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To Tank or Not to Tank: The NHL Draft Lottery |
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For Maple Leafs fans, the tanking plan obviously paid off. It was a risky move – especially with everyone assuming in the back of their minds that somehow Edmonton would yet again win the lottery. Maple Leafs entered last night with a feeling of “if it can go wrong it will for us,” but on Saturday, you could see the communal sigh of relief:
We saw similar storylines last year, with teams fighting for last place in order to have the best overall chance of drafting Eichel or McDavid. The new rules in this year’s draft lottery made it harder for the worst team to get the first overall pick; rules which I agree with. I don't want a system that encourages tanking. However, for every system that is in place, someone will find a way to take advantage of it.
Maybe there is a bigger problem – teams feel the need to tank in order to rebuild. Why is the sentiment that it is nearly impossible to rebuild if you finish in the middle of the pack – like the Devils or Senators? It is important to make smart draft picks and have young talented players in the works to build a team; there is no doubt about that. So, why can’t Ottawa finish 19th overall and still have a chance to make impactful picks and build their team? Is there not enough talent out there? I find that hard to believe. If you never get those high draft picks, is it possible to assemble a Cup competitive team, and not just a playoff team?
If you look at a team like Chicago, they drafted franchise players in Kane and Toews as the first and third overall picks in their respective draft years. Would Chicago be the same team without them? Of course not. That said, those two alone didn’t win them 3 Stanley Cups in 6 years. Looking at the Kings, Kopitar went eleventh overall and Doughty second; yet arguably, their first cup would not have be won without Quick – who was drafted in the third round. Having these franchise type of players isn’t the be all and end all of the success of a team. The bottom line - it’s not the first overall pick that wins you the cup - it’s smart drafting and management that enables a team to put the pieces together.
Maybe without a standout talent, the system works differently. It isn’t every year that you hear about a franchise player with the likes of Matthews, Eichel, or McDavid. Maybe Toronto was just in the right place and the right time. It feels like there is so much more talk about this for a number of factors: this was the second year in a row that these caliber of players were up for grabs, no Canadian teams were in the playoffs, Edmonton seemed to have broken the lottery system, and would tanking pay off for the Maple Leafs. Combine all of that, and all of a sudden, it feels like tanking is a disease in the NHL.
One thing is certain – when you have teams who have tanked to get that last seed and teams fighting for a pick – it makes the lottery draft more interesting. And maybe it gives fans something to root for at the end of a forgetful season – but here is where I make a stand.
Many franchises and fans see the number one overall pick as the best way to speed up the rebuilding process. However, in cases like Edmonton, it shows that there are some flaws to this thinking, and the emphasis is more on how these players and those around them are managed. Each team and their respective fan base may have a different viewpoint. Some fan bases may never have truly experienced a long playoff drought, so they don’t feel the same pressure. Also, some fan bases place different values on different things, and they may not believe in the idea of their team tanking for the chance to rebuild. As a fan, I would rather see my team continue to play hard, work hard, and play the role of spoiler. I don’t like to see teams tank; I believe in a system that allows for teams to have a chance to excel when managed correctly.
With players like Shane Doan sharing ideas for a new system, and even GMs like Brian Burke discussing an "Oiler Rule," for the draft, it is clear that there are kinks in the current system, and I expect to see changes in the future even though Edmonton did not win it this year.
About Jillian:
Jillian Fisher is a sport anthropologist who focuses on sport culture and fan culture. Growing up with three older brothers, sports have always played a large part of her life. While she enjoys all sports, hockey has always been her first passion. Jillian has traveled across the world - from the Philippines to Italy and across the US - studying the impact of sports, all while cheering for the home team and discovering what makes each place so unique, even being referred to as the Anthony Bourdain of sports. She is currently filming her own web series, Out of the Park, that highlights the different cultures surrounding our favorite sports across the country. Always in search of the next event, Jillian can be contacted on Twitter, Instagram, or emailed at jillianfisher00[at]gmail.com
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