While half of the league is involved in a fierce battle in the playoffs, 16 teams will be awaiting the fate of their first-round draft pick.
The NHL Draft Lottery will take place on Monday, May 5th. While 16 teams will be in the lottery, only 11 teams have a chance to win the top pick. That is because a team ranked 12th-16th can only move up a maximum of 10 spots if they win. So the Red Wings, Blue Jackets, Utah, Canucks, and Flames are unable to draft first overall. They are more likely to remain where they are
If the above were to happen, the team with the lowest record would then be awarded the number one selection. In this case, the San Jose Sharks would win the draft lottery. If Chicago were to win the draft lottery this year, a rule set in 2021 would not allow them to win again for another two years. Teams are not allowed to win twice in five years.
A full list of every team's draft lottery odds can be found here. Philadelphia's best odds come at moving back to the fifth pick. The sixth pick is their second-best, and the third-best odds would keep them at fourth. They have equal odds of winning the lottery or finishing second. And drafting third overall is nearly impossible. They also cannot move any lower in the draft order than sixth.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PHI | 9.5 | 9.5 | 0.3 | 15.4 | 44.6 | 20.8 |
Flyers would love a top pick to climb back into contention
The Flyers will draft a top talent no matter what pick they end up with. But why not shoot for the stars and hope you can draft one of the best players available? Michael Misa is projected to be either the first or second pick. He has high-end skills and tore up the OHL this season. His 134 points led the OHL and made him one of only six players to pass the century mark.
Misa entered the OHL at 15 years old. He was one of nine players to be granted exceptional player status, allowing him to play junior hockey at a younger age. The Flyers are in great need of a center and Misa is exactly the player that could help turn things in the right direction.
Want to draft a defenseman instead? Matthew Schaefer could be the player you are looking for. When healthy, he was a top player for the Erie Otters. He posted 22 points in 17 games before his season was cut short due to a collarbone fracture at the World Juniors in December.
Schaefer can do it all on the ice. The biggest part of his game is his ability to jump up into the offense. There are plenty of NHL defensemen nowadays who can help their teams on both ends of the ice, so Schaefer is ahead of the game.
The Flyers would likely be better off selecting Misa if given the opportunity. They need a top-line center rather than a number one defenseman. Having the latter wouldn't be the worst thing, though.
For now, Philadelphia will hope the ping pong balls fall their way next week.