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2018 NHL Draft Lottery: Updated odds, date, top prospects

By Dave Stevenson |
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 10: (L-R), Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke New York Islanders Director of Pro Scouting Ken Morrow Montreal Canadiens Assistant General Manager Larry Carriere Edmonton Oilers General Manager Steve Tambellini and Columbus Blue Jackets General Manager Scott Howson before the start of the NHL Draft Lottery on April 10, 2012 at the TSN Studios in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 10: (L-R), Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke New York Islanders Director of Pro Scouting Ken Morrow Montreal Canadiens Assistant General Manager Larry Carriere Edmonton Oilers General Manager Steve Tambellini and Columbus Blue Jackets General Manager Scott Howson before the start of the NHL Draft Lottery on April 10, 2012 at the TSN Studios in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/NHLI via Getty Images)

The NHL has released the updated 2018 NHL Draft Lottery odds. Here’s everything you need to know about the lottery

For some NHL fans, this time of the year is when you root for your favorite team in the postseason. However, what about those whose team didn’t make the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Their attention immediately turns to the lottery. The 2018 NHL Draft Lottery is especially important this year thanks to one of the deepest crops of prospects in recent memory.

Here’s everything you need to know about the draft lottery.

Date

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The draft lottery will be held on Saturday, April 28. It’ll be held in Toronto and will be shown on NBC, CBC, and TVA Sports.

The Process

There are three drawings – one to determine the top three spots in the 2018 NHL Draft. After that, the order goes according to reverse standings. Each of the 15 teams (or the team’s that acquired their first-round pick) who didn’t make the playoffs have a chance to win the lottery. However, the teams that finished lowest in the standings have a better chance of winning.

14 teams will have a chance of winning. The Calgary Flames traded their pick to the New York Islanders, so they won’t be able to win the lottery despite not making the playoffs.

Here’s how the process works. There are 14 ping-pong balls with a number on them from 1-14. Four balls are drawn. Whichever one of the teams has the combination that’s drawn (there are 1,001 possible combinations) wins the lottery. This process is done in order, with first place going first, then second, then third. 7.5

Updated Odds Of Getting The First Pick

  • Buffalo Sabres – 18.5 percent
  • Ottawa Senators* – 13.5 percent
  • Arizona Coyotes – 11.5 percent
  • Montreal Canadiens – 9.5 percent
  • Detroit Red Wings – 8.5 percent
  • Vancouver Canucks – 7.5 percent
  • Chicago Blackhawks – 6.5 percent
  • New York Rangers – 6.0 percent
  • New York Islanders – 6.0 percent (includes Flames pick)
  • Edmonton Oilers – 5.0 percent
  • Carolina Hurricanes – 3.0 percent
  • Dallas Stars – 2.0 percent
  • St. Louis Blues* – 1.5 percent
  • Florida Panthers – 1.0 percent

*Team has the option to send either their 2018 first-round pick or 2019 first-round pick.

Next: Updated 2018 NHL Mock Draft

Top Prospects

Rasmus Dahlin is the consensus number one pick. He has all the tools you want to see in a franchise defenseman. This is a defense-heavy draft once you get past the first three picks. Andrei Svechnikov and Filip Zadina are expected to go second and third, respectively.

For more NHL Draft coverage, check out our hub page!

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