NHL considering major change to the draft

The NHL Entry Draft is one of the marquee events on the league's calendar every year, as prospects across the globe finally see their hard work and dreams come true.

While the 2024 NHL Entry Draft is still well over eight months away, the league has not named a host for the event, which is quite unusual given that it's usually done a year in advance.

Recent reports have suggested that the league is looking at Vegas as a potential host and quite possibily as the front-runner at this point, but other cities are being considered as well.

During the Saturday Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman mentioned that the league is considering a potential change to the format of the draft and that it could be similar to how the NFL and NBA does things.


Friedman says that the draft would take place in one location with all the prospects there, but all 32 NHL teams would remain in their cities and conduct the draft from their board rooms.

While it may be popular among NFL and NBA fans to have their drafts that way, it doesn't seem like hockey fans are too in favour of this change. What makes the NHL Drafts unique is having every team and their management staff gather in one city, walk up to the podium and make their selection, followed by handing the prospect their jersey and posing for a picture.

It's unclear when this change could come into effect, if it's made, but it would likely go to a vote by the Board of Governors before being given the thumbs up by the league.