While viewership for the NHL playoffs is down in Canada, Saturday's draft lottery is sure to pique interest up north.
Heading into the lottery, Canadian clubs hold a collective 68.5-percent chance of snatching the illustrious first overall selection. The top pick is difficult for any club to attain, and in recent time has been near impossible for all Canadian clubs to acquire, outside of the Edmonton Oilers.
In the last 20 years, the Oilers are the lone Canadian team to own the draft's first pick. While they've seemingly hoarded top picks, selecting first in four of the past six drafts, the other Canadian clubs have endured first-pick droughts.
Here's a look a look at each Canadian team's last go round with the 1st overall pick:
Edmonton Oilers (last 1st pick: 2015)
While the Oilers didn't start accumulating first overall picks until 2010 when they selected Taylor Hall, the team has since come out on the winning side of the draft more often than not.
They've been the envy of the league - in terms of draft position - and even managed to muscle away "The Next One" in Connor McDavid from the Buffalo Sabres last year.
Ottawa Senators (last 1st pick: 1996)
The last Canadian team other than the Oilers to pick first overall was the Senators. And, like the Oilers, they enjoyed a string of bad seasons that saw them pick first in 1993, 1995, and 1996.
They used the picks to select Alexandre Daigle, Bryan Berard, and Chris Phillips, with the latter two turning out slightly better than the first.
Quebec Nordiques
The Nordiques - the now-Colorado Avalanche - were the third to last Canadian team to have the first pick.
As part of the trend, they too enjoyed three straight No. 1 selections from 1989-1991, but what a haul they got. The team used the picks to draft Mats Sundin, Owen Nolan, and Eric Lindros. Although we all know what happened to Lindros.
Toronto Maple Leafs (last 1st pick: 1985)
While fans of the Maple Leafs have felt the agony of no Stanley Cup since 1967, and just one playoff appearance in the last 12 years, they've also had just one first overall selection in 30 years.
In 1985, the Leafs selected Wendel Clark. Though he became a fan favorite, he didn't help put an end to the team's Cup drought. Until this season, the team hasn't been bad enough - or they traded away their pick (Scott Niedermayer; Tyler Seguin) - to select a potential franchise player.
Winnipeg Jets (last 1st pick: 1981)
While the Jets went on hiatus when the team moved to Phoenix in 1996, and returned in 2011 after the relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers, the city hasn't seen the likes of a first overall pick since Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk was picked in 1981.
Hawerchuk would capture the Calder Trophy during the 1981-82 season and hit the 100-point plateau in six of his nine seasons with the team.
Montreal Canadiens (last 1st pick: 1980)
The Canadiens' first overall pick drought runs deep, but to be fair, they've also captured a Stanley Cup in the last 23 years, which no other Canadian team has done.
Not all first overall picks are studs, though.
In 1980, the club selected Doug Wickenheiser ahead of Denis Savard and Paul Coffey. Unfortunately, he played only four seasons with the team, never hitting more than 25 goals or 55 points in a season.
Credit where credit is due, though: they did draft Guy Lafleur first overall in 1971 and he turned out pretty well.
Vancouver Canucks/Calgary Flames (zero 1st overall picks)
And while the teams above may sulk at the fact they've had long dry spells between first overall selections, the fact is those picks are luxuries and not owed.
The Canucks and Flames have gone their entire existences without ever picking first, dating back to 1970 and 1972, respectively.
However, with another draft lottery just days away, hope once again springs eternal with yet another chance at hockey's ultimate last-place prize.
This season marks the best chance Canadian teams have had at adding raw talent. There's collective 55-percent chance a team not named the Oilers will be awarded such a rare opportunity.
