Every year in late June, many 18-year olds take the first step towards an NHL career when one of 30 teams calls their name from the draft podium. For many teams that suffered through disappointing seasons, the draft serves as a beacon of hope and an opportunity to add top-level talent for little cost because of the rookie salary cap.
Hockey today is becoming a young man’s game. More and more prospects break into the league as teenagers. 5 players from each of the 2009 and 2010 drafts and 6 from 2008 played an NHL game in their draft year. These kids may not be polished players, but they provide plenty of excitement for the fans and organization at a salary cap-friendly entry-level price.
It is very rare to see a rookie come right in and bolster an already established team’s chance at winning the Stanley Cup. Tyler Seguin was drafted #2 overall by the Boston Bruins less than a year ago and is already helping the Bruins advance through the NHL playoffs. No matter how good a young player is though, they never consistently dominate a late-round playoff series. They say that experience is the greatest teacher and this adage holds especially true when it comes to hockey. Even Sidney Crosby, who’s total package of skills, work ethic, and drive is among the greatest athletes in any sport, took a few playoffs to become able to lead his team to hockey’s holy grail. Many sports fans believe that the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in all of sports, and the playoff atmosphere of the NHL is intensely grueling and difficult to play in even for mature veterans let alone a teenager still getting used to how they should practice, prepare, and perform like a professional.
Rarely are draft-year rookies able to provide an integral part of a championship team, but definitely can as they mature over a season or two.
The 2011 NHL Draft will be held June 24-25th at the Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota and will mark the starting point not only for the teenagers about to be drafted, but also in the rebuilding process of many teams across the league.
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