Hockey Home-ward Bound

My plane leaves in a handful of hours and I’ll be heading North towards Everett on my next big adventure. Keep your eyes peeled to this space to read, not only more about hockey, but the adventures I have whilst on my travels.

See you on the other hemisphere side.

Sasky

The Love Affair with World Juniors

“Christmas” (noun) – a day of the year that falls one day before the World Junior Hockey Championship officially starts.

I fell in love with World Juniors during the lock out. I’d only been around hockey for a few years at that point and with internet game streaming practically non-existent at this point (I . . . → Read More: The Love Affair with World Juniors

Naked Shoot Out: Article 8 – A big-Ass Look at Entry Draft Regulations

Article 8 – The Entry Draft

I love the entry draft. All those fresh faced young hockey players, surrounded by their family and friends and still fill of hopes and dreams that GM’s and the real world are just waiting to crush.

My most recent favourite draft moments involve Brian Burke, whether it be watching his soul being crushed as the Kings draft Brayden Schenn and ending his Schenn and Schenn dreams, or the steely glee as he in turn crushes Bryan Murray’s dreams of drafting Nazem Kadri, with a simple “well we’re going to take him”, the draft holds a lot of excitement for those of us who love the jr leagues, and gossiping about what our team’s futures holds.

But what governs the draft?

Article 8.1 sets out that the draft shall be held in June every league year at a date determined by the commissioner. Each draft (8.2) shall consist of 7 rounds, and each of those rounds shall consist of the same number of selections as there shall be clubs in the following league year.

8.3 sets out the guidelines for compensatory draft picks obtained from a loss of a draft pick (they are different rules for loss of a Group III Free agent), requiring that the additional number of picks shall not exceed the number of clubs in the league the following year. The right to a compensatory pick arises if they lose rights to an unsigned draft choice, who was drafted in the first round. This loss of rights cannot arise if the loss is due to their own failure to tender a Bona Fide Offer.

The pick they are granted shall be of the same numerical choice as before but in the 2nd round of the entry draft which immediately follows the date a which the loss of rights occur. A recent example of this was the Phoneix Coyotes and the loss of Blake Wheeler. Whilst the Coyotes made a legitmate Bona Fide Offer to Wheeler, they failed to retain his services on contract (as he wished to run off somewhere other than Phoenix as a FA) and were awarded the 5th pick in the 2nd round as their compensation.

Continue reading Naked Shoot Out: Article 8 – A big-Ass Look at Entry Draft Regulations

Heartbreak Hockey

It’s been a while since I posted, I’ve been caught up with getting ready to go overseas, organising christmas and still working and so forth. One of the things that has been keeping me busy is launching and designing products for my new venture Heartbreak Hockey.

I came up with the idea for HbH . . . → Read More: Heartbreak Hockey

It’s Happening!

It’s really happening. Once again I’m off to the wide world of North America to work with a hockey time. This time it’s the Everett Silvertips of the WHL, my first choice and absolute dream team to be heading to! Doug Soetaert (who’s name gives me so much trouble with spelling) the teams General . . . → Read More: It’s Happening!