The Anaheim Ducks will officially have the best odds in next month’s NHL Draft Lottery thanks to a loss to the Los Angeles Kings and some help on the out-of-town scoreboard.
The Ducks fell 5-3 to the Kings to finish the season with 58 points and extend their losing streak to 13 games. Thanks to a win by the Columbus Blue Jackets and an overtime loss by the Chicago Blackhawks, the Ducks stand alone in 32nd place and will have a 25.5 per cent chance to land the No. 1 overall pick — and phenom Connor Bedard — in the draft lottery.
The Blue Jackets and Blackhawks are tied with 59 points, but with a regulation loss in their season finale Friday, Columbus would earn the second-best lottery odds by virtue of a tiebreak. However, a win by Columbus over the Sabres on Friday would see them slide from 31st to 29th in the standings.
Bedard scored an incredible 71 goals and 143 points in 57 regular season games for the WHL’s Regina Pats then added 20 points in a seven-game first-round loss to the Saskatoon Blades.
Here’s a look at the current lottery odds through Thursday’s games. There will be two lottery draws where the top two picks are up for grabs.
The percentages below indicate the chances of a team winning the first lottery when the top pick is in play. However, teams can move up a maximum of 10 spots in order, so if a team outside of the bottom 11 wins the first draw, it won’t get the first overall pick. Therefore, while the Ducks have an 18.5 per cent to win the first lottery, they still have a 25.5 per cent chance to pick first overall.
The NHL Draft Lottery will be held on May 8 and the results will be revealed live on Sportsnet and SN NOW.
TEAM | RECORD | PTS | PTS% | FIRST LOTTERY ODDS |
Anaheim | 23-47-12 | 58 | .353 | 18.5% (25.5% at getting first pick) |
Columbus | 25-48-9 | 59 | .360 | 13.5% |
Chicago | 26-49-7 | 59 | .360 | 11.5% |
San Jose | 22-44-16 | 60 | .366 | 9.5% |
Montreal | 31-45-6 | 68 | .415 | 8.5% |
Arizona | 28-40-14 | 70 | .427 | 7.5% |
Philadelphia | 31-38-13 | 75 | .457 | 6.5% |
Washington | 35-37-10 | 80 | .488 | 6% |
Detroit | 35-37-10 | 80 | .488 | 5% |
St. Louis | 37-38-7 | 81 | .494 | 3.5% |
Vancouver | 38-37-7 | 83 | .506 | 3% |
*Ottawa | 39-35-8 | 86 | .524 | 2.5% |
*Buffalo | 42-33-7 | 91 | .555 | 2% |
*Pittsburgh | 40-31-11 | 91 | .555 | 1.5% |
*Nashville | 42-32-8 | 92 | .561 | 0.5% |
*Calgary | 38-27-17 | 93 | .567 | 0.5% |
* denotes a team outside of the bottom 11 that can’t get the first overall pick in the lottery