LONGLEY: What was NHL thinking with ridiculous draft format?

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What was NHL thinking with idiotic format that set league's entry draft back decades?

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Article content One of the highlights (low bar, admittedly) of the spectacularly ridiculous NHL entry draft on Friday night came when comedian Adam Sandler announced the Boston Bruins choice with the seventh overall pick in the opening round.

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Article content The joke, however, was on the league and its idiotic decision to effectively ruin the presentation of one of its signature events.

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Article content With representatives from teams not on site in Los Angeles for the first time and the traditional meet and greet between player and management done remotely, well, you just knew there were going to be cringe-worthy moments. And on cue, seconds after Happy Gilmore himself announced James Hagens as the Bruins prized selection, there may as well have been a laugh track. Once on stage, the Boston College product walked into something called the Draft House — don’t ask — to look at a group of Bruins executives beamed in via Zoom from Boston. And look was all Hagens could do.

Article content What was supposed to be an emotional welcome to the NHL moment instead turned awkward, thanks to technical difficulties that muted those Boston staffers presumably excited with their newest would-be star. So instead of an attempt at legit emotion, Hagens sheepishly waved at the screen and said “thanks for drafting me.”

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Article content It got worse, as absurd moments stacked up on each other. It was unclear who the NHL could possibly have identified as a target audience that would appreciate what was happening, but from bizarre to juvenile, the misses were many. Awkwardness was always going to be part of the show when the NHL went for cheap and contrived by opting for its “decentralized” draft format for the first time, allowing GMs and their vast hockey operations departments to work from home, essentially. Unfortunately it set one of the league’s signature events back decades with a futile format bordering on embarrassment. It sucked the emotion out of what was a dream sequence for every young hockey player with NHL aspirations. It muted the excitement of the respective fan bases, given the cold and awkward approach to unveiling their new talents.

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Article content And don’t even begin to think about how whatever that was compares with one of the true must-watch TV events of the year for football fans, the NFL draft. The main event itself was held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles where commissioner Gary Bettman was live, as were the first-round picks. But once a player was drafted and on stage, and sauntered into that inane Draft House for a contrived video interview with his new employers, it tended to go off the rails — at best — and fail spectacularly at worst. There was a clear delay for second overall pick Michael Misa who tried (and largely failed) to have a conversation with his new GM, Mike Grier. Awkward. There was a nasty echo when Utah’s pick Caleb Desnoyers tried to talk with the Mammoth brass, requiring the host to repeat the question. Change the channel.

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Article content And on it went. Production wise, Sportsnet made the best of a poor situation stacked against producing great TV, circumstances largely out of their control. Host David Amber kept things moving in the fast-paced show, quick analysis was imparted from Sam Cosentino and solid interviewing came from Ailish Forfar who made the best of the prime assignment. The draft show itself wasn’t without some big moments, the emotional zenith coming when Meredith Gaudreau, widow of the late Columbus star Johnny Gaudreau, was called upon to announce the Blue Jackets’ first pick at No. 14 overall. “My greatest honour is representing him,” an emotional and strong Meredith Gaudreau said as she held it together as chants of “Johnny, Johnny” rang out in the theatre. “I’d like to thank every single team and every single fan base (for their support). It’s truly an honour to be here.”

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Article content Read More How the first round of the 2025 NHL draft went down LEAFS NOTES: Experiencing a long-distance draft, and a new job for Rick Vaive Of course, one can only imagine how powerful that appearance would have been had it taken place in the traditional format for the draft, in an arena packed with hockey fans. The other emotional highlight of the night belonged to the first overall pick Matthew Schaefer and his tribute to his late mother Jennifer, who died in February of 2024. The Islanders adding a cancer ribbon to his jersey was a tug-at-the-heartstrings touch of class. Those moments aside, in making a decision to diminish the impact and potential of a signature moment in one of the most important weeks in the hockey calendar, the NHL pretty much got what it deserved — something to be ridiculed and mocked by fans of their sport and others alike. It was a bust for viewers and a calamity for the league. But the biggest losers? The first-round picks and their families denied the full-on experience and emotion of what should have been one of the best moments of their young hockey lives. RECOMMENDED VIDEO We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

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