After the Columbus Blue Jackets lost to the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night, the odds for the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery have been officially locked in.
The Anaheim Ducks clinched the highest odds with their 13th straight loss to end the season on Thursday, giving them a 25.5 per cent chance at the first overall pick, which is projected to be Western Hockey League star forward, Connor Bedard.
Columbus ends the season tied with the Chicago Blackhawks at 59 points, but its loss on Friday guaranteed it the second-best odds in the lottery via tiebreaker. Had the Blue Jackets beaten the Sabres, they would have moved from 31st to 29th in the standings.
Bedard's WHL season is over after his Regina Pats lost in seven games to the Saskatoon Blades in the first round of the playoffs. The young phenom added to his extraordinary 71-goal and 143-point regular season with 11 goals and 20 points in the series.
Below you can find the final odds for the 2023 lottery.
There will be two lottery draws where the top two picks are up for grabs. The percentages indicate the chances of a team winning the first lottery when the top pick is in play. However, teams can move up a maximum of 10 spots in order, so if a team outside of the bottom 11 wins the first draw, it won't get the first overall pick. Therefore, while the Ducks have an 18.5 per cent to win the first lottery, they still have a 25.5 per cent chance to pick first overall.
The NHL Draft Lottery will be held on May 8 and the results will be revealed live on Sportsnet and SN NOW.
* denotes a team outside of the bottom 11 that can't get the first overall pick in the lottery
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