I could be wrong, but wasn't the Draft in Philly last year? NJ the year before that??
- HonkFortheGoose

Yes I looked it up after.

I could be wrong, but wasn't the Draft in Philly last year? NJ the year before that??
- HonkFortheGoose

Yes I dk what I was thinking.


I did just wake up.

I don't think it's fixed, but I think the odds are horsepoop...20% chance for the worst team to get the best player and improve themselves, thus very unlikely to get that high of a pick for a while (yeah yeah, Edmonton).

Look at the NFL - no lottery and it hasn't exactly turned the perennial losers into powerhouse teams, so I don't see the need.
- stashu

Two things, they just reduced the percentage this year to prevent tanking and hockey draft in top 5 has a way higher success rate than NFL.

I think I found MR.Squirrel.....

If you go to the WGR Audio Vault and find the "Angry Sabres fan calls whiner line 25 times"

I don't think it's fixed, but I think the odds are horsepoop...20% chance for the worst team to get the best player and improve themselves, thus very unlikely to get that high of a pick for a while (yeah yeah, Edmonton).

Look at the NFL - no lottery and it hasn't exactly turned the perennial losers into powerhouse teams, so I don't see the need.
- stashu

i too don't believe it is rigged.. The percentages need to be adjusted like you said.. it should be like 40%, 25, 20, 10, 5 and you have to be in the bottom 5 for it..

i too don't believe it is rigged.. The percentages need to be adjusted like you said.. it should be like 40%, 25, 20, 10, 5 and you have to be in the bottom 5 for it..
- IndianaSabresFan

I don't think there should be a lottery at all honestly.

I don't think it's fixed, but I think the odds are horsepoop...20% chance for the worst team to get the best player and improve themselves, thus very unlikely to get that high of a pick for a while (yeah yeah, Edmonton).

Look at the NFL - no lottery and it hasn't exactly turned the perennial losers into powerhouse teams, so I don't see the need.
- stashu

Yes i agree, and often point to the NFL as an example. I dont want the NHL to turn into the NBA where it is a league of haves and have nots though.

I think the nfl has it perfect. You are worst, you are first in the draft. The idea behind drafting first, is that you wont be doing it for very long. While IMO its much more difficult to turn a franchise around in the NHL (lol bills) with the lottery changes coming bottom teams will end up becoming stuck, without guarenteed talent coming in and no way to attract free agents.

i too don't believe it is rigged.. The percentages need to be adjusted like you said.. it should be like 40%, 25, 20, 10, 5 and you have to be in the bottom 5 for it..
- IndianaSabresFan

It was like that (if you were out of bottom 5 you could only move up a couple spots) but they changed it.

With all the nervousness/excitement/anxiety about wanting to pick first overall, i am interested to hear how many people think the lottery is legitemately rigged.

I dont actually believe it is rigged, but i find it sleazy and at the very least shady how the NHL handles the draft lottery.

- ieetbred

The idea that any of these lotteries are rigged is absurd. The companies that control the lottery process have way too much to lose. The league has its integrity to lose with absolutely nothing to gain. People make the arguement that player x will save market y. Sorry, doesn't work that way.

While the show is surely dry doing the selection live wouldn't give it any more credibility. There is an old saying in magic that the easiest person to fool is the one watching the trick. Also, unlike state lottery I don't know how they could possibly do it live because teams can only fall into certain ranges. I think at the end of the day it wouldn't be any more exciting.

I don't think there should be a lottery at all honestly.
- dadeadhead

well i agree with that... i was just saying they have one it should be more top heavy

Two things, they just reduced the percentage this year to prevent tanking and hockey draft in top 5 has a way higher success rate than NFL.
- Lilroot9

More often than not it also takes much longer for top, or lets say good players who were picked to turn a NHL team around versus NFL.

I don't think there should be a lottery at all honestly.
- dadeadhead

Because the sabres are here now or that you don't think teams are trying to tank on purpose when I generational talent is available?

Yes I dk what I was thinking.


I did just wake up.
- dadeadhead

And I'm the one that's not ready.....

Two things, they just reduced the percentage this year to prevent tanking and hockey draft in top 5 has a way higher success rate than NFL.
- Lilroot9

They lowered it a measly 5% this past year, but I'm pretty sure it was higher than 25% for a while before recent drafts. Just too much of a crapshoot, IMO. Worst should be 50%, 29th should be 25%, then keep going down through the order.

A team drafting 1st should be able to improve well enough to avoid such high chances of continuously loading up their roster with the #1 overall pick

The idea that any of these lotteries are rigged is absurd. The companies that control the lottery process have way too much to lose. The league has its integrity to lose with absolutely nothing to gain. People make the arguement that player x will save market y. Sorry, doesn't work that way.

