NHL News: A Play-In Team Will Win The NHL Draft Lottery
2020 NHL draft order

Chris Johnston: “After balls 9-10-2 were drawn for the No. 1 overall pick in tonight’s NHL draft lottery, the #sens owned the most potential winning combinations on the last ball: OTT (x4), DET (x2), ANA (x1), NJ (x1), BUF (x1), Team A (x1), Team E (x1).”

Frank Seravalli of TSN: One of the eight teams that lose their play-in match will win Phase 2 of the draft lottery and get the first overall pick. All of the eight teams will get a 12.5 percent chance. The draw will take place after the play-in rounds are done and before the first round starts.

The placeholder team/Team E had a 2.5 percent chance of winning Phase 1 of the lottery.

The play-in teams had a combined 24.5 percent chance of winning. The Detroit Red Wings had the worst record in the league had an 18.5 percent chance of winning.

“We’re going to draft two players that we know are going to be impactful players for the Senators for many years to come,” GM Pierre Dorion said in a post-lottery Zoom call with reporters. “With the trades we’ve made, getting that No. 3 pick and No. 5 pick, we can continue to do the rebuild the way we’ve planned.”

Dennis Bernstein: Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake ”hopefully this speeds up The Plan”

Sportsnet: King GM Blake : “It’s an interesting night when you’re coming into this, because you know all the odds and the different scenarios,” Kings GM Rob Blake said. “Everything has kind of taken a different path since the pause and you manoeuvre your way around it.”

Sportsnet: The Detroit Red Wings had the best odds to win the lottery fell to No. 4. GM Steve Yzerman: “Realistically, I’m prepared to be sitting here not talking about the first pick,” Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman said. “I’m not really surprised.”

Allan Walsh: “What an unmitigated disaster the draft lottery turned out to be. Bettman ignores his GM’s to his own detriment. Why not wait until end of the Qualifying Round to do the lottery? That would make too much sense. The stupidity continues…”