Overview

• NHL clubs voted 26–6 to switch to a decentralized draft this year, overriding Commissioner Bettman’s reservations.
• The Peacock Theater event was marred by technical failures—slow feed switches, laggy camera angles and Zoom delays—and stretched round one to nearly five hours.
• Media insiders and fans criticized the choppy presentation, assigning blame variously to teams, the league office and production crews.
• League executives plan to stick with the remote format in 2026 but must revamp production processes and invest in robust technology upgrades.
• Critics warn the decentralized model could undermine the live atmosphere and sponsor engagement that powered last year’s Las Vegas draft.