It’s an excellent time to be a terrible hockey team.
After dominating the World Junior Championship as an underaged prospect, everybody has taken notice of Connor Bedard, the latest generational talent available for the NHL Draft. Bedard set team and tournament records as a 17-year-old, and now we’re just a few months away from finding out which NHL team will acquire him.
First-round picks will be worth more than usual this season thanks to Bedard’s value. Some other high-quality prospects are available, such as Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson, but Bedard is the money piece. Many scouts call Bedard a generational talent capable of completely flipping a franchise’s hopes for the future.
The draft lottery, set for Spring 2023, will take into account every team that missed the playoffs. Teams with the fewest points have the best shot at winning the lottery, but you can only move up 10 spots in the draft. That means 11 teams have a shot at the first pick, with the best odds going to the lower ones in the standings. Teams can only improve their spot in the lottery twice in five years.
The Chicago Blackhawks have the worst record in the NHL, and thus have the best chance of selecting Bedard right now. The Hawks last selected Patrick Kane with the first overall pick in 2007. The Columbus Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks are also close in the race to the bottom, with all three teams having over a 10 percent shot at winning the draft lottery.
To learn more about what makes Bedard the best prospect since Connor McDavid, click here.
Fall Hard for Bedard
NHL Draft Lottery Odds
through games played Jan. 17
| Rank | Team | Record | Pts % | Lottery Odds |
| 1. | Chicago Blackhawks | 11-26-4 | .317 | 18.5% |
| 2. | Columbus Blue Jackets | 13-28-2 | .326 | 13.5% |
| 3. | Anaheim Ducks | 12-27-5 | .330 | 11.5% |
| 4. | Arizona Coyotes | 13-25-5 | .360 | 9.5% |
| 5. | San Jose Sharks | 13-23-9 | .389 | 8.5% |
| 6. | Montréal Canadiens | 18-23-3 | .443 | 7.5% |
| 7. | Vancouver Canucks | 18-22-3 | .453 | 6.5% |
| 8. | Ottawa Senators | 19-21-3 | .477 | 6% |
| 9. | Philadelphia Flyers | 18-19-7 | .489 | 5% |
| 10. | Florida Panthers | 21-20-4 | .511 | 3.5% |
| 11. | Detroit Red Wings | 18-17-7 | .512 | 3.5% |
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