Offseason 101: The Draft
Welcome back, students! Offseason 101 continues with one of the more exciting parts of any leagues offseason: The Draft. So let’s dive in with some frequently asked questions, shall we.
WHAT AND WHEN IS THE DRAFT?
One of the ways that teams in the NAHL procure players is through the NAHL Entry Draft. The 2013 draft is today (June 4) at 1pm. Each team is allowed to build their “protected list” to 30 players.
WHAT IS THE PROTECTED LIST?
This list combines players eligible to return from last year’s roster, and players who have signed tender agreements, with the number of players drafted. For example, if a team has 10 players returning, and has 10 signed tenders, that team can draft 10 players to build their protected list to 30. As a result, some teams may have more draft picks than others but, by the end of the draft, all teams should have a 30-man list.
Being drafted, however, just like signing a tender, or being a veteran for that matter, does not guarantee a roster spot. The camp process weighs heavily in determining who gets invited to report to Topeka in August.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO BE DRAFTED?
Amateur players who will be less than 21 years of age on December 31st of the upcoming season and who are not listed on an NAHL Club’s roster, or are listed on an NAHL Club's roster but played less than 10 NAHL regular season and/or playoff games during the previous season, and did not accept a tender from an NAHL team prior to the NAHL Entry Draft, are eligible for selection in the NAHL Entry Draft.
HOW IS THE DRAFT ORDER CHOSEN?
Like most leagues, eligible NAHL Clubs shall make selections in each round in reverse order of their finish in the previous seasons regular season standings.
WHERE IS MY TEAM DRAFTING THIS YEAR?
The 2013 NAHL Entry Draft order…
- Minnesota Magicians
- Minnesota Wilderness
- Odessa Jackalopes
- Coulee Region Chill
- Wenatchee Wild
- Michigan Warriors
- Aberdeen Wings
- Janesville Jets
- Minotauros
- Springfield Jr. Blues
- Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Corpus Christi IceRays
- Kenai River Brown Bears
- Johnstown Tomahawks
- Port Huron Fighting Falcons
- Brookings Blizzard
- Texas Tornado
- Bismarck Bobcats
- Fairbanks Ice Dogs
- Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
- Topeka RoadRunners
- Soo Eagles
- Austin Bruins
- Amarillo Bulls
WHERE CAN I FOLLOW THE DRAFT?
The draft will be streaming live at 1pm (CDT). You can watch your favorite team (and by that I mean The Topeka RoadRunners) make their picks by following this link http://nahldraft.com/
Next week, we’ll discuss the next big phase of our offseason: The Chicago Camp. Please be on time for class and if you must bring chewing gum, bring enough for everyone.