A new report from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman has confirmed that the NHLPA is going to push for the NHL draft to be shortened when the next collective bargaining agreement is made.

The NHL Draft is one of the most beloved events of the NHL offseason. Seeing 7 rounds of new players be selected and given an opportunity to come into the NHL is a special moment. However, some agents around the NHL are pushing for the draft to be shortened because it creates an unfair disadvantage for players teams are not going to sign.

Some player agents believe the NHL Draft should be shortened to just 4 rounds, and there’s a possibility that the NHLPA could fight for shortening the draft in the next CBA, per @FriedgeHNIC (32TP).

The reasoning is players that don’t get contracts are mostly later-round picks, and people (mostly agents) wonder why players get tied to a team for 2-4 years, only to not get a contract from that team.

«They almost think it’s like holding up a player from really beginning their NHL career. We’ll see what happens there.»

The current CBA expires at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Most players who are successful after being drafted come from the first few rounds of the NHL Draft. Regardless players who are not valued as highly still have their rights locked into one team for several seasons. With the NHL Draft making changes after this season to decentralize the teams to their own locations it feels like more changes are now on the horizon.

The NHL Draft will be held June 28/29 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. NHL Board just made it official. This will be the final draft before decentralizing.

For fans of the draft and those in the media who cover the event, these changes will likely not be looked upon kindly. However, it could create an environment where more undrafted free agents who play well can determine their own path and sign with a new team.