While the show is surely dry doing the selection live wouldn't give it any more credibility. There is an old saying in magic that the easiest person to fool is the one watching the trick. Also, unlike state lottery I don't know how they could possibly do it live because teams can only fall into certain ranges. I think at the end of the day it wouldn't be any more exciting.
- Slump Buster

they would have to do it like the lottery.. start at pick #1.. once that team is picked if there ball comes up again they just keep going till they get a team that hasn't been picked.. by about pick 7 it will be annoying... unless after every pick they open the thing up and take the team selected balls out.. it would be stupid i agree

Because the sabres are here now or that you don't think teams are trying to tank on purpose when I generational talent is available?
- Lilroot9

Because the team that finishes worst should get the best player.

This lottery thing is one of the dumbest things ever created.

Yes i agree, and often point to the NFL as an example. I dont want the NHL to turn into the NBA where it is a league of haves and have nots though.

I think the nfl has it perfect. You are worst, you are first in the draft. The idea behind drafting first, is that you wont be doing it for very long. While IMO its much more difficult to turn a franchise around in the NHL (lol bills) with the lottery changes coming bottom teams will end up becoming stuck, without guarenteed talent coming in and no way to attract free agents.
- ieetbred

The difference is in NFL the players are ALL ready to play, in NHL it takes a few years for 98% of the guys drafted. So you could be at the bottom for years.

And I'm the one that's not ready.....
- HonkFortheGoose

It was a late one last night, day off, and I'm all alone until Sunday night.............


Oh the possibilities......

The idea that any of these lotteries are rigged is absurd. The companies that control the lottery process have way too much to lose. The league has its integrity to lose with absolutely nothing to gain. People make the arguement that player x will save market y. Sorry, doesn't work that way.

While the show is surely dry doing the selection live wouldn't give it any more credibility. There is an old saying in magic that the easiest person to fool is the one watching the trick. Also, unlike state lottery I don't know how they could possibly do it live because teams can only fall into certain ranges. I think at the end of the day it wouldn't be any more exciting.
- Slump Buster

It would likely make it much worse to watch since I believe it takes a lot of draws to get the order - it's not 1 draw, these are the odds and BAM - otherwise I'd assume it would be live.

The idea that any of these lotteries are rigged is absurd. The companies that control the lottery process have way too much to lose. The league has its integrity to lose with absolutely nothing to gain. People make the arguement that player x will save market y. Sorry, doesn't work that way.

While the show is surely dry doing the selection live wouldn't give it any more credibility. There is an old saying in magic that the easiest person to fool is the one watching the trick. Also, unlike state lottery I don't know how they could possibly do it live because teams can only fall into certain ranges. I think at the end of the day it wouldn't be any more exciting.
- Slump Buster

I dont believe it is, just find it hard to wrap my brain around why it isnt live.

I dont think it would be all that difficult to make it more exciting. Spend the first 40 mins talking prospects, teams percentages, team needs ect ect. Draw one ball (or however you want to do it) And there you have your lottery winner. Slot other teams accordingly and spend the last 15 mins of the show recapping and interviewing the winning/losing teams.

They lowered it a measly 5% this past year, but I'm pretty sure it was higher than 25% for a while before recent drafts. Just too much of a crapshoot, IMO. Worst should be 50%, 29th should be 25%, then keep going down through the order.

A team drafting 1st should be able to improve well enough to avoid such high chances of continuously loading up their roster with the #1 overall pick
- stashu

I tend to agree, but the GM's voted it this way. And the lottery makes it so you can't load up on first overalls anyway. Lol

It would likely make it much worse to watch since I believe it takes a lot of draws to get the order - it's not 1 draw, these are the odds and BAM - otherwise I'd assume it would be live.
- stashu

Ok so i am less educated on how the lottery actually works then, I wasnt aware they draw for each team because teams (untill next year) cant slide more than 1 spot.

I dont believe it is, just find it hard to wrap my brain around why it isnt live.

I dont think it would be all that difficult to make it more exciting. Spend the first 40 mins talking prospects, teams percentages, team needs ect ect. Draw one ball (or however you want to do it) And there you have your lottery winner. Slot other teams accordingly and spend the last 15 mins of the show recapping and interviewing the winning/losing teams.
- ieetbred

Doing it live you'd have to do the show from the 1st pick on down.

It would take all the bells and whistles out of it for their advertisers.

I tend to agree, but the GM's voted it this way. And the lottery makes it so you can't load up on first overalls anyway. Lol
- Lilroot9

Yeah, that's worked out well

I tend to agree, but the GM's voted it this way. And the lottery makes it so you can't load up on first overalls anyway. Lol
- Lilroot9

Well if you were guarenteed 1st overall, chances are you shouldnt be at or near bottom for more than 2 or 3 years.