Sixteen NHL teams are about to dive into the action of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. For the other 14 teams, the offseason begins early. But even though these clubs are no longer vying for the Stanley Cup, they still have something to look forward to: the 2016 NHL Draft. Let’s now take a quick look at how some of these teams’ odds to get the No. 1 overall pick stack up.
NHL Entry Predictions
By virtue of finishing with the fewest points in the regular season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have the best shot at landing the top pick in the upcoming NHL Draft. The Leafs have 20 percent odds of selecting first, the highest among all teams, but they also have no reason to celebrate early.
The new rules for the NHL Draft could leave the Leafs picking fourth overall unlike before when teams can’t go lower than in the draft than what their record prescribes.
The good news (for Canada) is that a Canadian team is more than likely to get the number one pick. As what you might have already observed, no Canadian team has qualified for the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Numerically, the number one pick in this draft has a 68.5 percent chance of being selected by a Canadian NHL team. The Leafs of course are the frontrunners, while teams like the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, and Calgary Flames are also in the running for the top pick, which is likely going to be No. 1 prospect Auston Matthews.
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| Position | Team (total points) | Draft Lottery Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toronto (69) | 20.00% |
| 2 | Edmonton (70) | 13.50% |
| 3 | Vancouver (75) | 11.50% |
| 4 | Columbus (76) | 9.50% |
| 5 | Calgary (77) | 8.50% |
| 6 | Winnipeg (78) | 7.50% |
| 7 | Arizona (78) | 6.50% |
| 8 | Buffalo (81) | 6.00% |
| 9 | Montreal (82) | 5.00% |
| 10 | Colorado (82) | 3.50% |
