# NHL Draft Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-draft-question/586886>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [June 26, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-draft-question/586886 "2011-06-26T03:38:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-draft-question/586886/1 "2011-06-26T03:38:56Z")

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When an NHL team drafts a college underclassman, do they retain his right until he graduates/exhausts eligibiilty?

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**Author:** ![Fred\_Garvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c67d28/32.png) [@Fred\_Garvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fred_Garvin)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-draft-question/586886/2 "2011-06-26T04:00:54Z")

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> [@etv78](#):
>
> When an NHL team drafts a college underclassman, do they retain his right until he graduates/exhausts eligibiilty?

They retain the rights 30 days after the player graduates or 2 years after he is drafted, whichever is longer. The 2 years provision is for all players.

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**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-draft-question/586886/3 "2011-06-27T12:51:16Z")

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It is very uncommon, but a couple of players have re-entered the draft after the 2 year period.