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Big Changes Potentially Coming to 2021 and 2022 NHL Entry Drafts

The NHL is looking for solutions to the issue of draft eligible players potentially not being ready and that could mean back-to-back drafts.

While the 2021 event remains tentatively scheduled for July 23-24, new changes to the 2021 and 2022 NHL Entry Drafts might be on the way, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. Specifically, the National Hockey League is soliciting team suggestions for potentially changing that date and the result could be an adjustment in the layout for the much-anticipated event(s).

Related: NHL Trade Talk: Wayne Gretzky Quiz

Concerns Over Player Evaluation

Friedman reports in his most recent 31 Thoughts post that although the draft was not top of mind for the league before the season started, the NHL is now open to changing the date of the draft that was announced back in December 2020.

One thing that clubs are reportedly looking to address: scouts feel that they are not able to adequately access prospects (already a challenging process) with so few opportunities to view them in in-game situations.

“One scout was laughing… realizing the last viewing he had of one prospect was a game from last February,” Friedman writes.

Teams Suggest No 2021 NHL Draft, Two in 2022

An intriguing suggestion coming from a couple of unidentified NHL teams is to cancel this year’s edition of the draft in favour of holding two drafts in 2022 in Montreal – with several days in between. Another suggestion is to move the draft back to December or January instead of this July.

One of these drafts would involve players born in 2002-03, while the other would involved players born in 2003-04, Friedman said during the Hockey Night in Canada Headlines segment Jan. 23, noting that it is not clear what the decision will be from the league.

The National Hockey League Player’s Association would have to approve any changes made to the draft and one potential very large downside is that some very talented players could be prevented from playing in the NHL next season.

Next: Senators Coach D.J. Smith Struggling to Balance Young vs. Veteran Roster

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