thehockeynews.com Blog: Imagining a world without the draft lottery

[Pheebs888]

By Brian Costello

As we move into the time of year when the Stanley Cup playoffs reach its resolution and the NHL draft approaches, it’s interesting to reflect on an era when the game was less controlled.

It wasn’t until 1995 that the NHL decided to implement a draft lottery system. Before then, the team finishing in last place automatically got first pick in the draft.

But then a couple events occurred that had some teams quietly accusing others of tanking games late in the season in order to finish last. The Pittsburgh Penguins won just two of 14 games down the stretch in 1984 to finish last (three points behind New Jersey) and select Mario Lemieux first overall. In 1993, the Ottawa Senators were accused of purposely finishing last in order to select Alexandre Daigle first overall.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/article...t-lottery.html

[doniceage]

Well the Mario deal turned out great while the Daigle was a pure bust. So you truly never know what your going to get with a Number One Pick.

DON

[zunato]

makes you wonder what your favorite team would look like.

[RGM81]

Interesting concept indeed. Imagine Crosby & Ovechkin on the same team - yipes.

Of course, there are still the innuendoes that teams throw games near the end of the season; heck, Leafs fans beginning rooting for exactly that starting in January when it is readily evident that they'll do no better than 10th or 11th.

[G0SHARKSG0]

In 1993, the Ottawa Senators were accused of purposely finishing last in order to select Alexandre Daigle first overall.

look at how well that turned out

[habscards]

that whole article does not make a whole lot of sense to me. i follow prospects and the draft very closely. all fourteen non-playoff teams go into the lottery. if you win the lottery than you move up four spots. the odds work out to this actually:

Odds of Winning the First Overall Pick

48.1% - New York Islanders
18.8% - Tampa Bay Lightning
14.2% - Colorado Avalanche
10.7% - Atlanta Thrashers
8.1% - Los Angeles Kings

The 2009 NHL Draft Lottery Odds are listed below.

25.0% - New York Islanders
18.8% - Tampa Bay Lightning
14.2% - Colorado Avalanche
10.7% - Atlanta Thrashers
8.1% - Los Angeles Kings
6.2% - Phoenix Coyotes
4.7% - Toronto Maple Leafs
3.6% - Dallas Stars
2.7% - Ottawa Senators
2.1% - Edmonton Oilers
1.5% - Nashville Predators
1.1% - Minnesota Wild
0.8% - Buffalo Sabres
0.5% - Florida Panthers


so really from this past year as long as tampa, colorado, atlanta and la don't win the lottery you automatically get pick number one. if any of those four teams win it then you default to pick number two. those four teams combined percentage is 51.8%. so if you throw the season then you only have a 48.2% odds to get number one. if you throw the year you have less than a coin flip to even get number one.

[MatsSundin13Rocks]

Interesting concept indeed. Imagine Crosby & Ovechkin on the same team - yipes.

Of course, there are still the innuendoes that teams throw games near the end of the season; heck, Leafs fans beginning rooting for exactly that starting in January when it is readily evident that they'll do no better than 10th or 11th.

All I can say is they won too many games late in the season and ended up getting the 7th overall pick again this year. The Leafs can't seem to tank properly probably because the players are playing for their careers in the NHL and will put out their best effort to win every game they play.