Gary Bettman set to Ruin Young Hockey Players Dreams By Shortening Draft

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has revealed that the NHLPA plans to push for a shorter NHL draft in the next collective bargaining agreement.

The NHL Draft is a highlight of the offseason, featuring seven rounds where new players get the chance to join the league. However, some agents argue that the lengthy draft is unfair to players who end up not being signed by their drafting teams in rounds 5-7.

Some player agents believe the NHL Draft should be shortened to just 4 rounds, and there's a possibility that the NHLPA could fight for shortening the draft in the next CBA, per @FriedgeHNIC (32TP).

The reasoning is players that don't get contracts are mostly later-round picks, and people (mostly agents) wonder why players get tied to a team for 2-4 years, only to not get a contract from that team.

«They almost think it's like holding up a player from really beginning their NHL career. We'll see what happens there.»

The current CBA expires at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Most successful NHL players come from the early rounds of the draft. But those drafted later still have their rights tied to one team for several seasons, even if they aren't valued as highly.

The NHL Draft will be held June 28/29 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. NHL Board just made it official. This will be the final draft before decentralizing.

Fans and media who love the draft might not welcome these changes. However, a shorter draft could benefit undrafted free agents, giving them the freedom to sign with any team based on their performance.

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