Draft Lottery to be held April 29
Cross your fingers.
The NHL will hold the Draft Lottery on April 29, with the results announced during coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Drawings will be held for the top three selections.
The Colorado Avalanche hold the greatest odds to win the first overall pick after finishing last place with 48 points:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Avalanche | 18.0% |
| Canucks | 12.1% |
| Golden Knights | 10.3% |
| Coyotes | 10.3% |
| Devils | 8.5% |
| Sabres | 7.6% |
| Red Wings | 6.7% |
| Stars | 5.8% |
| Panthers | 5.4% |
| Kings | 4.5% |
| Hurricanes | 3.2% |
| Jets | 2.7% |
| Flyers | 2.2% |
| Lightning | 1.8% |
| Islanders | 0.9% |
The expansion Vegas Golden Knights will enter the lottery holding the same odds as the third-worst club, the Arizona Coyotes.
The team who wins the top spot will have the right to make the first pick in the draft. Earlier Tuesday, NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings for the draft.
Brandon Wheat Kings center Nolan Patrick was ranked as the top available player, followed by Halifax forward Nico Hischier.
Patrick had an injury-riddled season with the Wheat Kings, but still finished with 46 points in 33 games. Hischier appeared in 57 games with the Mooseheads, tallying 38 goals and 48 assists.