Implement "Gold Drafting" now! I am surprised that after watching hockey all these years that I have not heard of this. Great incentives to win and give meaning to every game. I think declaration will be a learning curve for most GMs and most will try to find a way to "game" the system but as long as limits to that mechanic are introduced and reviews are thoughtful it shouldn't pose too much of a barrier. Watching two bad teams battle it out for a first overall pick is an amazing prospect and really changes the landscape! Allowing someone's player to also be the saviour of a bottom tier team is an awesome reason to have to stick around and not meet a trade deadline exit.
I think the biggest push back most of this will receive will be from the "generational contenders" who have worked themselves into having too many assets and are able to trade it away for more firsts to draft more assets. The cycle continues and it is easy for them. Boring but effective.
I agree with basically all of your assessments and I am very glad that you still have this much interest and passion for the league, though admittedly less than you once had, it is still visibly more than most.