Habs might have shot at top-rated draft pick
MONTREAL — The Canadiens have their sights set on upsetting the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL’S 24-team Return to Play tournament, but there is the possibility of an attractive consolation prize if Montreal comes up short in the best-of-five qualifying round.
The NHL held Phase 1 of the draft lottery at the end of last week and, while it was a disappointing night for the sad-sack Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings, there was a major surprise when the top spot went to one of the eight losing teams in the qualifying round. They will be entered in Phase 2 of the draft lottery in which each team will have a 12.5-per-cent chance of adding Alexis Lafrenière to its roster.
Team E, which had a 2.5-per-cent chance of being selected as the 12th-place team, was the placeholder spot that won the lottery.
The last-place Red Wings had an 18.5-per-cent chance of grabbing the No. 1 pick.
The Senators had the best combined odds at winning the first-overall pick (25 per cent) because they had their own pick (13.5 per cent) and the San Jose Sharks’ pick (11.5 per cent), while the Kings had a 9.5-per-cent chance.
When the lottery ended, the Kings took the second pick, followed by Ottawa, with San Jose’s pick. Spots four through eight were determined in reverse order of their 2019-20 winning percentage. That gave Detroit the fourth pick, followed by Ottawa, the Anaheim Ducks, the New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres.
The second phase of the draft will be held after the qualifying round is completed.
The Canadiens will also get a shot at No. 1 if the NHL’S Return to Play is halted before its conclusion. In that case, the bottom eight teams ahead of the seven teams that were not included in the 24team format will have equal chances to win the No. 1 pick.