Didn't read any of the comments thus far, but making the games post-deadline mean something for draft order means that non-playoff teams would be unwilling to part with players that can contribute, thus relegating the deadline to an arbitrary date on the calendar, rather than reflective of a behavior.

The only players that MIGHT be dealt would be fringe players or prospects for mid-level draft picks or other fringe players. There's an incentive of improved draft position to improve or maintain your current record at the deadline while knowing that you're not making the playoffs, making it a disincentive to trade productive players to playoff teams.

The end result is that it kills the model of trading picks and/or less-productive players for players that may upgrade that position. You're left with ONLY the "pure hockey trades" of finding a trading partner with a need at X position & a surplus at Y position, and going through that process. Those are not easy trades to match up & make.

I know this whole "Let's fix tanking" is the topic du jour in the NHL, but I just don't see it as a big problem, and it's only come up because of McDavid.

As good of prospects that they were, no one was tanking for Ekblad or MacKinnon or Yakupov or Erik Johnson or whomever. It happens like once every 10 years when a perceived generational talent is coming up.

Didn't he write a blog right after the Winnik trade saying that any draft pick outside a 1st is worthless?
- rangerdanger94

Was that before or after the one about the Refs being out to get the Pens??

I like what Murray has done in Buffalo. He knew it was a bad team when he got there and didn't mortgage the future to try and make the playoffs this year. And then come draft deadline he sold off assets for draft picks. He still has alot of work to do but the future looks bright
- willi

It's a nice plan and in a best case scenario they build a perennial playoff team but plans rarely work out in a 'best case scenario' ala Oilers. Even the islanders took close to a decade to really put it together and they're still going through a 1 step forward 1.5 steps back phase.

I take calgarys roster and culture and identity over Edmonton or buffalos any day.

What's with this theory that you have to have top 10 draft picks to have a good team?
- Feds91Stammer

Because you can only ever get guys like Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Claude Giroux, Kris Letang, PK Subban, Shea Weber, Jamie Benn, and Duncan Keith with a top-10 pick.

It was a genius trade. Guarantee you suck even more to tank this year all while bringing in a potential superstar for next year in Kane. And then he trades Neuvirth for Johnson.
- rangerdanger94

Neuvrith for Johnson is an obvious tank trade lol, but Lindback has played good there at least and stole a couple of games.

Take That Murray!!!

No kidding. Trade away all your high end picks to try and win now, and then complain that the cupboards are bare. If you want depth, trade one of Crosby or Malkin.
- Ihatebrianburke

Because you can only ever get guys like Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Claude Giroux, Kris Letang, PK Subban, Shea Weber, Jamie Benn, and Duncan Keith with a top-10 pick.
- jmatchett383

I see what you did there.

Didn't he write a blog right after the Winnik trade saying that any draft pick outside a 1st is worthless?
- rangerdanger94

Pretty much

Is there anywhere that shows teams current roster average draft position?

Guess what? Along with their team, Pittsburgh hasn't bothered to develop their draft picks. That includes 87 and 71. That PP is brutal after a decade. The team relies on them entirely too much to provide the offense, and the team around them cannot support the points they do produce in the playoffs by either neutralizing the other team's offense or providing any offense. The 'role players' don't do either of these things and haven't throughout the mid-to-late 20s of both of these players.

Now it seems like Kap and Sundqvist are going to be asked to save the team. They are going to need at least another year in the minors developing in targeted ways to compete in the NHL. The Pens will probably be a bubble team next year unless they decide to stop being scored on and stop taking an incredibly high number of penalties.

It's a nice plan and in a best case scenario they build a perennial playoff team but plans rarely work out in a 'best case scenario' ala Oilers. Even the islanders took close to a decade to really put it together and they're still going through a 1 step forward 1.5 steps back phase.

I take calgarys roster and culture and identity over Edmonton or buffalos any day.
- rangerdanger94

Going from 79 points to 95 Points with 5 games left is taking a step and a half back??

"The idea that all the big market teams would just scoop up all the prospects is more or less false. Everybody has the same hard cap ceiling. The same teams wouldn't be able to spend spend spend every year. "

This thought is based on what exactly, that the best players are expected to take max dollars? You think that would create parity? Tell me what team Connor McDavid would go to if he had a choice? Team with the most cap availability? or a competitive team that will allow him to best showcase his skills? Therefore solidifying maximum future dollars earned once the next contract comes up? McDavid is actually a bad example as he is currently billed as a generational talent. This would apply more to the mid tier first rounders/bubble guys. Biases would shine through by way of teammates through junior, and team selection. (everyone has favorite) Small market teams would die. Trade Deadline would die. Draft Day, obviously. I think the NHL would take issue with these things.

