After six months of watching the Buffalo Sabres and Arizona Coyotes tank their way to the bottom of the NHL standings, it will be the Edmonton Oilers with the chance to pick either Jack Eichel or Connor McDavid in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
NHL Draft lottery 2015: Oilers win first overall pick in 2015 NHL Entry Draft
The Sabres’ and Coyotes’ tanks fell short.
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
The NHL announced the draft order on Saturday night before NHL playoff action resumed, and the Oilers came out on top of the draft lottery despite owning just an 11.5 percent chance of claiming first overall. The Sabres entered the lottery with the best odds at 20 percent, while the Coyotes entered with a 13.5 percent chance.
Buffalo and Arizona will pick second and third overall, respectively.
The two gems of the draft, Eichel and McDavid, are considered generational talents and were the reasons why tanking became a part of hockey vernacular this past season. The Oilers have picked first overall in four of the last five drafts.
Connor McDavid was live in NBC’s studio when the Oilers won the right to draft him first overall. He did not look thrilled.
when you have to move to Edmonton: pic.twitter.com/qfOvUKLmRJ
— OHB (@ohholybutt) April 19, 2015 But it’s safe to say his future teammates are already pretty excited.
Hey @cmcdavid97 left shot black tape left side
— Taylor Hall (@hallsy04) April 19, 2015 Hey Connor!
— Teddy Purcell (@teddypurcell16) April 19, 2015 Wow!!!
— Andrew Ference (@Ferknuckle) April 19, 2015
Here is the draft lottery order:
- Edmonton Oilers
- Buffalo Sabres
- Arizona Coyotes
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Carolina Hurricanes
- New Jersey Devils
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- San Jose Sharks
- Colorado Avalanche
- Florida Panthers
- Dallas Stars
- Los Angeles Kings
- Boston Bruins
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