The 2021 NHL regular season is finally over and the Stanley Cup Playoffs have begun. For 15 NHL hockey teams, there is no postseason and they can begin building for next season – which at this point, no one knows what that will look like. The 15 hockey clubs that didn’t make the playoffs are now searching for the NHL’s next big star and the future of their team.
The NHL Draft lottery is not far away and joining the teams already in the pot for the best amateur players are expansion club, the Seattle Kraken, the NHL’s 32 franchise. While 16 teams are vying for the No. 1 hockey draft pick, the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are taking place. Bettors can get the latest bet365 betting information on how to open an account before wagering on the hot ice hockey playoff action.
Prior to the start of the draft in July, the NHL Draft lottery must take place to determine the team that will pick No. 1 overall. There are a number of top amateur players that could go No. 1 in the NHL Draft lottery with the likes of Luke Hughes, Matty Neiers, and Owen Power all potentially going first.
When is the NHL Draft lottery?
On June 2nd, the NHL Draft lottery draw will be held in Secaucus, New Jersey. It will take place at the NHL Network Studios and be shown on the channel. Over a month later on July 23rd, the NHL Draft will start with the first round. Rounds two through seven will follow on Saturday. For health and safety reasons, the 2021 NHL Draft will take place virtually, just like the previous year’s selections.
How will the NHL Draft lottery work?
The 2021 NHL Draft lottery will have two draws for teams. Draw 1 will determine which team will select the first player overall. Draw 2 will determine which club selects the second player overall. Each of the 16 teams selecting in the NHL Draft lottery has been given weighted odds. This means some clubs have a better chance of being chosen in the lottery to pick first. This does not always work in the teams’ favor, however. The New York Rangers won the lottery last season and selected Alexis Lafrenière.
Alexis Lafrenière was the New York Rangers 2020 No. 1 Pick after winning the Draft Lottery
The Seattle Kraken were handed the same odds as the NHL’s third-worst team during the 2021 season. Those odds are very similar to the ones the Vegas Golden Knights got when they took part in the draft in 2017. The Golden Knights picked sixth overall and drafted Cody Glass. The Kraken’s odds mean they won’t select lower than fifth position in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Which team has the best NHL Draft lottery odds?
The Buffalo Sabres have the best NHL Draft lottery odds at 16.6. The Sabres were the NHL’s worst team in the regular season, collecting a mere 37 points. They ended the season 34 points behind the New York Islanders, who finished fourth in the East Division and qualified for the playoffs.
Interestingly, the New York Rangers, who won the lottery last year and picked Lafrenière first overall, have the lowest odds going into the event. They collected 60 points in the 2021 NHL regular season and are at odds of 1.0 to land the first pick for the second straight year.
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