Contraction Draft

[Where's Wellwood]

If Bettman were to suddenly have a change of heart, or if he were suddenly replaced and the commissioner decided that contraction was needed, how would a contraction draft work? I know in the past there have been dispersal drafts but at those times there were fewer teams in the league and the teams being 'dispersed' didn't really disappear. In the 1978 dispersal draft, the Cleveland Barons and Minnesota North Stars merged, and in the 1991 dispersal draft, the Sharks were allowed to take some of the North Stars' players before both the Sharks and North Stars filled their rosters in an expansion draft.

In a legit contraction draft where the franchise does not exist afterward, what would happen? I think that two franchises would have to be contracted at a time so that there would remain an even number of teams in the league. For the first contraction draft, each of the 28 remaining teams in the league would draft one player/prospect from the roster/farm team of each of the contracting franchises. The remaining players would become ufa's.

A similar format could work for a second contraction draft, maybe a few years later to see if the first draft has helped any of the other failing franchises, except with 26 teams now drafting. The NHL could continue this until the league doesn't have any franchises rapidly losing money.

This way the amount of talent on each team is increased, the level of play is increased, and the overall wealth of the league is increased.

Comments/criticisms? How would you do it?

[Teen Icarus]

Yes, but to have a contraction draft, Bettman would have to admit that he's colossally screwed up, has overexpanded the league, and needs to fix his mistakes.

Actually, I'm going to list a bunch of Bettman's mistakes:

• Has been NHL commisioner for 2 and counting lockouts.

• Has less than half the teams in the league making a profit

• Pheonix

• Refusing to move financially struggling teams (Florida, Pheonix)

[Peaches]

And there is NO way betman would do that

[Versace]

No way under Bettman would that EVER happen.

[Where's Wellwood]

Regardless of the chances of it happening (which is zero under Bettman), how do you think a contraction draft would happen, if it were to happen?

[zombieksa]

Lets assume a contraction draft took place, and Phoenix and Columbus were the two teams leaving.

Step 1: would be determining the rules of the draft.

The two teams have 91 players under contract in total. For sake of argument lets say this took place in the following season when these two teams have a combined 76 players under contract or RFA.

That is not enough players to have 3 picks by each remaining team as 3x28=84. So 8 teams would have to get compensation in some manner. Two ways this could be done are:

1. First 8 teams to select in the draft forfeit their right to a 3rd choice

OR

2. 8 teams choose the option to forfeit their 3rd choice in exchange for an additional draft selection at the next entry draft (somewhere after 1st round but before 3rd round)

Also, types of players chosen would have to be decided such as:

No more than 2 forwards

Or

1 players RFA rights must be chosen

Or

Only 1 roster player allowed to be chosen if the player selected has a NTC

Next would have to be the decision of order of choice.

Most likely they would use the rules for a lockout draft which is to say a ball lottery.

your odds decrease if you have had the 1st overall draft choice in the previous 4 years, and if you made the playoffs in the previous 3 years.

your team gets 3 lottery balls if you have had none of those things. (calgary flames anyone?)

your team gets 2 lottery balls if you have had one of these things. (Florida made the playoffs 1 of last 3 years, had no 1st overall draft choices)

your team gets 1 lottery ball if you had two or more of these things. (Van had multiple playoffs, Edm. had multiple 1st overall draft picks)

obviously it would be a cluster**** of rules and regulations that would take a long time to determine, and some parties would be upset with the rules.

Probably will never happen though.

[Ossi Vaananen]

Only change to the draft I really want to see is a Commish making a rule that you can't have 3 consecutive 1st overall picks. Shouldn't be able to make a team by tanking.

In terms of a contraction, theoretically lets say Columbus and Pheonix were folded making it a 28 team league. The players from both teams would all become free agents. Let the players decide where they want to go, not get auctioned off. Then just have a 28 team first round.

[Hobble]

Only change to the draft I really want to see is a Commish making a rule that you can't have 3 consecutive 1st overall picks. Shouldn't be able to make a team by tanking.

In terms of a contraction, theoretically lets say Columbus and Pheonix were folded making it a 28 team league. The players from both teams would all become free agents. Let the players decide where they want to go, not get auctioned off. Then just have a 28 team first round.