T1B

The much-anticipated Sidney Crosby draft will be on hold...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2020439

This is just horrendously unfair to the guys that should have been drafted this year. I'd like to see them have a draft, but with the order being one that is randomly chosen.

Blitzkrieg wrote:This is just horrendously unfair to the guys that should have been drafted this year.

Well, not really. If they've got game enough to be drafted, they'll be drafted. No real issue there.

If I'm one of those players, I'm busting ass to be one of the best players in the world and to play in the highest league possible, whatever league that may be.

No successful person is a slave to that which they can't control.

It's unfair to them and the fans(me). A good percentage of those guys would have played in the NHL this year. That's a year of hockey the player and the fans will never get back.

Blitzkrieg wrote:That's a year of hockey the player and the fans will never get back.

I can agree with that... it's their predecessors' union that played a hand in this. Although, if you talk to the 30+ players out there, they'll tell you they're doing this for the young guys. :roll:

(not to absolve the NHL from their sins...)

As for the fans(you and me), we've already been fucked around by losing:
a) the season
b) the playoffs
c) a Stanley Cup winner
d) the draft

Frankly, after all we've been robbed of, the draft is the least of my concerns.

Blitzkrieg wrote:This is just horrendously unfair to the guys that should have been drafted this year. I'd like to see them have a draft, but with the order being one that is randomly chosen.

A NHL amateur draft is officially part of the CBA, so without a deal there is no draft.

Shoalzie wrote:The much-anticipated Sidney Crosby draft will be on hold...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2020439

If there's no draft then should that not make Sidney a free agent?

I'm guessing that his people are or have already looked into that possibilty.

And for those naysayers... yes there is a precedent for this.
It has already happened once before.
Here's a hint, he eventually went on to a distinguished career as a member of the Islanders.

Otis wrote:
And for those naysayers... yes there is a precedent for this.
It has already happened once before.
Here's a hint, he eventually went on to a distinguished career as a member of the Islanders.

Wayne Gretzky never played for the Islanders. :wink:

Hapday wrote:

Otis wrote:
And for those naysayers... yes there is a precedent for this.
It has already happened once before.
Here's a hint, he eventually went on to a distinguished career as a member of the Islanders.

Wayne Gretzky never played for the Islanders. :wink:

Correct.

But do you know who it was?

Sidney's in the same boat as he was 30 years ago.

I'll guess either Bossy or Smith.

I'm pretty sure Gretzky's career was in a similar amount of uncertainty as Crosby's... Gretzky was the 17 year old phenom lighting up the WHL... luckily for the 'chuk, the NHL let the Greasers keep their young phenom when they entered the league.

As far as Crosby being a free agent, I have no reason to see why he shouldn't be. But to sign with someone, I would think he would want to sign with a team that's actually going to play some games, if you catch my drift....

He did say earlier in the year that he'd be willing to play as a replacement player, only to retract his statement days later after an apparent "crossing of the paths" of some NHLPA executives.

There are a lot of things that could happen. And Crosby would only be the beginning. I'm sure there are at least a dozen young hockey players eligible for this draft that any team would love to add without any questions asked.

would that be Bryan Trottier?

Hapday wrote:

Blitzkrieg wrote:This is just horrendously unfair to the guys that should have been drafted this year. I'd like to see them have a draft, but with the order being one that is randomly chosen.

A NHL amateur draft is officially part of the CBA, so without a deal there is no draft.

That I know. However, when a player is drafted that's essentially a player agreeing that he is the property of said team. Since a good portion of these guys din't sign immediately the CBA isn't an absolute necessity to have a draft.

They could have had the draft and waited until later to sign the players.It would have been like treating a player as if he were a restricted free agent.

Otis wrote: If there's no draft then should that not make Sidney a free agent?

That's an idea that I truly love. The thought of all the entry level players choosing their own teams? Awesome, just awesome.




If I am not mistaken there was no draft until the 60's anyway.

Before 1969, teams had affiliation agreements with various junior teams. For example, Boston started a junior team in Oshawa and signed Bobby Orr to play for them at 14. Same with Chicago and Bobby Hull (St. Catherines).

Blitzkrieg wrote:

Otis wrote: If there's no draft then should that not make Sidney a free agent?

That's an idea that I truly love. The thought of all the entry level players choosing their own teams? Awesome, just awesome.

Yep, that would be a great idea. Sidney would play for the Habs

Smoked Meat wrote:

Blitzkrieg wrote:

Otis wrote: If there's no draft then should that not make Sidney a free agent?

That's an idea that I truly love. The thought of all the entry level players choosing their own teams? Awesome, just awesome.

Yep, that would be a great idea. Sidney would play for the Habs

Maybe.

Blitzkrieg wrote:

Smoked Meat wrote:

Blitzkrieg wrote:
That's an idea that I truly love. The thought of all the entry level players choosing their own teams? Awesome, just awesome.

Yep, that would be a great idea. Sidney would play for the Habs

Maybe.

That's right..

He'd sign with the franchise that would provide him with the best opportunity to market his name and give him the maximum $$$$$..

Toronto of course.

Otis wrote:

Blitzkrieg wrote:

Smoked Meat wrote: Yep, that would be a great idea. Sidney would play for the Habs

Maybe.

That's right..

He'd sign with the franchise that would provide him with the best opportunity to market his name and give him the maximum $$$$$..

Toronto of course.

More like Detroit, NY Rangers, or Philly.

Blitzkrieg wrote:

Otis wrote:

Blitzkrieg wrote: Maybe.

That's right..

He'd sign with the franchise that would provide him with the best opportunity to market his name and give him the maximum $$$$$..

Toronto of course.

More like Detroit, NY Rangers, or Philly.

New York would desperately love to get a star quality player like Crosby. Not many people know who he is but if he tears it up early on in his career...he'll become very marketable with the likes of Jeter, Pennington, Beltran and Manning. The Rangers have been dying for a hockey god since Messier.

The whole idea of Crosby becoming a free agent has disaster written all over it though. I wonder if he'd go play over in Europe next year if there's no NHL next year and he's proven that he has done enough in Juniors. If the NHL can sign a deal this summer and start play in the fall...I'm sure they won't let the rules go out the door with this year's incoming class. We'll probably see Crosby and Brule and company go next year in the draft...assuming the NHL is back by then. It'll definitely make a mess of scouting next year with this year's eligible prospects overflowing into next year's.

Otis wrote:That's right..

He'd sign with the franchise that would provide him with the best opportunity to market his name and give him the maximum $$$$$...

I concur.

Sincerely,

If they're good enough...they'll be signed. Look at all the great undrafted players

Gretz, Steve Thomas, Belfour, Mullen, Ciccarelli, etc..