[Proposal] I have a simple solution to tanking and the weighted draft lotto nonsense.

[danaimo]

I like the idea of rewarding teams for competing hard and not sucking.  For years I have advocated a system of ranking teams according to how much they have improve from one year to the next.  This gives the bottom teams a higher chance to draft high, makes games meaningful right to the end of the season, enables bad teams to improve and not suck for years on end (although I'm sure Edmonton could still find a way) and most importantly it would get rid of tanking.

In practice this system would give Colorado the first pick this year.  They were god awful last year and made the biggest improvement this year.  Even though they are in the playoffs, they still deserve to get the top pick. Edmonton would get the last pick because they showed the biggest fall in the standings. I cannot think of any reason why this system would not work.  Obviously there would have to be tie-breakers, perhaps in the event of a tie, they higher pick goes to the team that finished lower. 

[Crabcakes]

Kill the draft lottery altogether.  Keep it simple Bettman.

 

Actual tanking is such a bad and damaging strategy, if somebody does it, that's their problem.

 

How many times has it actually happened on purpose?  1 or 2 maybe?  I don't mean like when Buffalo fans were wishing for McDavid

[Bure1010]

I dont think there is a simple solution to the tanking and draft lottery system. If you make it more even odds for everyone of getting the 1st 2nd 3rd etc. You run into the problem of teams just missing the playoffs having better odds of getting better players. If you do a lottery for only the bottom 5-7 teams more teams will tank harder. If you do the “you draft where you finish” same issue as the last. Maybe if they do the lotteryis for picks 1-5 cause the team that finishes last isnt even guaranteed a top 5 pick but then again run into the issue of the teams that need the most help wont always be getting it. I personally dont have any problem with the system the only thing id like to see changed is in draft lottery day it isnt chosen behind closed doors if they could figure that out somehow. And another thing i would change is the team that wins the presidents trophy (barring they dont win the cup) gets the best draft pick of all the playoff teams. Keeps the top end of the league competing til the end. As for the bottom end i feel fans are educated enough and know u need to build your team through the draft and are ok with the tanking. Yes it is tough but i found for the teams that were out of it early the last couple weeks were some of the most exciting hockey for them.