Draft weekend winners and losers

The NHL's annual entry draft is somewhat unique in the world of pro sports. Instead of various teams scattered across the continent sending in picks for a commissioner to read, everyone gathers in one building, with all 30 teams squished together at massive tables on an arena floor to make the picks themselves. It's a system that has its plusses (more trades, at least in theory) and minuses (seriously, guys, shut up with the preamble and just make the pick), but it's rarely boring, and this weekend was no exception.

The biggest star of the opening round was, as expected, top prospect Auston Matthews. He'd been the presumptive top pick all season long, and despite a small measure of intrigue thanks to a late push by Finnish winger Patrik Laine, the top of the draft played out as expected, with Matthews going to the Toronto Maple Leafs and their vaguely insane fan base. The second pick also followed the script, with Laine going to the Jets. That's when things started to go off the rails a bit, and we'll get to that down below.

In the end, the draft may be remembered as much for what didn't happen—remember when P.K. Subban was getting traded?—as for what did. And it may be overshadowed quickly, as we count down the days to Friday's opening of the free agency signing period. More than a few teams headed into the weekend looking to free up cap space for this year's auction; not all succeeded, at least not yet, which could set the stage for an interesting next few days.

One way or another, the league is going to look a lot different a week from today than it does right now. But for today, let's take a look back at the winners, losers and surprises from draft weekend.

Top Five

Celebrating those who've had the best week.

5. Tyson Jost's grandpa—Jost went tenth overall to the Avalanche. It was a nice moment, given the often-difficult path he and his family had followed to get here. Then his grandfather reacted like this, and suddenly everyone's allergies were acting up:

Tyson Jost

— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) June 25, 2016

4. 'Merica—Matthews became the seventh American to be taken first overall, joining the likes of Patrick Kane and Mike Modano (and also Rick DiPietro and Brian Lawton, but let's keep it positive). Two more Americans went in the top seven, and by the end of the round a total of 12 had been picked, equaling the number of Canadians taken and establishing a new US record. Perhaps even more encouraging, the picks weren't limited to the country's usual hockey hot spots, with picks used on players from Arizona and (especially) Missouri.

>> Read the full post at Vice Sports

Setting some draft weekend odds

The NHL is in a Vegas state of mind these days. The league is headed there for Wednesday’s awards show, and it will reportedly announce its intention to stick around, finally confirming the long-rumoured expansion team that will become the city’s first major pro sports franchise.

After that, it will be on to Buffalo for the entry draft. But Sin City is a town that tends to stick with you for a while, so with that in mind, let’s introduce a little Las Vegas flavour as we look ahead to the weekend. Here are a half dozen stories to watch at the draft, along with some betting odds just in case you feel like making a friendly wager or two.

Over/under on trades involving the top seven picks: 0.5

There’s plenty of trade talk heading into the draft, with the rumor mill ramping up and speculation that some of the high picks could be in play. Would the Columbus Blue Jackets really trade the third pick? Could the Edmonton Oilers move the fourth pick to acquire immediate help, particularly on the blue line? Are the Calgary Flames trying to move up from No. 6? And are we completely sure that the Arizona Coyotes won’t make one last Hail Mary attempt to jump up to number one and land local boy Auston Matthews?

It all makes for an intriguing build up. But there’s a problem: we go through this sort of speculation every year, and it almost never amounts to anything. It’s exceedingly rare to see a high pick traded in advance of the draft. According to prosportstransactions.com, we haven’t seen a known top-seven pick traded since 2008, when the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs flipped the fifth and seventh picks as part of the deal that saw Toronto move up to take Luke Schenn. (Picks like the number two overall in 2010 have been traded, but only well in advance, before their position was known.)

That one trade marks the only time that known top seven picks have been traded during the salary cap era; you have to go back to 2004 to find another example (when the Carolina Hurricanes moved up to number four to take Andrew Ladd). As for the sort of deal the Oilers and Blue Jackets are rumoured to be seeking, one that would see them trade the fourth pick primarily to get back a veteran player who could help right away, we haven’t seen that sort of move since 2002, when the Tampa Bay Lightning traded the number four pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for Ruslan Fedotenko and two seconds.

Before the cap, it was relatively common to see high picks dealt; even the first overall pick was traded on the draft floor three times in five years starting in 1999. But as the salary cap took hold and young players on entry level deals emerged as the best value in the league, teams have held onto those high picks. Oh, teams still talk about pulling the trigger on a trade. But then the draft arrives and they never do.

Add it all up, and we’ll probably get all sorts of smoke over the next few days, but our odds of finding any actual fire are slim. Maybe this is the year the dams burst and we get some deals. But for now, take the under on this one.

>> Read the full post at Sportsnet

The top secret itinerary from the NHL draft combine

While the eyes of the hockey world have been focused on the Stanley Cup final, the Sharks and Penguins weren’t the only players under a spotlight this week.

The annual NHL Scouting Combine has been going on all week in Buffalo, and it will wrap up Saturday with 114 of the world’s top draft-eligible prospects expected to gather for a day of fitness testing and other events designed to help teams make their final evaluations.

While portions of the proceedings are open to the media, much of day’s events take place behind closed doors, and would typically remain a mystery to the average fan. Luckily, DGB spies were able to infiltrate this year’s combine and obtain a copy of the top secret itinerary waiting for each of the attending prospects.

We’re publishing it here for the public; read it now before the NHL’s lawyers find out and make us take it down.

9:00 a.m. – Welcome and opening remarks. Commissioner Gary Bettman welcomes the prospects to the day's events, briefly runs through the day's schedule, and asks if anyone has any questions.

9:01 a.m. – A clearly exasperated Bettman explains that no, he still does not have any updates on a timetable for Las Vegas expansion.

9:30 a.m. – Workshop: "So you've been drafted by Edmonton."

In this interactive workshop, prospects will practice hearing their names called by the Oilers until they can ensure that they won't make any facial expressions that the media in every other city will interpret as unhappiness and talk about until the end of time. Special guest appearance by Connor McDavid.

10:00 a.m. – Combine test: Weight-Lifting.

Prospects will demonstrate their ability to lift 150 lbs of barbells with their arms and chest, with the exception of Auston Matthews, who will instead be offered the opportunity to lift 49 years of one city's neurosis onto his back.

10:30 a.m. – Combine test: Wingate Ergometer Test.

In this infamous stationary cycling exercise, prospects will demonstrate their anaerobic fitness levels by pedaling at maximum speed and resistance for as long as possible in an exhausting test of personal endurance. Please note that any prospects who score poorly will immediately be subject to criticism and ridicule from the assembled collection of media members who just got winded lunging for the last cookie in the lunchroom.

11:00 a.m. – Combine test: Standing Long Jump and Vertical Leap.

Prospects will take turns measuring their leaping ability through a variety of events, culminating in an attempt to grab an envelope taped to the ceiling which contains an explanation of why exactly anyone should care about how high or far a hockey player can jump.

>> Read the full post at Sportsnet