Even Gary Bettman, the Queens, New York native, cracked a smile at what is a highlight on the hockey calendar: the NHL Entry Draft.
And although Bettman announced to the New Jersey hosts that this would be a “home game” for the NHL Commissioner, he still heard the boos. They booed when he announced a trade in the first round that involved the host team’s city.
“I think you’re gonna want to hear this,” he said through a Cheshire cat grin.
With that, Cory Schneider was traded to the Devils for New Jersey’s first round pick. Roberto Luongo remained a Canuck and the hockey world was stunned.
The Vancouver Canucks goaltending drama was good Canadian television for over a year and it took a sudden and unthinkable turn last Sunday. Luongo had mentally divorced himself from the organization long ago and was assured by General Manager Mike Gillis that he would one day be spared of his controversial role in Vancouver.
Luongo found out minutes before Bettman took the stage. He declined interviews with TSN.
A New Page
The NHL Draft is one of the best offseason events in sport.
It’s the one day where hope is alive for all 30 teams. Families get to watch as goals are reached and futures projected for their sons. Some fathers of this year’s draftees had played notable careers in the NHL, CFL, NFL, and NBA. Most parents have put all of their time and money in to their children only to see their entire future flash before their eyes on draft day.
But this day of opportunity is not kind to all concerned. Some go home undrafted. Some go un-traded. And some teams change course in an instant.
The first surprise of the day came not when Nathan MacKinnon was drafted first overall. Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic had announced days before that it was his intention to select MacKinnon.
It was when defenceman Seth Jones, projected by many to be selected first, fell not to second or third, but to fourth choice in the draft. Jones was being called a can’t-miss pick, with comparisons made to generational players like Chris Pronger.
That Colorado had passed on Jones was a story in itself. They are weak on defence and Jones seemed to fill an organizational need. Jones even grew up in Denver, so it would have made a nice story as well.
Instead, Florida chose Finland’s Aleksander Barkov in the two spot while Tampa Bay took Canadian Jonathan Drouin at No. 3. Jones looked visibly surprised, shrugging off looks from those around him in the arena.
Then Nashville Predators GM David Poile was all too happy to replace the void left by free agent Ryan Suter who left unceremoniously for Minnesota in search of a massive, long-term contract. With Shea Weber and goaltender Pekka Rinne, the Predators look set for life on defence while Colorado, Florida, and Tampa selected scoring forwards.
Once the dust settled, the stage was set for the Schneider trade.
After over a year of Luongo trade rumors and the revelation from the goalie himself that his contract “sucks,” he is left to pick up the pieces of this disaster for Gillis and the Canucks.
This is a complete mismanagement of both goaltenders and their relationship with the team. Luongo is betrayed yet remains at the scene of the crime, while Schneider who was poised to take over from his elder teammate finds himself the backup of yet another all-world, albeit 41-year old, goalie in Martin Brodeur.
The new financial realities of the NHL made moving Luongo’s contract difficult. Gillis, however, will not be spared criticism as someone who should have foreseen these realities take shape in the months before the lockout of 2012.
This is a manager who has previously led with reason, logic, and a steady hand. Now, coupled with the questionable hiring of media-repellent John Tortorella, Gillis may have carved out his own fate by mishandling this situation.
Other Canadian Teams
The rest of the Canadian teams were able to fly under the radar with varying degrees of success on draft day. The Maple Leafs addressed their needs at the center position by drafting the hulking Frederick Gauthier and trading for Dave Bolland of the recently-crowned Chicago Blackhawks.
“I’ve never seen a kid get back and play defense like he does in 20 years,” said Central Scouting’s Chris Bordeleau about Gauthier. Bolland is also known for his defensive prowess and the two transactions may spell the end of center the unsigned Tyler Bozak who, according to TSN on Tuesday, asked for an eight-year contract with Toronto.
Calgary and Montreal swam in draft choices early on with the Flames making three selections in the first round while the Canadiens chose three in the second.
The Edmonton Oilers, after years of drafting top-ranked forwards, chose Canadian defenseman Darnell Nurse.
There was a belief by many that changes in the NHL’s salary cap structure would prompt significant trades like the Schneider to New Jersey deal. That trade would be the highlight however.
The Blackhawks, much like in 2010 after their last championship, had to unload players in order to stay below the cap. Bolland was shipped to Toronto while Michael Frolik joined former Hawks Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd in Winnipeg.
This allowed them to sign playoff-standout Bryan Bickell to an expensive four-year, $16 million contract. Bickel played the best hockey of his career in the 2013 playoffs but will have trouble living up to the expectations that his salary will bring.
The biggest winners of the draft though were likely the Devils fans in New Jersey. They delighted in booing Bettman, they chanted “Marty’s better” to Colorado’s Patrick Roy, and watched as their veteran hero Brodeur received his heir-apparent in Schneider.
And just to show the class that the New Jersey organization has, GM Lou Lamoriello brought Brodeur down to the draft floor to announce the selection of his son, goaltender Anthony Brodeur in the final round. If Schneider didn’t already feel like a third wheel...
In keeping with tradition, Bettman greeted each first round draft choice on stage this weekend. Yet, despite his ominous presence, the NHL knows how to pull off an event like this.
It is a day when lives and careers are changed in an instant. MacKinnon joins a long list of former first overall draft picks like Mario Lemieux and Patrick Kane.
Seth Jones arrives in the NHL with much to prove to those who passed on him. And the saga in Vancouver does not end but takes a turn instead.
Friday’s free agency period will spell the end of the NHL season proper, but the draft nevertheless has the feeling of the last day of school.
And while some will be unhappy with the result, most go home with a renewed sense of hope for next year.
Joe Pack has written for TheHockeyWriters.com, is a member of the Society for International Hockey Research and has his own blog at www.upperbodyinquiry.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoePack
