Post by Derrick - Senators on Jul 8, 2012 13:51:49 GMT -5
*PLEASE READ THREAD IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE VOTING*
I know the eliminating the trading of keeper slots has come up before, but each time there has been a gap in voting, not everyone has voted, and/or we have had a vacant GM spot.
With that said, I also feel as though some GM's are uninformed/aren't grasping the concept or are just voting out of personal bias one way or the other.
The main issue with allowing keeper slots to be traded is the vicious cycle that occurs every year. The rich get richer and the poor are stuck in a never ending "rebuild," unable to compete with the top half of the league ("top-half" is generous, whereas there are only 2-3 teams that actually have a shot at winning each year). This will never change, until the system changes.
What I mean by "continuous rebuild" is this. Teams who don't make the playoffs usually have a healthy crop of young players. 99% of the time these young players don't reach their full potential before prospect/minor league eligibility is up, forcing a GM to use a keeper slot on said player (or not). With so much young talent on one roster at once (like rebuilding teams have) these players run out of eligibility at roughly the same time, and before reaching full potential. As a result, a wealth of talent is lost from these young/bottom half teams because A.) the GM doesn't think the player is keeper worthy because maximum potential hasn't been reached B.) too many young players run out of eligibility at the same and similarly, C.) because the GM doesn't have a keeper slot to keep said player because the GM traded it away earlier in the year because he didn't think he was going to need it (or for whatever other reason).
The above wouldn't be SO bad by itself, however, the trading of keeper slots to a top 6 team allows the top 6 team to keep the likes of Iginla, Backes, Chara, Edler, Clowe, Datsyuk, Thornton, M. Richards, James van Reimsdyk, Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, Evander Kane, etc etc. Thus weakening the impending waiver draft significantly (the only way teams in the league can immediately get better), for everyone, especially the bottom 6 teams who are looking to add an integral piece or pieces to their teams.
Not only do these top teams get to keep these top players, but more often than not, the young talent (on the cusp of a breakout) is picked up in the already weakened waiver draft, (most/some of the above players would be available in the waiver draft had not been for a keeper slot trade) by the top 6 teams. And of course these young players go on to have breakout seasons. As was the case for Jordan Staal who was dropped by Montreal (now Colorado), drafted by San Jose in the Waiver draft the following year. Montreal also lost Suter. Columbus (now Carolina) lost Bryzgalov, Callahan from Detroit to Calgary, Perron to Calgary, Mike Smith to Boston, Wheeler, Wideman, Simmonds, Hartnell, and on and on, are just some examples of talent lost from bottom 6 teams (as a result of trading keeper slots) that were acquired the following year by top 6 teams in the waiver draft (in addition to the superstar/s the they already kept as a result of acquiring a keeper slot)
And all for what? Some entry picks? Depth players? Some prospects to overload their already crowded prospect pool on their farms, so that the above process can be repeated in a season or two? Like I said, it is a vicious cycle and severely damaging the league.
I am one of the top 6 teams that the trading of keeper slots greatly benefits. However, I realize the need for parity, and more importantly the need to have fun (isn't that why we all do this?), so I am willing to sacrifice a little bit for the betterment of the league. And that is really all this is about. I hope everyone can see that, and understand what is happening. I, for one, want to see a different team win the NAFHL championship every year, or at least if not, see a fun, healthy, and competitive season/playoffs en route to claiming a champion. Eliminating the trading of keeper slots brings us one step closer to that goal.
Please vote now.
I know the eliminating the trading of keeper slots has come up before, but each time there has been a gap in voting, not everyone has voted, and/or we have had a vacant GM spot.
With that said, I also feel as though some GM's are uninformed/aren't grasping the concept or are just voting out of personal bias one way or the other.
The main issue with allowing keeper slots to be traded is the vicious cycle that occurs every year. The rich get richer and the poor are stuck in a never ending "rebuild," unable to compete with the top half of the league ("top-half" is generous, whereas there are only 2-3 teams that actually have a shot at winning each year). This will never change, until the system changes.
What I mean by "continuous rebuild" is this. Teams who don't make the playoffs usually have a healthy crop of young players. 99% of the time these young players don't reach their full potential before prospect/minor league eligibility is up, forcing a GM to use a keeper slot on said player (or not). With so much young talent on one roster at once (like rebuilding teams have) these players run out of eligibility at roughly the same time, and before reaching full potential. As a result, a wealth of talent is lost from these young/bottom half teams because A.) the GM doesn't think the player is keeper worthy because maximum potential hasn't been reached B.) too many young players run out of eligibility at the same and similarly, C.) because the GM doesn't have a keeper slot to keep said player because the GM traded it away earlier in the year because he didn't think he was going to need it (or for whatever other reason).
The above wouldn't be SO bad by itself, however, the trading of keeper slots to a top 6 team allows the top 6 team to keep the likes of Iginla, Backes, Chara, Edler, Clowe, Datsyuk, Thornton, M. Richards, James van Reimsdyk, Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, Evander Kane, etc etc. Thus weakening the impending waiver draft significantly (the only way teams in the league can immediately get better), for everyone, especially the bottom 6 teams who are looking to add an integral piece or pieces to their teams.
Not only do these top teams get to keep these top players, but more often than not, the young talent (on the cusp of a breakout) is picked up in the already weakened waiver draft, (most/some of the above players would be available in the waiver draft had not been for a keeper slot trade) by the top 6 teams. And of course these young players go on to have breakout seasons. As was the case for Jordan Staal who was dropped by Montreal (now Colorado), drafted by San Jose in the Waiver draft the following year. Montreal also lost Suter. Columbus (now Carolina) lost Bryzgalov, Callahan from Detroit to Calgary, Perron to Calgary, Mike Smith to Boston, Wheeler, Wideman, Simmonds, Hartnell, and on and on, are just some examples of talent lost from bottom 6 teams (as a result of trading keeper slots) that were acquired the following year by top 6 teams in the waiver draft (in addition to the superstar/s the they already kept as a result of acquiring a keeper slot)
And all for what? Some entry picks? Depth players? Some prospects to overload their already crowded prospect pool on their farms, so that the above process can be repeated in a season or two? Like I said, it is a vicious cycle and severely damaging the league.
I am one of the top 6 teams that the trading of keeper slots greatly benefits. However, I realize the need for parity, and more importantly the need to have fun (isn't that why we all do this?), so I am willing to sacrifice a little bit for the betterment of the league. And that is really all this is about. I hope everyone can see that, and understand what is happening. I, for one, want to see a different team win the NAFHL championship every year, or at least if not, see a fun, healthy, and competitive season/playoffs en route to claiming a champion. Eliminating the trading of keeper slots brings us one step closer to that goal.
Please vote now.
So exciting.
You better make that pick or trade it! I'm excited to see if we can use up all the draft picks this year.