1) The Edmonton Oilers have once again won the NHL Draft Lottery, giving the club
the first-overall selection for the third year in a row. The Oilers had the
second-worst record in the NHL and only an 18.8 percent chance to come out on
top in the lottery. The Blue Jackets who had more than a 44% to get the top pick were screwed over just as they are about to bid adieu to the captain Rick Nash. A top overall pick would have been a nice salve to give their suffering fans (in addition to the likely high pick(s) they should get for the likely Nash trade. They will have to 'settle' for picking 2nd, in a what most scouts are calling a very impressively deep draft
2) Only one other NHL team - the Quebec Nordiques from 1989 to 1991 - ever had three No. 1 overall picks in a row. Even though they never won there, the Nords then Avalanche used those picks to assemble quite a bit of talent to make them a power house squad for a decade. With the last two first-overall selections, the Oilers took winger Taylor Hall and centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The NHL draft is scheduled for June 22-23 in Pittsburgh, where Nail Yakupov
of the OHL's Sarnia Sting is expected by many to be taken No. 1 overall. Undoubtedly there will be much intrigue surrounding the Oilers pick. Many will surmise that perhaps in an effort to speed along their rebuild they will be open to trading the pick, or at the very least move down. Whatever they decide unless they pull a series of Milbury-type dumb trades, the Oilers should be a perennial contender within the next 2-3 years.
the first-overall selection for the third year in a row. The Oilers had the
second-worst record in the NHL and only an 18.8 percent chance to come out on
top in the lottery. The Blue Jackets who had more than a 44% to get the top pick were screwed over just as they are about to bid adieu to the captain Rick Nash. A top overall pick would have been a nice salve to give their suffering fans (in addition to the likely high pick(s) they should get for the likely Nash trade. They will have to 'settle' for picking 2nd, in a what most scouts are calling a very impressively deep draft
2) Only one other NHL team - the Quebec Nordiques from 1989 to 1991 - ever had three No. 1 overall picks in a row. Even though they never won there, the Nords then Avalanche used those picks to assemble quite a bit of talent to make them a power house squad for a decade. With the last two first-overall selections, the Oilers took winger Taylor Hall and centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The NHL draft is scheduled for June 22-23 in Pittsburgh, where Nail Yakupov
of the OHL's Sarnia Sting is expected by many to be taken No. 1 overall. Undoubtedly there will be much intrigue surrounding the Oilers pick. Many will surmise that perhaps in an effort to speed along their rebuild they will be open to trading the pick, or at the very least move down. Whatever they decide unless they pull a series of Milbury-type dumb trades, the Oilers should be a perennial contender within the next 2-3 years.
4 comments:
Can we say this is a rigged game!!
Spock if it was rigged the maple Loafs would have won it!
There should be a limit on how often a team can get the top pick!
i agree there has to be a better way. FR and I agee that there shouldnt be a weighted lottery but a pre draft lottery involving ALL 30 teams!
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