick and Gary shoved us back one to give Ottawa theirs back.

I think in the grand scheme we shouldn’t be surprised, Bettman did exactly this when he stripped the Devils of their pick and the team changed hands between the misdeed and the punishment (which is worth millions) so there’s that as well.

Anyway. What if we pick Liam Ruck with Minny’s pick and Ottawa takes the other one at 32

[donlever]

Anyway. What if we pick Liam Ruck with Minny’s pick and Ottawa takes the other one at 32

Give the man a lollipop.

Exactly where I was going....

[Aaronp18]

Pretty much a pile of garbage again, and of course we are the first team to have a draft pick knocked back.

And why do it right after the trade deadline? It’s an asset that could’ve been in play.

What about all those teams that grabbed 2nd round picks estimating where they would be. And now it’s one spot back!

Lame. If you’re going to give it back to them do it early in the year so it’s an asset either way.

[UWSaint]

Is no one else chapped about the league decision on Ottawa and their draft pick?

Is it not fair to say that every team in the league has been operating for some time under the presumption that their pick will be one better than where they finished in the standings and arguably could have been making decisions based on that?

I think what's most bothersome about it is that it seems capricious. Usually the league values finality. Not here. Usually appeals are resolved quickly. Not here. I am really not sure why there is an about face; I am pretty sure the arguments that Ottawa was making didn't change and there wasn't really new information.

Because there are so many situations involving the league with close analogs (like player safety suspension decision), we consistently see things where it just looks like the league has favorites, and there is no question (Colin Campbell....) that the league has played favorites in the past. And that stuff undermines an important value of sport -- teams, playing by the same rules, with the same dedication towards winning, war and there is an objective winner. Tilting the pitch, whether its gambling or making different teams jump through different hoops (or allowed to bypass the rules) sours it all.

Now with the Dadanov situation, there really aren't close analogs to what the punishment has been previously and therefore what it should be. Personally, I think that this punishment (drop to the end of the first round) is an abstractly fair punishment for a team like Ottawa that should be picking between 10-20, and that losing the first altogether for what looks like incompetence as opposed to deception is a pretty harsh penalty. But the interest in finality and the perception that things are fair and teams are treated equally outweighs the marginal weight to a slightly more appropriate punishment (if it is that).

And stepping back from it, I kind of wish that they'd tie the punishment more to the activity. E.g., all players on Ottawa have NTC written into their contracts for the net 2 seasons, and these will follow to any team to which they are trading. (this reduces the trade value of Ottawa players and is a prophylactic against any "oversight" about the existence of an NTC). Or Ottawa's trade deadline is a month earlier for 2 seasons. Or even, Ottawa is not permitted to make trades for a season.