After all its figurings, gozintas and probabilities, the NHL has re-calculated its lottery system to give the Edmonton Oilers the first pick again in the annual draft.
Facetiously, isn’t that what happens whenever the Oilers are in the draft lottery?
They won the first choice in three successive drafts, choosing Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov between 2010-12. The Oilers won the number one pick again in 2015 when a budding superstar named Connor McDavid happened to be available.
If the NHL season ended now, the Oilers have a five per cent chance of winning the first choice over 14 other non-playoff teams. That’s smaller than the 18.5 per cent chance of the last-place Buffalo Sabres, but would anyone bet against the Oilers?
Swedish defenceman Rasmus Dahlin is the top-rated player available. Maybe he can help the pitiful Oilers escape near-perpetuity in the lottery.