Secondly, imagine the sheer amount of work and pressure on both the front offices and young players who are signing their first contracts. For example, McDavid would literally have 30 offers to go through. Then the next guy with the same barring McDavid signing somewhere? The process would almost take forever.

The draft is designed to help bad teams get better. Considering how bad Chicago, Pittsburgh, LA were prior to names like Kane, Crosby and Doughty, I'd say the current system is working, and working quite well. If NHL takes issue with tanking they can restructure the lottery process. If the viewer has a problem stop buying tickets/watching the games. One influences the other. Figure it out.

Hey cuz, totally agree....


U going to start that trade rumor again....
- Ur Not Me

I never know wtf you're talking about...every thing you say is like Billy Madison trying to describe the American Revolution

Guess what? Along with their team, Pittsburgh hasn't bothered to develop their draft picks. That includes 87 and 71. That PP is brutal after a decade. The team relies on them entirely too much to provide the offense, and the team around them cannot support the points they do produce in the playoffs by either neutralizing the other team's offense or providing any offense. The 'role players' don't do either of these things and haven't throughout the mid-to-late 20s of both of these players.

Now it seems like Kap and Sundqvist are going to be asked to save the team. They are going to need at least another year in the minors developing in targeted ways to compete in the NHL. The Pens will probably be a bubble team next year unless they decide to stop being scored on and stop taking an incredibly high number of penalties.
- Johnny Wrath

Nonsense. They'll be top-6 forwards to start next season.

Is there anywhere that shows teams current roster average draft position?
- Feds91Stammer

Since 2011 Detroits avg draft position is 26th which is lowered somewhat due to the fact they didn't have 1st in 2011 or 2012

Going from 79 points to 95 Points with 5 games left is taking a step and a half back??
- Vukota

Making the playoffs in the lockout year and then going to last in the division the following year is.

Making the playoffs in the lockout year and then going to last in the division the following year is.
- rangerdanger94

They did, then they took 2 big steps forward.

Please explain to me how they tanked for Crosby when there wasn't even a season? Why do children keep bringing this up? Also the year they drafted Staal they signed in the offseason before that Gonchar, Palffy, LeClair, Thibeault, and Recchi. So it was clear they weren't tanking. They just flat out stunk and were a major disappointment.
- acdc1206

The Crosby lottery was weighted based on where teams finished the season before the lockout, Pens finsihed last in the NHL.

They did, then they took 2 big steps forward.
- jmatchett383

Yea and we'll see if they continue to take those steps forward next season.

Making the playoffs in the lockout year and then going to last in the division the following year is.
- rangerdanger94

Well according to experts like you they wouldn't have made the playoffs if the lockout season was a full 82 games so did they really take a step back last year?

Yea and we'll see if they continue to take those steps forward next season.
- rangerdanger94

I think they will be at least similarly good. Last year, their defense and goaltending were major black holes. This year, they've shored up those spots.

Well according to experts like you they wouldn't have made the playoffs if the lockout season was a full 82 games so did they really take a step back last year?
- Vukota

They've taken a step back this 2nd half of the season compared to the 1st half that's for sure.

They were under Shero, and look at how that turned out. Outside of 1 (maybe 2) guy a year who end up being decent NHL'ers, the vast majority of college FAs are free agents for a reason. And those couple "good" guys usually command more money than the Pens are able (or willing) to give up.

For the Pens, they have plugged organization holes created by bad drafting and lack of picks. If anything, it covered up/enabled their bad asset management.
- rival22

Hartzell and Sheary? Who else am I missing?

You raise a valid point. But "free" assets are valuable to contenders. It increases the odds that someone becomes a decent NHL player. Hell maybe you get a Tyler Johnson for free. I don't see why thats a bad thing or how it enables bad asset management. Would you rather they trade away picks AND not sign any college FA?

Yea and we'll see if they continue to take those steps forward next season.
- rangerdanger94

Unlike the Rags and Penguins, the Islanders are much more soundly constructed to be competitive in the long-term.