Edmonton wins the lottery - rights to McDavid

[alancac98]

Edmonton wins the lottery and will draft McDavid first overall in the 2015 Draft. I think it was rigged and Buffalo got screwed, though they will still end up with a great player. The NHL needed a Canadien team worth something, so McDavid will be sent to Edmonton where his talents will waste away. Feel bad for the kid.

[bhaw]

Why would they rig it for Edmonton?

[Humperdink]

I heard the Sabre GM moaning about the process. Oh well, Buffalo still ends up with a great prospect.

Edmonton has had the number 1 overall pick in 4 of the last 6 drafts (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015).

[Jim]

At least he will have basically zero pressure in Edmonton. In Buffalo or Arizona all of the pressure would be on him. In Edmonton he will be one among a number of #1 picks.

[lemieuxReturns]

Edmonton will end up being a beast. They just need to get the right coach in there and acquire some legit defense. Good on their GM for not trading away all their young talent when all the papers were saying he should.

[no name]

You got to think Hall, Eberle or Nugget-Hopkins will be dealt for a high end defenseman or a Goalie. Edm. got to many holes else where in the line up to think McDavid will make a difference.

Is this the first year they did it with this type draft lottery, used to be only the bottom 5 were in. Buffalo will get JE, not looking to bad with Kane and JE among the forwards.

[mikey287]

I know any daily pot smoker can dream up a conspiracy theory for anything...but isn't Edmonton basically the one team where you can say beyond any doubt that the lottery is not rigged...?

[DropEmJayBird]

Death, Taxes, and "With the first overall pick, the Edmonton Oilers select"

[orpchar]

For what it's worth, Edmonton had a 0.135% chance of winning the 2010, 2011, 2012, AND 2015 draft lotteries.

Their chances to win 4 out of 6 would be slightly greater, but involves math I don't have time for right now.

[Pitt87]

I know any daily pot smoker can dream up a conspiracy theory for anything...but isn't Edmonton basically the one team where you can say beyond any doubt that the lottery is not rigged...?

Offering proof to the convinced is futile. The draft is not rigged. If you want to believe in the NHL conspiracy, have at it.

[DropEmJayBird]

If the NHL wanted to rig things for a Canadian team, there are far larger benefits for Toronto and/or Montreal. No offense to Western Canada.

[Humperdink]

Rigged or not, I thought the way the NHL presented those cards at the ceremony was cheesy at best. It just didn't enhance credulity.

[mikey287]

Isn't that how they always do it...? It's a draft lottery, it shouldn't have been televised in the first place...

[superconan]

At least he will have basically zero pressure in Edmonton. In Buffalo or Arizona all of the pressure would be on him. In Edmonton he will be one among a number of #1 picks.

All the pressure will be on him in Edmonton. Yes they have all the other #1's, but this isn't just another #1 - it's the Next One.

[Skatingpen]

How does he compare to Crosby when he came out?

[mikey287]

Pretty similar actually...both hyperspeed era superstars...Sid was a little better coming out, but not by much...

[shoeshine boy]

as an ATL resident I LOVE that Edmonton won the lottery if only because now it means that Bettman's pet team, Arizona gets neither McDavid nor Eichel. suck on that Glendale City Council!