The NHL held their draft lottery on Friday night to determine who will be the team to win the Alexis Lafreniere sweepstakes. This 2020 draft class is pretty strong, but Lafreniere could quite possibly be the most sought prospect in a draft since Connor McDavid in 2015.
When the NHL announced their return to action plan, they also included a draft lottery system that really made no sense, and of course, the nonsensical part of this whole damn thing will be put into place. Let me — try to — explain.
On Friday night, seven spots we already knew of were in play for the number one overall selection. Those teams included: Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils, and Buffalo Sabers. I have listed six, but Ottawa held two picks. The Red Wings had the best chance at the one pick since they finished with the least amount of points while the Senators had the best overall odds since they had two picks in this lottery. They had their own odds at number 2, and the San Jose Sharks at number 3 when they acquired that pick for Erik Karlsson.
Both the Senators and Red Wings got completely screwed in the end, and a team that we don’t know has been awarded the number one pick. When the NHL returns late in July, they will forgo the rest of the regular season and go straight to the 24-team-playoff. The first round will be the qualifying round, a best of five series. The EIGHT teams that will be eliminated in the qualifying round are the teams that will be thrown into a new lottery system.
Let me give an example: The New York Rangers are set to play the Carolina Hurricanes in the qualifying round of this round robin tournament for Lord Stanley’s Cup. IF the Rangers lose this series, they will be thrown into the next lottery, “phase 2” as the NHL calls it, and will be given 12.5% chance to acquire the first overall selection in the 2020 entry draft. This percentage will be the same for the other seven teams eliminated in the qualifying round. Now, IF the Rangers win, they move on to the next round of playoffs where they will face the third seed in the Eastern Conference, either the Lightning, Bruins, Flyers, or Capitals, and that means the Hurricanes are thrown into “phase 2” of the lottery.
The reason I used the Rangers as an example is because the Rangers will either get knocked out and win the lottery, or move on and win the cup, there’s no other way this turns out.
I mean, couldn’t the NHL and commissioner Gary Bettman just rig this lottery so this stupid phase 2 wouldn’t happen? Of course this had to happen and complicate almost everything. The poor Red Wings who maybe finished with 30 points on the season got screwed and are now picking fourth. Meanwhile, the Senators who literally had a chance at two top 3 picks, only get 1, and their other pick dropped back to 5. And my poor Devils couldn’t become the Oilers of the East and win 3 draft lottery’s and get the much needed Canadien winger.
This will turn out so predictable in the end by the way. Bettman’s beloved Blackhawks may end up with Lafreniere. Or Taylor Hall will use his draft lottery luck and f–k the Devils out of another first round pick. Or Pittsburgh will become lucky and grab the 18-year-old with the 1st overall. Or hell, maybe the Oilers will once again win the lottery and Lafreniere will play alongside Connor McJesus and Leon Draistil next season. I’m just looking forward for all hell to break loose soon enough.
If none of my rambling made sense, which I’m sure it didn’t, go to Bob McKenzie’s twitter and read the thread I have attached.
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