Amid all the Stanley Cup Playoff action, fans of the NHL’s worst hockey teams from last season will finally have something to celebrate as the 2021 NHL Draft lottery draws nearer.
Fans of the 15 NHL teams that didn’t reach the postseason and one expansion franchise eagerly await the lottery to see which of the worst teams gets a shot at the top prospects in the 2021 draft.
Now, this year’s draft may not be as exciting as recent ones because it doesn’t have a clear-cut, No. 1 player in it. That said, there are still plenty of talented players available that could help change the fortunes of some of these teams, or, in the case of the Seattle Kraken, serve as building blocks for their new franchise.
Among the top prospects are Owen Power, Luke Hughes, Dylan Guenther, Kent Johnson and William Eklund. Who will go No. 1 overall? Only time will tell.
But here’s how to watch the 2021 NHL Draft lottery to find out which team will be picking No. 1 overall.
MORE: Watch the NHL Draft lottery live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
When is the NHL Draft lottery?
- Date: Wednesday, June 2
- Time: 6 p.m. ET | 3 p.m. ET
The NHL Draft lottery will be held at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 2. As is customary, the lottery will take place ahead of the earliest playoff game of the evening and will kick off an NHL doubleheader.
What channel is the NHL Draft lottery on?
- TV channel (U.S.): NBCSN, NHL Network
- TV channel (Canada): Sportsnet, TVA Sports
- Live stream: NBCSports.com | fuboTV
In the United States, the NHL Draft lottery can be viewed on NBCSN or NHL Network. In Canada, viewers can catch the program on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
Streamers can access the game on NBCSports.com or they can find it on fuboTV, which offers a 7-day free trial.
How does the NHL Draft lottery work?
The NHL Draft lottery determines which teams will own the top-two picks in the 2021 NHL Draft. Teams are given a percent chance of landing the top overall pick determined by the inverse order of the standings. The team with the worst record, the Sabres, has the best chance to land the No. 1 overall pick.
The lottery will consist of two drawings. The first will determine the No. 1 overall pick. The second will determine the No. 2 overall pick. After the first drawing, each team that wasn’t drawn for the first pick will see their odds of landing the second pick increase proportionately to their order in the draft lottery standings.
This year, there will be 16 teams in the lottery thanks to the addition of the expansion Kraken squad that will be tied for the third-best odds to land a top-two selection.
Additionally, the Coyotes will be forfeiting their first-round selection after they violated the league’s combine testing policy. As a result, if they land either of the top-two picks, there will be a re-draw to replace them.
NHL Draft lottery odds
As mentioned, the Sabres have the best chance of landing the top pick at a mark of 16.6 percent. They’re followed by the Ducks, Kraken, Devils and Blue Jackets. All except Columbus have a 10.3 percent chance of landing the top overall pick.
Below is an in-depth look at the lottery odds from the best chance of landing the top pick (Buffalo) to the worst chance of landing the top pick (Rangers).
| Seed | Team | Odds (%) |
| 1 | Buffalo Sabres | 16.6 |
| 2 | Anaheim Ducks | 12.1 |
| 3 | Seattle Kraken | 10.3 |
| 4 | New Jersey Devils | 10.3 |
| 5 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 8.5 |
| 6 | Detroit Red Wings | 7.6 |
| 7 | San Jose Sharks | 6.7 |
| 8 | Los Angeles Kings | 5.8 |
| 9 | Vancouver Canucks | 5.4 |
| 10 | Ottawa Senators | 4.5 |
| 11 | Arizona Coyotes | 3.1 |
| 12 | Chicago Blackhawks | 2.7 |
| 13 | Calgary Flames | 2.2 |
| 14 | Philadelphia Flyers | 1.8 |
| 15 | Dallas Stars | 1.4 |
| 16 | New York Rangers | 1 |
The Ducks, Kraken, Sharks, Canucks and Flames all have a chance to make the No. 1 overall pick for the first time in franchise history. The Coyotes have also never made the No.1 selection in any draft, but they won’t make the No. 1 pick in 2021 either, as they are set to forfeit their pick.
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