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Gary Bettman and NHL admit major mistake with Draft and make correction


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Liam McCormick
June 2, 2025  (8:59 PM)
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Gary Bettman speaking to media
Photo credit: USA Today Sports

The NHL will host its first partly virtual draft this season, but Gary Bettman and GMs have already realized their mistake, and will correct for next season.

The NHL announced the decision to hold a decentralized draft last season - meaning NHL teams or prospects will gather in one arena, it will be held virtually.

Gary Bettman and NHL correct horrible decentralized draft mistake

According to a new report by Elliotte Friedman, everyone inside the NHL has already realized they made a mistake, and the Draft will return to an in-person event next season.
NHL teams pushed for a decentralized draft during the COVID seasons, and it's something other sports leagues have implemented as well. It would allow teams to stay in their war rooms at home to make critical draft decisions, but having an online draft has major drawbacks too.
First off, the NHL is bound to lose revenue they would've otherwise made at the draft this season. Fans buy tickets to attend what can be a franchise-altering event, and plenty more watch on TV. This is entirely erased with a virtual draft, and the TV product will surely be worse too.

Bettman himself hated idea to change NHL draft

Not only that, but GMs, Scouts, Coaches, and Prospects all won't be gathering in one building. There's immense value in the conversations that take place on draft weekend, and the decentralized draft also entirely eliminates that possibility.
Speaking in a recent interview, Bettman revealed that NHL teams insisted on this change, but hinted that he despised the idea - and believes teams are changing their minds too.
This is what the clubs said they wanted. A number of them said maybe we should (change back). But if there's a desire to go back because the clubs miss each other and miss being on the floor together, we'll put it back to a vote again.

- Gary Bettman

There were literally no benefits to a decentralized draft other than saving on travel costs and using a desktop instead of a laptop.
It was a ridiculous change by the NHL, but thankfully, they didn't even have to hold the event to realize their error.
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Gary Bettman and NHL admit major mistake with Draft and make correction

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