The NHL Draft lottery took place on June 28, with the results being announced in a 30-minute show on ESPN. The Anaheim Ducks had the worst record during the regular season and had a 25.5% chance of claiming the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft, with Columbus, Chicago, and others behind them in the odds list. Ultimately, the Chicago Blackhawks won the lottery and will have the No. 1 overall pick. Connor Bedard, the 17-year-old star center in the Canadian junior ranks, is the presumptive No. 1 pick. He’s considered one of the best young talents in the draft in years.
Michigan center Adam Fantilli leads a second tier of top prospects in a strong draft, according to multiple draft pundits. The Predators rank 15th in the odds to win the lottery, but because of the NHL’s draft lottery rules, teams can only move up a maximum of 10 spots. So if the Predators won the lottery in either draw for the top pick or the No. 2 pick, they would select at No. 5 overall.
The draft lottery odds were as follows: Anaheim Ducks – 25.5%, Columbus Blue Jackets – 13.5%, Chicago Blackhawks – 11.5%, San Jose Sharks – 9.5%, Montreal Canadiens – 8.5%, Arizona Coyotes – 7.5%, Philadelphia Flyers – 6.5%, Washington Capitals – 6%, Detroit Red Wings – 5%, St. Louis Blues – 3.5%, Vancouver Canucks – 3%, Ottawa Senators – 0%, Buffalo Sabres – 0%, Pittsburgh Penguins – 0%, Nashville Predators – 0%, Calgary Flames – 0%.
Despite not winning the lottery, the Nashville Predators still have cause for optimism. The team has their own first and second-round picks in the top 50, and own Edmonton’s first-round pick as well as Pittsburgh’s second-round pick. The Oilers are still in the Western Conference playoffs, while the Penguins were just behind the Preds in the regular season standings. Pittsburgh’s second-round pick is set to be at No. 46 overall, so the Predators will have a chance to make a real impact in the draft.
The Blackhawks winning the lottery has significant implications for the team’s future, as they will start a new era inside Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, where the Kane and Toews era, for all competitive purposes, ended in the 2017 playoffs. Predators fans will no doubt have their opinions heard during the first pick.
The results of the draft lottery remind us of the role that chance and luck can play in a sport. While talented prospects can be scouted and analyzed, ultimately, the fate of each team’s draft position is determined by chance. The results of this lottery illustrate how the fortunes of a franchise can change in an instant, for better or for worse.
Overall, the NHL draft lottery reminds us of the importance of strategy and skill when it comes to building a winning franchise. While luck can play a role in a team’s fortunes, ultimately, it is the decisions made by coaches, general managers, and owners that shape a team’s success over the long-term. The NHL draft lottery may be a game of chance, but building a successful team requires a sophisticated and well-rounded approach.
<< photo by Jerry Yu >>
