The National Hockey League confirmed and announced plans for a one-day, seven-round NHL Draft, as well as a revamped NHL Draft Lottery.
On Monday, April 29th, we will witness hockey history.
For the first time ever, the first 14 picks of the NHL Draft will be determined by a weighted lottery system.
Here are the odds for winning first pick:
Team 1 – 25.0%
Team 2 – 18.8%
Team 3 – 14.2%
Team 4 – 10.7%
Team 5 – 8.1%
Team 6 – 6.2%
Team 7 – 4.7%
Team 8 – 3.6%
Team 9 – 2.7%
Team 10 – 2.1%
Team 11 – 1.5%
Team 12 – 1.1%
Team 13 – 0.8%
Team 14 – 0.5%
No club can move down more than one position as a result of this Draft Lottery.
For a example, if Team 3 won the lottery, Team 1 and 2 would move down one spot.
The change in the Draft Lottery has now allowed all 14 teams a shot at the number one pick, whereas before, only the bottom five teams were eligible to obtain the first overall pick.
If you think this system looks familiar, it is. The NBA has been using the weighted Draft Lottery system since 1990.
The NHL also announced today that the 2013 NHL Draft will take place on Sunday, June 30th at the Prudential Center in New Jersey.
The Draft will have all seven rounds conducted on the 30th, marking the first time it has happened since 2006.