The NHL’s complicated process to determine who receives the first overall pick came to a close today. The second NHL draft lottery this summer determined that the New York Rangers would get the first overall pick in this October’s draft. They get a shot at picking the presumptive first overall selection in Alexis Lafreniere, potentially a franchise-altering moment. It gives them a consolation prize of sorts after being eliminated from the NHL’s Stanley Cup Qualifiers.
New York Rangers Win Second NHL Draft Lottery
All of the eight teams in today’s drawing had an equal shot at the first pick. The draft order of the non-playoff teams is now as follows:
1. New York Rangers
2. Los Angeles Kings
3. Ottawa Senators (via San Jose Sharks)
4. Detroit Red Wings
5. Ottawa Senators
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. New Jersey Devils
8. Buffalo Sabres
9. Minnesota Wild
10. Winnipeg Jets
11. Nashville Predators
12. Florida Panthers
13. Carolina Hurricanes (via Toronto Maple Leafs)
14. Edmonton Oilers
15. Minnesota Wild (via Pittsburgh Penguins)
*Pittsburgh can decide whether to give this year’s draft pick to the Wild or give them their first-round pick in 2021 instead.
What This Means for the Future
Fans of this team need to get ready. Lafreniere has quickly become one of the more hyped-up prospects in recent memory. You can find our scouting report on him here. Serving as the 18-year-old captain of the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic this past season, Lafreniere tore up the league with 112 points in just 52 games. As he’s the organization’s most talented player since Sidney Crosby, parallels are already being drawn between the two.
The Quebecois left-winger will likely immediately play in the NHL next season. While it’s not an explicit guarantee that he’ll make an immediate impact, Lafreniere will likely benefit this team for years down the road.
While it was a tough exit for them in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers, this has to alleviate the burn, albeit slightly. They’ll now be looking to Draft Day on October 9th.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
