NHL 2020 Draft Lottery

By: Adamo Marinelli

June 26th, 2020

     For the seven teams who will not participate in the NHL’s 24-team return to play plan, tonight is their Stanley Cup Finals. Phase 1 of the draft lottery will kick off at 8:00 pm tonight and each team has a chance to land the first overall pick and win the Alexis Lafreniere draft sweepstakes.

     The 2020 NHL draft lottery was an interesting one for sure. None of the seven teams that missed the playoffs will get the first overall pick. This means that the eight teams that lose the play-in series and don’t qualify for the round of 16 each have an equal 12.5% chance to get the first overall pick, which means landing Alexis Lafreniere, the best player in the 2020 NHL draft. 

     The Los Angeles Kings landed the 2nd overall pick, meaning they will likely select Tim Stützle, a left-winger playing for Alder Mannheim in the DEL, a German hockey league. Stützle is a prolific playmaker and passer with a high hockey IQ and can find his teammates anywhere on the ice.

     The Ottawa Senators landed the 3rd overall pick, from San Jose. They will likely be selecting Quinton Byfield, a center playing for the Sudbury Wolves in the OHL. Byfield is a big, physical, two-way center that can easily get involved in the offense with his big shot and crafty hands.

     The Detroit Red Wings, who had the worst record in the league, ended up with the 4th overall pick. The Red-Wings could use a boost offensively, and Marco Rossi, a center for the Ottawa 67’s led the CHL with 81 assists and 120 points.

     The Ottawa Senators’ own selection got them the 5th overall pick. They could add more talent offensively by adding a Lucas Raymond or Cole Perfetti, but I see them picking Jamie Drysdale, a defenseman for the Erie Otters in the OHL. He’s the best defenceman in the draft and would make a great pair with Thomas Chabot.

     The Anaheim Ducks landed the 6th overall pick. They have a decent amount of options with this pick, including trading down for more capital later in the draft. I see them taking Lucas Raymond, a left-winger for Frolunda HC in the SHL. He is a prolific scorer and playmaker.

     The New Jersey Devils landed the 7th overall pick in the draft. I believe they will select Cole Perfetti, a center for the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. He scored 37 goals, 64 assists and 111 points, good enough for 2nd in the OHL. He will form an incredible duo with Jack Hughes.

     The Buffalo Sabres were able to get the 8th overall pick. With this pick, I expect them to select Alexander Holtz, a right-winger for Djurgårdens IF, a Swedish Hockey League team. He’s a true goal scorer with an incredible wrister and slap-shot. He has a high hockey IQ and great hands. He’ll make a great trio with Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart.

     The 2nd phase of the 2020 NHL draft lottery - that will decide who gets picks 9 through 15 in the upcoming draft and that will decide which of the eight teams that fail to qualify for the round of 16 will land the first overall pick - will happen sometime after the conclusion of the play-in round and before the round of 16, the exact date and time is yet to be determined. 

     What a wild draft lottery we had this year! In my opinion, though, only the seven teams that missed the playoffs should have the chance to qualify for the first overall pick. A playoff team should absolutely not have a chance to land the first overall pick; that system makes no sense. But, it is what it is, we can't change it.