Draft lottery

[Malignant]

Due to there being no hockey I've been spending my time learning more about the game and while reading about the 2004 Draft I was confused as to why the Washington Capitals had to earn the right to go first by winning the draft lottery.

I haven't been an ice hockey fan for very long but I've always been under the impression (from playing ice hockey computer games) that the team who has the worst record in the regular season gets to pick first (unless of course they have traded their pick beforehand).

Can anyone please explain to me what the draft lottery for the NHL is all about. If anyone can find a web page explaining this then I would be very grateful. The only info I've found is related to the NBA, but I'm assuming they run things a little differently. Whereas the only info I've found regarding the NHL is:

All 14 non-playoff teams took part. Under the lottery system, only the last five teams in the standings had the chance to earn the top selection.

Why doesn't the team that came bottom in the regular season get to pick first? Why is a draft lottery necessary? Has it always been like this?

Click to read more...

 

[misfit]

It's to discourage teams to throw a season once they are out of the playoffs (or earlier) just so they can get the first overall pick.

 

[Malignant]

Thank you for the very quick reply. Has this rule always been in place or did a team abuse the system to warrant the NHL implementing this rule?

 

[Riggs]

The lottery has not always been used.

It was implemented in '95.

 

[wint]

did a team abuse the system to warrant the NHL implementing this rule?

This is rumored to have happened a few times, most notably with Pittsburgh tanking to get Mario Lemieux.

 

[Drake1588]

It's happened on various occasions in the past that a team will tank to finish in last place, else a team that previously traded for a team's first rounder may initiate subsequent deals to ensure the pick for which it has already traded ends up being the #1 overall. Convoluted, I know. Read up on Sam Pollock's wheeling and dealing prior to the 1971 draft for more on the latter. At the end of the day he was holding the #1 overall pick, with which he selected Guy Lafleur.

Mario Lemieux is one example when a team simply tanked to end up last overall in the standings to select an incoming draft-eligible phenom. There was talk that the Penguins and Capitals were dancing around one another towards the end of the 2003-04 season, jockeying for position with an eye towards Alexander Ovechkin.

Ultimately the Capitals ended the season on a mini-winning streak, finishing in 28th place, with Chicago in 29th place and Pittsburgh in 30th place. Yet Washington won the lottery and jumped ahead two places. Shrug. It's to add a hint of uncertainty into the mix, and prevent shenanigans as much as possible.

 

[Malignant]

Thanks for all the info everyone.

 

[degroat*]

The way the NHL Lottery works is all 14 non-playoff teams are entered into the lottery where the worst team has the best chance to win and the best of the 14 teams has the least chance to win. Then, only one team is picked. That team moves up 4 spots in the draft (if possible). That is why only the top 5 seeds can get the top pick. If the #6 seed were to win the lottery they'd only move up to the #2 spot.

 

[MacDaddy TLC*]

This is rumored to have happened a few times, most notably with Pittsburgh tanking to get Mario Lemieux.

And Ottawa tanking in 92-93. I think they got what they deserved though: Daigle the Baigle! :lol

 

[Malignant]

Thank you Stich. I've also just found a very useful page detailing everything about it.

 

[ES]

I think that since 1995, there has been 10 draft lotteries. #1 seeded has won twice, #2-5 seeded six times and worse seeded twice.

 

[thinkwild]

But it's funny when we compare Daigle's stats of 0.22 goals/game and 0.52 points/game to someone like say Antropov's 0.18 goals/game and 0.42 points/game. It gets even funnier when we consider Leafs fans actually think he's more than an average player.

Ahhh, thanks Doc. All this continuous labour strife talk, its nice to remember the better times when we talk about the important things in life - Leaf Bashing.

Hopefully we get back to it soon. Theres some Leaf fans who I agree with on these issues, its real disconcerting.

 

[MacDaddy TLC*]

But it's funny when we compare Daigle's stats of 0.22 goals/game and 0.52 points/game to someone like say Antropov's 0.18 goals/game and 0.42 points/game. It gets even funnier when we consider Leafs fans actually think he's more than an average player.

