The athletic and 2027 expansion draft

[BalotelliMassive]

Phoenix also on the list…

wow

I don’t even know how to respond to this…. What is the thought process besides growing population?

[The Average Gatsby]

Phoenix also on the list…

wow

I don’t even know how to respond to this…. What is the thought process besides growing population?

Phoenix is seen as one of the best sports markets in the country or something. I’m not sure what the metrics are but I remember talk about returning to Phoenix basically as soon as the coyotes moved.

[blues2112]

Hell, just go watch a game from 1988 (22 team league) and watch a game now and tell me which game features more talented players.

It's not even close.

As much as Bettman and Co. irritate me, absolutely applaud the mitigation of the boring skill-less clutching, grabbing and hooking. Is it too soft at times? Sure.

The speed is remarkable. Goalies are otherworldly athletic. Dissolution of two-line offsides greatly opened play.

[UMR-alum-05]

Hell, just go watch a game from 1988 (22 team league) and watch a game now and tell me which game features more talented players.

It's not even close.

As much as Bettman and Co. irritate me, absolutely applaud the mitigation of the boring skill-less clutching, grabbing and hooking. Is it too soft at times? Sure.

The speed is remarkable. Goalies are otherworldly athletic. Dissolution of two-line offsides greatly opened play.

He's making a point I wasnt even arguing. So there's that

[UMR-alum-05]

Going to end up watering down the league big time.

Already can't find enough quality centers or defenders.

There’s plenty of talent out there. Some guys will get a chance to be full time NHL players..that’s a good thing.
I’m looking forward to the expansion

The talent in the league is going to get diluted. That's what is the inevitable result of team expansion

That statement is said every time they do expansion, yet the league is better is doing better than ever.

It's said because it's true. More AHL level players and SHL, KHL etc...will be in the NHL. That's just reality.

There are plenty of guys that are capable of playing in the NHL that aren’t there yet. These expansion teams will be be filled with mostly current NHL players. Every team in the league has multiple prospects that are NHL caliber to replace players. The “watered down” statement just really isn’t true.

Operative word here is prospects.

Are you really trying to tell me the NHL is a better league if the Blues lost Buchnevich to an expansion draft and had to play Carbonneau in his place next season?

That's basically what you just argued for above.

I'll go ahead and disagree.

You can disagree, but you would be wrong. You should look into this if you don’t believe us.

The Blues are not better without Buchnevich and with Carbonneau at this juncture. I don't need to look into it. The league isn't better either if you repeat this scenario 30+ times.

Carry on believing that. To just assume the NHL is a better league if teams lose their veterans and call up their prospects is not realistic as a blanket assumption

I’m not giving you my opinion. I’m telling you that this is a known thing that gets debated every time the league expands. The general consensus is that there are so many more people that play high level hockey and the skill level is so much higher than it used to be that the league can expand without a noticeable drop off in talent. That probably wouldn’t be the case if the league were double in size overnight but that’s not the scale we are talking about.

What general consensus. Get on man. I don't mind engaging with you but this is ridiculous.

Bud, you’re the only person on this board kvetching about a diluted talent pool. I can’t find any articles from major hockey publications that agree with you. Hell, just go watch a game from 1988 (22 team league) and watch a game now and tell me which game features more talented players.

Here’s Chris Johnston in the athletic from October. It’s just a Q & A but it’s the first question that’s asked.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/674395 ... -ios-share

I never whined about it.

I said expanding the league will dilute the talent pool.

I said it would put more players currently in the AHL, SHL and KHL into the NHL.

For some reason you and others want to argue that factual point over and over and over again. Then bring up bizarre things like games from 1988.

I never once said I was against the expansion of the league.

[brianstlou2]

I never whined about it.

I said expanding the league will dilute the talent pool.

I said it would put more players currently in the AHL, SHL and KHL into the NHL.

For some reason you and others want to argue that factual point over and over and over again. Then bring up bizarre things like games from 1988.

I never once said I was against the expansion of the league.

I agree with those that say it’s not going to dilute the league where you will see a difference. People say dilution every expansion, but did you see it when Seattle or Vegas came into the league? I think maybe you are arguing over semantics bc I think everyone would agree there would be some dilution, however not enough to notice.

Regarding the Buch vs Carboneau if the draft were held this offseason, the better example is having Stenberg in the lineup instead of Buch. I don’t think the team is much better or worse with Sten in the lineup every day. Goalie may be the only position that doesn’t have enough talent as is, however you are basically only opening up 1 or 2 new starting jobs at most. But reality is the league could use more goals so maybe it actually helps.

[noted]

I'm not a subscriber so I can't read the article, but, what the actual [fork]? How bored is The Athletic staff? There is no 2027 expansion draft. The only group close enough is choosing between Houston or Austin and neither of those cities has an NHL building. Atlanta is still in the planning stages. By the time expansion is announced we may have a roster full of studs, and Buch could be retired.

one, it is that time a year and two, there have been reports as early as next season, but more than likely the season after.

Where have there been reports that there could be an expansion draft as early as next year? I don’t mind this topic and enjoy expansion discussion, but can’t fathom there could be an expansion draft in a year or even 2.

