2025 draft in LA

[davnlaguna]

Source: NHL draft set for L.A., to have new format

The 2025 NHL draft, which is moving to a decentralized format, will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles in June, a source confirmed to ESPN.

www.espn.com

The draft this summer will be in LA.
Not at Crypto but in theater across the street.
Teams will stay in their own city and call the pick in.
Top prospects are encouraged to attend.
Fans MIGHT get to attend.

I worked (volunteered at the 2010 draft.
Worked the Upper Deck booth. Met Taylor Hall and family because his brother hung out at the booth all day getting free packs of cards.
Dusting Brown spent some time signing pictures.

Kings picked Forbort

First day was crowded second day was empty.

I could see Luc trying to turn it into a carnival at LA Live area. Have bands and giveaways and bounce house. He wanted more in 2010 but the NHL said they wanted the focus inside.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Just read the whole article, I would went if it was the standard format. That would be cool to see all the organizations, the hopeful prospects, the buzz and excitement, etc but no way if it's decentralized. May as well sit on the couch at home although I don't watch the draft except for the first round and specifically when the Kings are up.

I guess I could sit in the stands solo and pretend one of these teams are going to draft me and go bananas when some other dude's name is called and start screaming "I can't believe I made the NHL!" just to mess with whoever does attend.

Sounds like it will be a very empty place.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Laguna D, that sounds like a lot of fun. How did you get to volunteer?

 

[davnlaguna]

Laguna D, that sounds like a lot of fun. How did you get to volunteer?

Got an email from kings looking for people. Duck loving wife actually saw the email. Went up a week before to interview. First the assigned us to stand by the trophies. Got to met Phil the cup keeper. The wife was taking a picture of her team on the cup and he offered to let her hold the cup but not raise it above her waist. She touched it but was too scared to pick it up. Told me I could after the Kings won one. After that but before they let the people in we were moved to upper deck.
We basically played a game where kids learned to saucer passes into a target and they won packs of cards. Taylor Hall’s brother just dominated the game. He spend a ton of time getting packs. Brought the whole family by at the end of the first day to show them where he got all the cards. Nice family.
Still have the shirt they (NHL)gave us.

 

[LAKINGSFAN]

Just read the whole article, I would went if it was the standard format. That would be cool to see all the organizations, the hopeful prospects, the buzz and excitement, etc but no way if it's decentralized. May as well sit on the couch at home although I don't watch the draft except for the first round and specifically when the Kings are up.

I guess I could sit in the stands solo and pretend one of these teams are going to draft me and go bananas when some other dude's name is called and start screaming "I can't believe I made the NHL!" just to mess with whoever does attend.

Sounds like it will be a very empty place.

That would be hilarious. There should be a bunch of us sitting together and when the name gets called we all jump up and start high 5 you.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

That would be hilarious. There should be a bunch of us sitting together and when the name gets called we all jump up and start high 5 you.

Dressed to the nines like prospects, take whoever is there with us for drinks to celebrate my "drafting" and leave them with the tab...

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Man, I didn't know all that. Way to do it big, NHL. Have everyone draft remotely and still ask prospects to show up? There is a massive shift back from work from home, so this makes even less sense.

Every year I am watching the NFL Draft grow and grow and grow. They were so close to doing the NFL Draft out front of the Bellagio, and then every 1st round pick would get on a small boat and ride across the water to the draft podium. Like BIG ideas. Then the NHL is like "Yeah, a few guys are meeting for beers across the street from the hockey arena if anyone wants to come". The draft is, in so many ways, the culmination of "Making it" for so many families and seeing all their hard work and sacrifice pay off. Sorta crushing that in a big way. At least for the first round guys.

Anyway, yeah I might still go since it's here. haha

 

[PuckinUgly57]

The draft is a massive expense of time, money and resources so I understand the logic behind it but to me that's the cost of doing business.

Too expensive? Budget for it a year before. Staff is scouting? Fly them in for the weekend unless absolutely necessary. Things like that are just the beginning, you have lodging, transportation, etc.

I agree that this is the moment these prospects have waited for, the parents leaving at 4am for a 6am practice and getting into work a little later, a dad working OT to give his kid the best possible equipment, lessons and what not to help him achieve his goal and to take that away...not cool.

And this is why the NHL will always be the red headed step brother of the other 3 major sports. Way to go NHL.