Detroit — The Red Wings weren’t good enough to make the playoffs yet weren’t bad enough to have a chance to pick first in June’s NHL Draft.
By virtue of Thursday’s final night of the regular season, including the Wings’ 4-3 overtime loss in Toronto, the Wings finished 21st overall in the NHL (86 points) — or 12th from the basement (San Jose, with 52 points, was at the bottom).
Where the Wings’ sit, they can’t pick first overall. A team can move up no more than 10 spots if it wins the draft lottery — which will take place at an undetermined date in May — meaning, the Wings, if they were to win the lottery, could only move up to get the second overall pick.
The NHL Draft is set for June 27-28.
But don’t get your hopes up, Wings’ fans. They only have a 5.1% chance of winning the No. 2 pick in the lottery, according to tankathon.com
The Wings, who’ve been annual participants in the lottery since 2017 in the nine consecutive years they’ve missed the playoffs, have yet to ever move up in the lottery.
San Jose (25.5%) and Chicago (13.5%) have the best odds of picking first overall.
No. 1 odds
Percent chances for NHL teams of winning the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery, according to tankathon.com:
San Jose, 25.5%
Chicago, 13.5%
Nashville, 11.5%
Philadelphia, 9.5%
Boston, 8.5%
Seattle, 7.5%
Buffalo, 6.5%
Anaheim, 6.0%
Pittsburgh, 5.0%
N.Y. Islanders, 3.5%
N.Y. Rangers, 3.0%
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
@tkulfan
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