[Pierre McGuire]

I'm not a subscriber so I can't read the article, but, what the actual [fork]? How bored is The Athletic staff? There is no 2027 expansion draft. The only group close enough is choosing between Houston or Austin and neither of those cities has an NHL building. Atlanta is still in the planning stages. By the time expansion is announced we may have a roster full of studs, and Buch could be retired.

one, it is that time a year and two, there have been reports as early as next season, but more than likely the season after.

Where have there been reports that there could be an expansion draft as early as next year? I don’t mind this topic and enjoy expansion discussion, but can’t fathom there could be an expansion draft in a year or even 2.

Owners are pushing hard for this to get done. A real good chance that we could be talking about an expansion draft next year but my guess is that there will be one for 28 and one for 29. Houston/Austin and then Atlanta. They are targeting 4 more teams. The two above before 2030 and then two more after and one of those two will likely be in Arizona. NHL wants those TV markets in Atlanta, Arizona, and likely Houston.

[noted]

I'm not a subscriber so I can't read the article, but, what the actual [fork]? How bored is The Athletic staff? There is no 2027 expansion draft. The only group close enough is choosing between Houston or Austin and neither of those cities has an NHL building. Atlanta is still in the planning stages. By the time expansion is announced we may have a roster full of studs, and Buch could be retired.

one, it is that time a year and two, there have been reports as early as next season, but more than likely the season after.

Where have there been reports that there could be an expansion draft as early as next year? I don’t mind this topic and enjoy expansion discussion, but can’t fathom there could be an expansion draft in a year or even 2.

Owners are pushing hard for this to get done. A real good chance that we could be talking about an expansion draft next year but my guess is that there will be one for 28 and one for 29. Houston/Austin and then Atlanta. They are targeting 4 more teams. The two above before 2030 and then two more after and one of those two will likely be in Arizona. NHL wants those TV markets in Atlanta, Arizona, and likely Houston.

Fair enough. I could see them awarding a team within a year. I still don't think there would be an expansion draft in the next year and still unlikely even 2 years from now but we'll see. Would love for someone to "snag" Buch or Fowler...

[Pierre McGuire]

I'm not a subscriber so I can't read the article, but, what the actual [fork]? How bored is The Athletic staff? There is no 2027 expansion draft. The only group close enough is choosing between Houston or Austin and neither of those cities has an NHL building. Atlanta is still in the planning stages. By the time expansion is announced we may have a roster full of studs, and Buch could be retired.

one, it is that time a year and two, there have been reports as early as next season, but more than likely the season after.

Where have there been reports that there could be an expansion draft as early as next year? I don’t mind this topic and enjoy expansion discussion, but can’t fathom there could be an expansion draft in a year or even 2.

Owners are pushing hard for this to get done. A real good chance that we could be talking about an expansion draft next year but my guess is that there will be one for 28 and one for 29. Houston/Austin and then Atlanta. They are targeting 4 more teams. The two above before 2030 and then two more after and one of those two will likely be in Arizona. NHL wants those TV markets in Atlanta, Arizona, and likely Houston.

Fair enough. I could see them awarding a team within a year. I still don't think there would be an expansion draft in the next year and still unlikely even 2 years from now but we'll see. Would love for someone to "snag" Buch or Fowler...

I heard that the push from the owners is to get at least the first two done before the CBA expires in 2030 because the expansion fees won’t count as HRR, therefore meaning they don’t have to share that with the players.

[TBone]

Regarding the Buch vs Carboneau if the draft were held this offseason, the better example is having Stenberg in the lineup instead of Buch. I don’t think the team is much better or worse with Sten in the lineup every day.

No disrespect here... I'm as solidly on board of trading Buch if the right deal came along, but to say Stenberg is already the equal or near equal of Buchnevich is lunacy. Buch is the definition of perrenial 20 goal scorer while Sten barely has his ears wet. If Stenberg were to reach Buchnevich's career we'd all be doing handsprings.

Buchnevich is currently overpaid, yes. Slightly now with the rising cap, but he's been a really solid pro.

[clemonsonroots]

I'm not a subscriber so I can't read the article, but, what the actual [fork]? How bored is The Athletic staff? There is no 2027 expansion draft. The only group close enough is choosing between Houston or Austin and neither of those cities has an NHL building. Atlanta is still in the planning stages. By the time expansion is announced we may have a roster full of studs, and Buch could be retired.

one, it is that time a year and two, there have been reports as early as next season, but more than likely the season after.

Where have there been reports that there could be an expansion draft as early as next year? I don’t mind this topic and enjoy expansion discussion, but can’t fathom there could be an expansion draft in a year or even 2.

Owners are pushing hard for this to get done. A real good chance that we could be talking about an expansion draft next year but my guess is that there will be one for 28 and one for 29. Houston/Austin and then Atlanta. They are targeting 4 more teams. The two above before 2030 and then two more after and one of those two will likely be in Arizona. NHL wants those TV markets in Atlanta, Arizona, and likely Houston.

Really sucks for us. We have an advantage over a lot of teams over the next 5 to 6 years with so many guys on team friendly contracts. This should enable us to add quality throughout the lineup...however, with those looming drafts over the next 3 to 4 years, we will lose our ability to carry and hold additional players at the level of the guys we have thus negating some of that advantage.