The Edmonton Oilers have won just once in the past six games after suffering a 5-0 blowout loss to the rival Calgary Flames on Saturday, but they may be primed for another win on April 30.
That is the date of the NHL's draft lottery, in which the Oilers now have the best odds at securing their fifth No. 1 pick in the past seven years, with just two games left on the schedule - both against the Vancouver Canucks.
| Team | Odds | Points | GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oilers | 20% | 67 | 80 |
| Maple Leafs | 13.5% | 67 | 78 |
| Blue Jackets | 11.5% | 70 | 78 |
| Jets | 9.5% | 70 | 78 |
| Canucks | 8.5% | 71 | 78 |
| Flames | 7.5% | 72 | 79 |
| Sabres | 6.5% | 77 | 79 |
| Coyotes | 6% | 77 | 78 |
| Canadiens | 5% | 78 | 79 |
| Senators | 3.5% | 81 | 79 |
| Devils | 3% | 82 | 79 |
| Avalanche* | 2.5% | 82 | 78 |
| Hurricanes | 2% | 84 | 79 |
| Bruins* | 1% | 90 | 78 |
* - Still in playoff contention
The Toronto Maple Leafs are tied with the Oilers in the standings but have two games in hand, limiting them to the second-best odds. The Columbus Blue Jackets round out the top three, and have the best chance of bringing presumed No. 1 pick Auston Matthews to an American market.
Meanwhile, Matthews' hometown Arizona Coyotes now have a six percent chance at the first selection. The 18-year-old watched them play in Glendale on Saturday, and shared he had always been a Coyotes fan to Todd Walsh of FOX Sports, who gave him weighted ping-pong balls with the team logo on it to take to the lottery.
The 2016 NHL draft will take place from June 24-25 in Buffalo.
