The NHL is planning on keeping the NHL Draft decentralized for next season.

Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman first reported on Thursday that a vote was being held amongst NHL teams about the future of the NHL Draft, and whether or not they intended to continue with it being decentralized, or if they wanted to revert back to the previous format. Friedman said at the time that, barring a wild swing from the few remaining voters, that the teams were planning on continuing with the decentralized draft.

Since then, multiple outlets have confirmed that the vote has been completed, with the decision being in favour of keeping the draft decentralized.

Teams made the decision in 2024 to switch to a decentralized draft format, with the primary reason being saving money. Teams did not want to send out entire scouting teams to one set location and pay for accommodations, and instead found it more efficient to make their decisions in their offices in their respective cities. Along with that, NHL GMs thought that it helped the team focus more.

Prior to that, all 32 teams would travel to the selected location of the draft each year, and make their picks on the floor. With all teams being there, it would often allow other teams to converse with each other more easily, and create more opportunities for trades.

There were other recent instances of the NHL using the decentralized format, as they had to use it for the 2020 and 2021 Drafts during the COVID-19 pandemic for safety purposes.

The decentralized format came with much scrutiny from NHL fans and media, as they felt like the decentralized process slowed down the process and that it took teams longer to make their selections, particularly in the first round. They also found the presentation to be very awkward, particularly the “Draft House” where players had wooden interviews with the team that selected them, with several instances of shaky connections on the team’s end.

That said, there is an avenue where a decentralized draft can work. If the league learns from their mistakes this year, cleans up the presentation, and actually strictly enforces the three-minute time limit between picks, it could work for a smoother draft than this year.

Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.