Flames have 8.5 per cent chance of winning Saturday’s draft lottery
Posted Apr 30, 2016 10:48 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
History will be made in the NHL on Saturday, and it will be made off the ice.
For the first time in the league’s history, all seven Canadian teams are taking part in the NHL Draft Lottery. The Toronto Maple Leafs have the highest odds of winning the no. 1 pick with 20 per cent. They are followed by Edmonton (13.5 per cent) and Vancouver (11.5 per cent). The Calgary Flames have the fifth-best chance with 8.5 per cent. Overall, there’s a 68.5 per cent chance Canadian gets the top spot.
If you ask any hockey pundit, the consensus is first overall selection will be American forward Auston Matthews. Damien Cox of Sportsnet said any team would be pleased to have his services.
“A comparison would be Anze Kopitar of the LA Kings,” Cox explained. “[He’s] the same kind of idea, prototypical 6’2″, 6’3″, power centre — what every team would love to have.”
The Flames have never had top spot in the draft. Their highest selection came in 2014 at fourth overall, when they picked Sam Bennett.
The actual draft will place June 24-25 at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo.
