So You're Saying There's a Chance: NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday

This just in: The Panthers have a slight chance of getting the top pick in the upcoming NHL draft.

Suh-light.

Less than one percent.

Drawing will be Tuesday in Nueva York. Here's the release from the NHL. Islanders can do no worse than No. 2, so good for them.

-- We should be getting the complete schedule for the first round here in a little while. The matchups are set. When the full sked comes out, I'll post it. Unless I'm out.

Or am too busy watching Airplane! on Starz. Is that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? No way. That's Roger Murdoch, he's an airline pilot.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Series 'A' - #1 Boston Bruins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens
Series 'B' - #2 Washington Capitals vs. #7 New York Rangers
Series 'C' - #3 New Jersey Devils vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes
Series 'D' - #4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Philadelphia Flyers

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Series 'E' - #1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks
Series 'F' - #2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #7 Columbus Blue Jackets
Series 'G' - #3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 St. Louis Blues
Series 'H' - #4 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #5 Calgary Flames

FROM THE NHL --

The National Hockey League Draft Drawing, a weighted system to determine the order of selection for the first 14 picks of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, will take place Tuesday, April 14, at 8 p.m. ET at the NHL’s New York City office.

The League will unveil the results of the Draft Drawing live during a 30-minute program produced and televised by TSN in Canada and simulcast on VERSUS in the U.S. The show also will be streamed live on NHL.com and TSN.ca. NHL Network will re-broadcast the Draft Drawing in the U.S. only at 9 p.m., ET.

Clubs that did not qualify for this season's Stanley Cup Playoffs, or clubs that acquired the first-round picks of those non-playoff clubs, will participate. Under the weighted lottery system, the club with the fewest regular-season points will have the greatest chance (25%) of winning the Draft Drawing and will pick no lower than second at the 2009 Entry Draft.

The club selected in the Draft Drawing may not move up more than four positions in the draft order; the only clubs with the opportunity to receive the first overall selection are the five with the lowest regular-season point totals, or those that acquired an eligible club's first-round draft picks. No club can move down more than one position as a result of the Draft Drawing.

The percentage chance of a team being selected in the Draft Drawing:

NY Islanders        25.0%
Tampa Bay        18.8%
Colorado        14.2%
Atlanta        10.7%
Los Angeles        8.1%
Phoenix        6.2%
Toronto        4.7%
Dallas        3.6%
Ottawa        2.7%
Edmonton        2.1%
Nashville        1.5%
Minnesota        1.1%
Buffalo        0.8%
Florida        0.5%

        The 2009 NHL Entry Draft will take place at Bell Centre in Montreal on Friday, June 26 (round one) and Saturday, June 27 (rounds 2-7).

Comments

[Andrew]

here's a thought on the draft GR...maybe you can bring it up somehow with someone and it could miraculously come into in the future.

why don't they award the percentages in reverse? Giving the top team out of the playoffs 25% and then going in reverse. That way, teams won't be bombing seasons just to get a high draft pick and will remain competitive all season long.

I know the previous argument was that the last place team really needs the help but that is with the assumption that all teams ice the most competitive team possible.It's turned into such a sideshow with teams just tanking a season to get the best pick.

[Still Hated, But Still Clash]

The Panthers have 0% chance of getting the top pick, unless they trade for it. IN the draft lottery, if they win, they'll draft 9th, and if they don't win, 14th. Best they'll do, unless they trade,