The Canadiens could finally end up with the 3rd overall pick
The famous lottery for the next NHL Draft will take place on May 8th.
Canadiens fans will certainly be eager to see if they can get the magic ball to have a chance to draft an exceptional player like Connor Bedard.
However, since the Canadiens finished 28th in the overall standings, it is important to be realistic and understand that their chances of winning the lottery are quite slim, with only an 8.5% chance of succeeding and an 8.6% chance of being drafted in second position.
Applying a rule of three, we can estimate that the Canadiens' chances of speaking among the top two and having the opportunity to draft Connor Bedard or Adam Fantilli are a little less than one in five.
However, in the worst case scenario, the Canadiens could draft in seventh place. But according to a column by Marco D'Amico relayed by Charles-Alexis Brisebois on Danslescoulisses.com, there is a possible scenario in which the Canadiens could get the third pick, which would come from Ottawa.
Indeed, the Senators finished 21st in the overall standings, but if they win the lottery, the rule states that they can only draft in the second position, which would give the first pick to the Anaheim Ducks.
However, it is possible that the Canadiens win the second pick lottery after the Senators have won the first one. In that case, the Canadiens would be moved to the third position to allow the Senators to select in the second position. This would be an interesting turn of events to follow.
The Canadiens' chances of getting the third selection are very low, with only a 0.3% chance, as indicated in the photo.
Indeed, while the chances of the mentioned scenario happening are low, it is true that this year's draft is considered to be stronger than that of 2022. Therefore, there is a good chance that the player selected by Kent Hughes at the June draft will become an impact player for the Canadiens in the short or long term. The identity of this player is still unknown, but it is certain that the draft will be a key moment for the future of the team.
| POLL | ||
If the Canadiens end up with the third overall pick in the upcoming draft, which player would you like to see land in Montreal? | ||
| Leo Carlsson | 48 | 31 % |
| Matvei Mitchkov | 79 | 51 % |
| Zach Benson | 5 | 3.2 % |
| Will Smith | 23 | 14.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
