NHL Draft Lottery Odds: Montreal Canadiens Given an 18.5% Chance to Win the First Pick
NHL Draft Lottery Odds: Montreal Canadiens Given an 18.5% Chance to Win the First Pick
The NHL playoffs are currently underway, as the first-round series' are winding down. For the teams who didn't get a chance to play for the Stanley Cup, tonight is an important night as it's the NHL Draft Lottery.
For teams who've been out of it since Christmas time, the NHL Draft Lottery provides a semblance of hope for your franchise going forward. Let's dive into the NHL Draft Lottery odds for every team.
NHL Draft Lottery Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Montreal Canadiens | 18.5% |
| Arizona Coyotes | 13.5% |
| Seattle Kraken | 11.5% |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 9.5% |
| New Jersey Devils | 8.5% |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 7.5% |
| Ottawa Senators | 6.5% |
| Detroit Red Wings | 6% |
| Buffalo Sabres | 5% |
| Anaheim Ducks | 3.5% |
| San Jose Sharks | 3% |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 2.5% |
| New York Islanders | 2% |
| Winnipeg Jets | 1.5% |
| Vancouver Canucks | 0.5% |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 0.5% |
NHL Draft Lottery Odds Breakdown
The Montreal Canadiens have the highest probability of winning the NHL Draft Lottery with an 18.5% chance. Rounding out the top three you have the Arizona Coyotes at 13.5% and the newest NHL team, the Seattle Kraken at 11.5%.
Also, the Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights are two teams to watch. For Chicago, under the terms of a trade from last offseason, Chicago will transfer its first-round pick to the Blue Jackets if it is not a top-two pick. As for Vegas, they will transfer their pick to Buffalo (part of the Jack Eichel trade) if it is not a top 10 pick.
Want the very best sportsbook promos available in your state? Simply click here
How Many Draws Are in the NHL Draft Lottery?
Since 2021, the NHL has switched to two lottery draws. It used to be three but they wanted to ensure that the team with the worst record picks no worse than third overall in the draft if it loses both lotteries. The reason for this change was due to the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery that saw the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, and Ottawa Senators all jump the Detroit Red Wings in the draft order.
NHL Draft Lottery Past Winners
- 2021: Seattle Kraken (3)
- 2020: New York Rangers (14)
- 2019: New Jersey Devils (3)
- 2018: Buffalo Sabers (1)
- 2017: New Jersey Devils (5)
- 2016: Toronto Maple Leafs (1)
- 2015: Edmonton Oilers (3)
- 2014: Florida Panthers (2)
- 2013: Colorado Avalanche (2)
- 2012: Edmonton Oilers (2)
Out of the last 10 pulls, the number one seed going into it has only won it twice. The lowest seed was the New York Rangers who had just the 14th best NHL Draft Lottery odds back in 2020. In fact, since the NHL Draft Lottery started back in 1995, the only team outside of the top-10 NHL Draft Lottery odds to land the top pick was the 2020 Rangers.