The NHL Draft Lottery showed a placeholder card for the number one draft pick meaning the Montreal Canadiens still have a chance at Alexis Lafreniere.
Montreal Canadiens fans were holding their breath tonight, hoping for a miracle to somehow have a chance at the coveted number one pick in the NHL draft. If you wanted drama and pure madness, you got it.
Here is all how It broke down. This lottery was Phase One, meaning that if any team that had a placeholder card was in the top three, then phase two would be needed. Had three of the seven non-playoff teams landed in the top three, there would be no need.
Detroit had the best chance with 18.5% but somehow ended up with the 4th pick while Ottawa, who had the next best shot with 2 picks thanks to San Jose ended up with picks three and five. Los Angeles finished 2nd, which was a jump and a major boost for the Kings organization.
Buffalo, New Jersey, and Anaheim will select eight, seventh, and sixth respectively in the draft. This means that the Montreal Canadiens still have a shot the number one pick and the coveted Alexis Lafrenière. If Montreal ends up losing to Pittsburgh, they will have a 12.5% chance of landing number one; otherwise, the highest they could potentially draft is nine.
Phase 2 of the NHL draft will be held after the play-in series and right before the first round of the playoffs. I’m pretty sure the Montreal faithful will be pushing for the team to potentially lose to take a chance and what I would call a risk to get it.
I personally think people have waited this long to play hockey I would much rather a team put everything they have in a playoff run and make a push for the Stanley Cup. Once again, a lot of things need to happen, but this event tonight, the first NHL televised event since March is another major step for the NHL to return.