Why are teams so desirous of winning the NHL Draft lottery? Two words: Connor McDavid.
With Friday’s 4-2 road lo s to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Buffalo Sabres clinched the NHL’s worst regular-season record. No way the Arizona Coyotes can catch them, because the Sabres hold a tiebreaker.
So the Coyotes will second for second selection and likely Jack Eichel.
McDavid and Eichel have been 1-2 all season among NHL Draft prospects, sparking memories of the Taylor Hall-Tyler Seguin derby in the 2010 Draft. The Edmonton Oilers got Hall and have yet to be more than a doormat New York Jets Hoodie . The Boston Bruins traded Phil Ke sel to get the pick to draft Seguin, who played on their 2011 Stanley Cup winner but was later traded to the Dallas Stars.
There is no guarantee the Sabres will take McDavid, the Coyotes will take Eichel or either team will select in its current position.
Saturday’s completion of regular-season games will determine not just the 16 teams that will take part in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but also set the 14 teams who get the booby prize a place in April 18’s lottery draft.
The weighted lottery gives the team with the worst record the best chance at securing the first overall pick on June 26.
Here are the odds for the selections:
Pick No. 1: 20 percent. No. 2: 13.5 percent. No. 3: 11.5 percent. No. 4: 9.5 percent. No. 5: 8.5 percent. No. 6: 7.5 percent. No. 7: 6.5 percent. No. 8: 6 percent. No. 9: 5 percent. No. 10: 3.5 percent. No. 11: 3 percent. No. 12: 2.5 percent. No. 13: 2 percent. No. 14: 1 percent.
If teams are tied for a position, the tiebreaker is total regulation and overtime wins. That’s how the Sabres qualify for Jared Goff Men Jersey the No. 1 overall pick. Remaining positions in the first round will be determined as teams fall out of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The 14 teams in the lottery draft:
1. Buffalo Sabres; 2. Arizona Coyotes; 3. Edmonton Oilers; 4. Toronto Maple Leafs; 5. Carolina Hurricanes; 6. New Jersey Devils; 7. Philadelphia Flyers; 8. Columbus Blue Jackets; 9. San Jose Sharks; 10. Colorado Avalanche; 11. Florida Panthers; 12. Dallas Stars; 13. Los Angeles Kings; 14. Boston Bruins.
Here are the top prospects as ranked by NHL Central Scouting:
North American skaters
1. Connor McDavid, C, OHL Erie. 2. Jack Eichel Jamel Dean Jersey , C, Boston University. 3. Noah Hanifan, D, Boston College. 4. Dylan Strome, C, OHL Erie. 5. Lawson Crouse, LW, OHL Kingston. 6. Mitchell Marner, C, OHL London. 7. Ivan Provorov, D, WHL Brandon. 8. Pavel Zacha, C, OHL Sarnia. 9. Zachary Werenski, D, Michigan. 10. Timo Meier, RW, QMJHL Halifax.
European skaters
1. Mikko Rantanen, RW, TPS Turku, Finland. 2. Gabriel Carl son, D, Linkoping, Sweden. 3. Jacob Lar son, D,Frolunda, Sweden. 4. Joel Erik son Ek, C, Farjestad, Sweden. 5. Michael Spacek, RW, Pardubice, Czech Republic. 6. Oliver Kylington, D, Farjestad, Sweden. 7. Denis Guryanov, RW, Lada Togliatti, KHL. 8. Robin Kovacs, RW, AIK, Allsvenskan Sweden. 9. Filip Ahl, LW, HV71, Sweden. 10. Jens Looke, RW, Brynas, Jordan Matthews Women Jersey Sweden.
North American goalies
1. Mackenzie Blackwood, OHL Barrie. 2. Callum Booth, QMJHL Quebec. 3. Samuel Montembeault, QMJHL Blainville-Boisbriand. 4. Adin Hill, WHL Portland. 5. Matej Tomek, NAHL Topeka. 6. Ryan Larkin, USHL Cedar Rapids. 7. Nick McBride, WHL Prince Albert Raiders. 8. Mike Robinson, EHL Boston Junior Rangers. 9. Nick Scheider, WHL Medicine Hat. 10. Joel Daccord, Cushing (Ma s.) Academy, New England Prep League.
European goalies
1. Ilya Samsonov, Magnitogorsk, Ru sia. 2. Daniel Vladar, Kladno, Czech Republic U-20. 3. Felix Sandstrom, Brynas; Sweden. 4. Ales Stezka, Liberec; Czech Republic U20. 5. Joren Van Pottelberghe,Linkoping; Sweden U18 Allsvenskan.