Gary Bettman and NHL make major changes to 2025-26 entry draft that changes it all for Chicago

According to Dave Pagnotta of the fourth period one proposal is that general managers, scouts and other NHL officials will not be present in the draft and would be in a war room setting back in their respective arenas.

He also mentioned that the event would still take place but the players present and likely NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to present each player as the selected person.

This take on how the draft may take place has split the opinion between doing it the new way and doing it the old way which many people have been pleased with and are accustomed to over the past number of decades.

He also announced that Los Angeles is the front runner for the 2025 entry draft and will likely take place there, but nothing is official.

I'm of the camp of leaving the draft the way it is as NHL players dream of the idea of walking up those stairs putting on their new jersey and meeting the staff of their new team.