AND, if there were some secret illuminati coercion behind the league and they fixed the draft where neither Buffalo or Edmonton got the first pick to teach them a lesson not to tank or simply because EDM has too many first overalls or top picks and have done nothing with it, I could see us winning the lottery. 1) We need to get younger 2) While being in the Tri-state should help, our attendance is lower than what it should be. McDavid would pack the house every single night leading to another successful, highly-profitable franchise only raising the reputation and popularity of the sport. 3) We need that star forward. The entire league knows that. They might want to diversify and spread the wealth. (least likely scenario, hahaha). 4) We are in the Metro division (I know Columbus and Carolina are as well). Imagine all the national coverage and popularity it could bring to the sport and the viewer ratings would go up. Also, imagine the consistent match-ups throughout the year they could market. The Metro has some of the most skilled players in the world. Crosby vs McD, McD vs Ovechkin, McD vs Rangers, McD vs Giroux/Vorachek. There would be great out-of-division games too; McD vs Stamkos/Drouin, a future McD vs Eichel/Reinhart matchup (granted BUF finishes dead last for sure. A BUF-NJD game would be the next Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry on the national scale) 5) We all know McDavid already looks incredible in the black/white/red from the WJC. 6) Somewhat eluded too before, but putting him in the Metro (this could go for CAR and CBJ as well) would lead to more exciting, diverse seasons. There would be an actual neck-to-neck race for the division lead instead of consistently seeing PIT, NYR, or now even possibly NYI at the top of the standings. Diversifying the players could lead to such higher competition and increase ratings though out North America.
or I'm just imagining crazy things because I haven't had my coffee yet. One can only dream
