Hockey

Second draft lottery: Utah finished two points behind the Canadiens in the standings
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Second draft lottery: Utah finished two points behind the Canadiens in the standings
Credit: Getty Images

And that's it: the NHL lottery is behind us.

This year, let's just say it was less expected in Montreal, since the Habs couldn't draft higher than 16th with the Flames' pick. In the end, logic prevailed.

The Habs will therefore have the 16th (thanks to Sean Monahan) and 17th picks.

Still, it's crazy how the lottery worked out. After all, the Islanders had a 3.5% chance of winning the lottery and it happened. And the Utah club had to draft 14th.

You know when you win the second lottery and “only” move up to fourth place, you've come a long way.

Utah finished 19th overall and the Islanders 23rd. This proves that, unlike the 2024 draft (when nothing changed), everything can change at the snap of a finger.

Or, in this case, with the stroke of an abacus.

What strikes me most in all this is that the Utah club (will the kid drafted second have a jersey with the name Mammoth on it?) still had 89 points this season.

The Habs, on the other hand, had 91 points.

(Credit: Sportsnet)

Of course, that's not to say that the same scenario would have happened to the Habs had they just missed the playoffs. That's not what I'm saying.

I'm just pointing out that things can change quickly in the hockey world. And yesterday's lottery is proof of that.

I don't think Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes regret this season's playoff experience for the guys. But I do wonder what management thinks of the lottery.

At the end of the day, I'm sure management knows that you don't build a hockey team on luck.


overtime

– Keep in mind.

– Sam Bennett is the talk of the town. [BPM Sports]

– It's Brendan Gallagher's birthday.

– Beautiful photo, indeed.

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