A high-stakes trade deadline gamble leaves St. Louis holding Detroit’s slim lottery odds, creating a tense subplot as the NHL prepares to unveil Tuesday’s franchise-altering draft order.
Excitement across the league will build Tuesday night as the NHL unveils its draft order during the annual lottery, one of the most anticipated moments of the offseason.
While much of the focus will be on teams at the top of the standings, there is a quieter storyline involving the Detroit Red Wings and the St. Louis Blues. Detroit no longer controls its own first-round selection after dealing the pick to St. Louis in a trade deadline move that brought defenseman Justin Faulk to the Red Wings.
Out of 1,000 possible lottery combinations, the Red Wings’ pick accounts for just five, giving St. Louis extremely slim odds of jumping up the draft board. While the chances of a significant move are remote, they are not zero, leaving the door slightly open for an unexpected shakeup.
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Without a first-round pick of their own, there is no direct stake in the outcome for Red Wings fans, yet there remains a reason to watch in case the unlikely occurs and their former selection defies the odds.
With intrigue both at the top of the draft and in these smaller, under-the-radar scenarios, the NHL Draft Lottery promises its usual mix of suspense and surprise when it gets underway Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and Sportsnet.
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