The Leafs never disgraced themselves by tanking a seaon to draft Antropov first overall like the disgrace in Ottawa did Daigle. They got what they deserved.

 

[YellHockey*]

The Leafs never disgraced themselves by tanking a seaon to draft Antropov first overall like the disgrace in Ottawa did Daigle. They got what they deserved.

You mean the Leafs didn't tank the 84-85 season in order to get Wendel Clark?

 

[Blane Youngblood]

The Leafs never disgraced themselves by tanking a seaon to draft Antropov first overall like the disgrace in Ottawa did Daigle. They got what they deserved.

I gotta say, if I remember that year correctly, Ottawa just sucked. They didn't need to tank anything, it would have taken a miracle for them not to finish last.

 

[MacDaddy TLC*]

You mean the Leafs didn't tank the 84-85 season in order to get Wendel Clark?

The Leafs were 5 points clear of any other team and there was no definite number 1 in 1985. The Leafs were in the middle of the Ballard era and needed no help. If you want to see teams tanking it, look at the previous year and see the Devils and Pens battling it out for Mario.

Actually, Craig Simpson tanked the Leafs telling them not to draft him.

 

[MacDaddy TLC*]

I gotta say, if I remember that year correctly, Ottawa just sucked. They didn't need to tank anything, it would have taken a miracle for them not to finish last.

there was an investigation and that little weasel that was running the team back then (Sexton) came under fire.

 

[thinkwild]

Ottawa did suck that year. But I think there was still someone who was threatening to be worse than us at the time. (Which is hard to believe) I cant remember now who that was. But there was a comment made by someone about how we would rather end up last and get the first pick, or something to that effect. Hopefully someone remembers it.

It may not have been a smart thing to say, and threatens the integrity of competition, but it was honest. Why would we want to win a game that would cost us the first overall pick. That certainly couldnt be in our best interest, and to penalize us for aacting in our best interest would seem wrong.

The lottery was rightfully implemented to take away that problem. There is no reason to play to lose now. This is a good check.

But it is pretty fun to realize that Antropuffs stats are even worse than Daigles. And to think they were comparing him to Havlat. Ha!

 

[MacDaddy TLC*]

San Jose also had 24 points that season.

Still what does Antropov have to do with anything, other than a bunch of poor Senators fans still stinging from 4 playoff defeats? Game. SET. and MATCH! (yet again)

 

[MacDaddy TLC*]

Go watch the 67s or the GeeGees to get your fix. It's good hockey. (my god it must suck to be a hockey fan in Ottawa: The Gee Gees? The 67s? The pro team has a condom logo! :lol)

Go watch some CIS and then we can take the battle to the University boards Go T-Wolves!!!

 

[Yes Im Peter Ing]

You mean the Leafs didn't tank the 84-85 season in order to get Wendel Clark?

Nope. That was all talent, baby. You just can't fake that kind of mediocrity.

 

[Papadice]

But it's funny when we compare Daigle's stats of 0.22 goals/game and 0.52 points/game to someone like say Antropov's 0.18 goals/game and 0.42 points/game. It gets even funnier when we consider Leafs fans actually think he's more than an average player.

As a Leafs fan myself, I was quite high on Antropov for a while, until the constant injuries have shown that he isn't going to amount to what we thought... He was never a great skater, but had very nice hands, a great wrist shot and he's HUGE... But now, since the constant knee injuries his skating has gone from being something he had to work on to being something that will hold him back... I don't see him ever being more than a 2nd liner now, but possibly not even that... Not unless somehow he learns to skate again and stay healthy...

 

[Morbo]

But it's funny when we compare Daigle's stats of 0.22 goals/game and 0.52 points/game to someone like say Antropov's 0.18 goals/game and 0.42 points/game. It gets even funnier when we consider Leafs fans actually think he's more than an average player.

The only funny thing about that is what a ridiculous and totally inappropriate comparison that is.

 

[Stammer Time*]

And yet another good HF thread turns into a leaf bashing pissing match.

 

[Buffaloed]

Any further trolling will result in a ban. Stick to the topic of how the CBA relates to the draft, or do not post in this thread.