As the NHL season winds down, the focus for several teams shifts to the future, particularly to the night of May 7th when the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery will take place at the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. This event will determine the fate of the franchises that failed to qualify for the playoffs, setting the order for the first 16 picks of the NHL Draft scheduled for late June.
The Lottery Mechanics
This year’s lottery will feature two separate drawings—one to decide the first overall pick and another for the second overall selection. This process ensures that the excitement and suspense remain high throughout the evening. Teams can only move up a maximum of ten places in the draft order, which means only the top 11 teams in the lottery have a shot at the coveted number one pick. Once the top two picks are decided, the remaining slots from 3 to 16 will be assigned based on the inverse order of the final regular season standings.
The Odds
The San Jose Sharks lead the pack with an 18.5% chance of landing the first pick, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks with a 13.5% chance, and the Anaheim Ducks rounding out the top three with an 11.5% chance. These percentages reflect the teams' performance during the regular season, with lower standings increasing their odds in the lottery draw.
Top Prospects
Despite the uncertainty of the draft order, scouts and analysts have a good idea of the top talent available. Macklin Celebrini, a standout freshman at Boston University, is projected to be the number one overall pick regardless of which team secures the first spot. Celebrini's exceptional skill set and hockey IQ make him a franchise-altering talent.
Sitting at the number two spot on Central Scouting’s list is Cayden Lindstrom, a powerful center playing for Medicine Hat in the Western Hockey League. Lindstrom has impressed scouts with his playmaking ability and leadership on the ice.
Other notable prospects include defenseman Artyom Levshunov from Michigan State University and Zeev Buium from Denver, both of whom have had impressive seasons and are expected to go early in the draft. Additionally, international talents like Anton Silayev, a defenseman playing in the Kontinental Hockey League, and Ivan Demidov, a right-wing from St. Petersburg’s minor hockey league, are also highly touted and likely to be top picks.
The Impact of the Draft Lottery
The outcome of the draft lottery can significantly impact a team’s rebuilding efforts. Securing a top-two pick provides a franchise with the opportunity to select a player who can be an integral part of their core for years to come. Conversely, teams that do not move up in the lottery will still find considerable talent in the draft, given the depth of this year’s prospect pool.
A Night Full of Potential
The 2024 NHL Draft Lottery is more than just an allocation of draft positions; it’s a night filled with potential and promise for the future. It offers struggling franchises a chance to transform their fortunes by adding young stars capable of becoming the cornerstones of their teams. As anticipation builds, teams and fans alike are eager to see how the lottery will shape the landscape of the NHL for years to come. The first round of the draft on June 28th, followed by rounds 2-7 on June 29th, will be the culmination of this excitement, as teams look to draft not just players, but hope for the future.
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