The Relic - the NHL Draft

Eric over at Off Wing lets beknown his feelings on the NHL Draft after reading a John Buccigross article telling the tale of what may be to come for the NHL.

Ah, yes, the NHL Entry Draft, hands down the most boring draft* of the four major team sports. If anyone from the NHL is reading, please take a hint and hire somebody new to produce this show for you.Why? In short, the program just takes way too long. For some unknown reason, just about every team comes to the podium with three or more front office people in tow, and inevitably, they have to say something sweet about the city that's hosting the draft.

Sure, it's ever so nice . . . And ever so unecessary.

How true is this? How PAINFULLY true is this? I've watched the NHL Draft for years with interest compared to the NFL draft and each year it bores me out of my mind - even when the Lightning held the #1 pick.

There is a certain aristocratic pomp-and-cirumstance that the NHL tries to gloss over the Draft with along with attempting to make their old fashioned wooden draft board look something less antiquated than it happens to be.

Add the arena setting to the draft - the cavernous shells that double as tombs, where the excitement and hype of the draft remain abscent and lost amid the great expanses of emptiness - and you've got all the makings of how not to retain fan interest in the draft.

I'm not calling for an overstuffed, overhyped NFL draft like show, but there has to be something better than the antique roadshow that is the NHL Draft... Something that looks more 21st century but not a production entirely made for TV. Something that is smaller and more elaborate, but with less ego-fluffing by team executives after a pick is made. Something more informative for fans that aren't in Canada and aren't exposed to players in the draft on a regular basis.