NHL makes its call on controversial format change for 2027
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The NHL will keep its decentralized draft format for a third straight year, with the 2027 event set for June 25-26, per Pierre LeBrun.
The NHL is sticking with its decentralized draft setup once again.
According to insider Pierre LeBrun, the league has confirmed the 2027 NHL Draft will run June 25-26, making it the third straight year teams build their boards from home instead of gathering in one building.
The report adds another firm date to an offseason calendar that already includes the draft lottery and the start of free agency just days later.
The format debuted in 2025 in Los Angeles and returned for a second run this past June in Buffalo, where the Maple Leafs kicked things off by taking Gavin McKenna first overall.
Reaction from fans has been mixed since day one, with plenty of hockey diehards missing the old setup of executives huddled around draft tables on live TV.
Teams, though, have mostly embraced the change.
Why the league keeps the format
General managers have pointed to simpler logistics as the biggest reason for sticking with it.
Instead of flying entire scouting staffs across the country right before free agency opens, front offices can run the draft from their own buildings and pivot straight into offseason business.
League deputy commissioner Bill Daly has said in the past that clubs feel more comfortable working through picks in a quiet, business like setting rather than a crowded arena floor.
There's also a privacy angle, since keeping rival executives out of the same room cuts down on tipped off trades during the event.
What it means for 2027
With the format now considered close to permanent, expect the league to keep tweaking the presentation rather than scrapping the idea altogether.
Past years have brought celebrity announcers, home team watch parties and improved broadcast production, and there's no reason to think 2027 will look any different.
A host city for the on site portion of the draft has not been announced yet, but the June 25-26 window gives teams and prospects plenty of notice heading into the summer.
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