The San Jose Sharks have done it.
After another long and arduous season at the SAP Center, the Sharks have clinched last place in the NHL for the 2023-24 season, helping them earn the best odds of selecting first overall at the draft in Vegas this June.
The Sharks earned the 32nd spot in the standings after losing to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday evening. The Sharks had the chance to clinch the last spot aerlier in the week but beat the Seattle Kraken 3-1 on Thursday to prolong the process.
San Jose initially finished in last place in the 22-team league back in 1991-92, registering just 39 points. They had 24 points the following year, but finished 23rd out of 24 after edging out the Ottawa Senators based on having one more regulation victory. The club has not finished worse than 29th since the league expanded past 30 teams,
The Sharks were in the midst of a rebuild, having missed the playoffs five seasons in a row. They were dreadful from the get-go, starting the season on an 11-game losing streak. Their 12-game losing streak from Dec. 15 until Jan. 9 was their fifth-worst streak in franchise history.
The Sharks have just 47 points through 79 games this year, 13 fewer points than their 60-point campaign that handed them the 29th spot last year.
San Jose has a 25.5 percent chance of winning the 2024 NHL Draft lottery and landing the first overall pick on June 28 at the Sphere in Vegas.
The team has never selected first overall, but it has a chance to have two picks in the top 15 after the Pittsburgh Penguins traded their first-rounder in the Erik Karlsson trade last summer.
This year’s top prospect is Macklin Celebrini, whose father, Rick Celebrini, serves as the Golden State Warriors’ director of sports medicine and performance.
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