Both a man and a muppet

1a) 1: gold plan -> 2-8: 2026 reverse standings order -> 9-12: lottery

1b) 1: gold plan -> 2-12: lottery where pre-existing teams have significantly higher weighted chances for higher drawings corresponding with reverse standings order, with expansion teams all having lowest chances of a good drawing but still the possibility of picking higher than bottom 4, or even 2oa if they get REALLY lucky, similar to the way the nhl does a lottery for top 3 (but obv in the pwhl's case not including 1oa in the draw, that would still be vancouver)

1ab.1) adding onto either of the above two, possible additional lottery randomizing for every round individually, either for just the expansion teams or for all teams, just for fun and to make everyone equally angry but not too angry

3) (because the first two options are equally valid imo so we're going right to 3) what they're doing right now, 1-2: gold plan -> 3-6: expansion teams -> 7-12: 2026 reverse standings order

4) 1: gold plan -> 2-5: expansion teams -> 6-12: 2026 reverse standings order

5) 1-12: randomize literally everything, maybe add in a snake draft for whimsy

6) 1-4: expansion teams, randomized order -> 5-12: gold plan + 2026 reverse standings order

7) 1-4: expansion teams, in order of whoever someone high up in the league decides is their specialist most favorite new child -> 5-12: gold plan + 2026 reverse standings order

8) 1-12: arranged by order of which GM & HC can write the most flattering letter to mark walter about how much they think he's the handsomest, most important little boy (troy ryan has to write 2 different letters)

i'm making this list because it could've been a lot worse but it also could've absolutely for sure been better, and also because it's a fun thought experiment. who else has fun ideas for how it could've been worse or better?

This year, the draft is an entire week earlier, on June 17th; there is still no announced draft order, and it is immediately after the expansion phases.

Stanley Cup Storm Surge 🌪️