The Chicago Blackhawks are heading into the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery with good odds once again. Kyle Davidson landed Connor Bedard last summer and for the second year in a row he could land the organization a game changing player with the first overall pick.
The Blackhawks have been in this position before. Last summer fans were anxiously awaiting the results of the NHL Draft Lottery to see where the team would draft, and here we are again a year later. While a draft lottery win would be a win for the organization, there would potentially be a reason for caution with moving up.
One reason for caution for the Blackhawks heading into the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery.
The Blackhawks landed Connor Bedard last summer and the team wouldn't change that outcome for anything. With that said, landed Bedard puts Chicago on the clock for a new rule that the NHL put in place a few years ago.
As part of the 2021 lottery rule changes, the NHL decided that a team cannot win the lottery more than twice in a five-year span (starting with the 2022 lottery). The Blackhawks landed the first overall pick in 2023, leapfrogging the Ducks and Sharks in the process.
If the Blackhawks were to win the lottery again this summer they would not be eligible to win again until 2028. The actual phrasing of this rule says, "No single team will be able to advance in the Draft order by reason of winning a Lottery Draw more than two (2) times in any five (5) year period."
So, with that in mind, if the Blackhawks were to win the lottery this season they would not be able to win again for a while. While fans want the rebuild to turn a corner next season, to say this team will be contending for a championship will still be a stretch.
If Chicago wins the lottery this summer but then finishes in the bottom ten across the league next year, they won't be eligible to move up in the draft.
Now if the team manages to finish in last place across the entire league next year they still would be eligible to draft first overall. Winning the lottery would not advance the team in the draft if they are in last place already.
No team wants to compete in the draft lottery every year. The days of a team like Edmonton winning three times in five years are over thanks to the NHL's rule change in 2021. If the Blackhawks win the lottery for the second year in a row this summer they won't be drafting in the top few picks again anytime soon.