Protected Draft Picks

[Cairo]

Unlike the NBA, I don't think I have ever seen an NHL team trade a draft pick with stipulations (such as a "2010 1st rounder, Top 5 protected".

Pardon my ignorance, but is this something that the NHL allows in trades?


If so, I wonder if Burke could have possible made a trade of this nature with the Kessel acquisition. I think it's fairly rediculous that we could potentially end up losing two 1st overall picks for a player who isn't even worth one.

I think if we could have protected the picks, then perhaps we could have thrown in an additional 3rd or 4th rounder as further compensation for Kessel.


I feel that the ability to protect draft picks would dramatically increase future trades in the NHL.

[Hobo Gonzolez]

I cannot find any case where a team protected a pick. However, I could have missed something, and I have never seen a rule against it.