A majority of NHL clubs voted in favor of maintaining the decentralized format for the 2026 NHL Draft, according to a league source confirmed to The Athletic\'s Pierre LeBrun on Sunday.
The 2025 NHL Draft marked the first year the league adopted a decentralized model, breaking from its long-standing tradition of centralized drafts. Prior to the pandemic-affected 2020 and 2021 drafts, the NHL historically held its draft with all team decision makers on an arena floor.
The last in-person draft took place in 2024 at Sphere in Las Vegas. Teams expressed frustration with the old format, citing lack of privacy for internal discussions and calendar proximity to free agency.
Decision Makers Favor New Format
Management preferred the decentralized approach despite criticism of the first round\'s execution this summer. The 2025 draft featured several awkward moments, including virtual interviews between prospects and managers through the \'NHL Draft House\' system.
Ownership supported the change primarily for cost savings benefits. The decentralized format allows teams to operate from their home-based war rooms rather than sending entire front offices to a central location.
\"At the end of the day, all of the prospects were there,\" Philadelphia Flyers second-round pick Shane Vansaghi said. \"We were all getting picked, we were all walking up there and putting on our jerseys and we were all getting drafted into the NHL.\"
NHL Stands Alone Among Major Sports
The decision makes the NHL the only major league without a marquee convention-like event. The MLB has Winter Meetings, the NFL has the draft combine, and the NBA has summer league as signature gatherings.
Despite first-round criticisms, ratings remained strong and the second day flowed significantly better than COVID-era remote drafts. The league has opportunity to improve the day one experience for 2026 based on lessons learned.
The format change represents a shift toward operational efficiency over traditional pageantry. Teams prioritized functional decision-making environments over the television-friendly arena floor setup that previously defined NHL drafts.
Via Pierre LeBrun, Corey Pronman, Jeremy Rutherford/The Athletic