Oilers To Select Eighth In 2019 NHL Draft

It’s rigged. I tell you, it’s rigged.

For the fourth straight year, a team other than the Edmonton Oilers actually won the draft lottery. Has the world gone mad? This is supposed to be our Super Bowl. Who do these other teams think they are, anyway?

The Oilers did not gain any ground in the 2019 NHL Draft lottery. They will select eighth in June.

WINNERS

You know who did gain some ground? The Devils.

New Jersey won their second draft lottery in three years. After picking Nico Hischier in 2017, they will have the opportunity to draft Jack Hughes in June. The Devils jumped two spots from 3 to 1st overall.

The New York Rangers will select second. They jumped four spots from sixth to second, and they’ll have the opportunity to draft Kaapo Kakko from Finland with the second overall pick.

The Blackhawks jumped to third overall. The biggest movers in the draft lottery, Chicago jumped nine spots from 12 to 3rd.

NOT SO MUCH

I don’t feel too bad for the Avalanche (they’re in the playoffs), but they did have the greatest odds in this draft lottery by holding Ottawa’s odds. The Avalanche fell three places to fourth overall. Ditto LA, who fell from 2 to 5th. Detroit and Buffalo both fell two places (6th and 7th). Edmonton dropped one spot to eighth.

2019 NHL ENTRY DRAFT RANKINGS

1. New Jersey Devils

2. New York Rangers

3. Chicago Blackhawks

4. Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa)

5. Los Angeles Kings

6. Detroit Red Wings

7. Buffalo Sabres

8. Edmonton Oilers

9. Anaheim Ducks

10. Vancouver Canucks

11. Philadelphia Flyers

12. Minnesota Wild

13. Florida Panthers

14. Arizona Coyotes

15. Montreal Canadiens