Your guide to the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery
2022 NHL Draft Lottery
When: Tuesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. ET
How to watch: Sportsnet, SN NOW, ESPN, ESPN+, TVA Sports.
The NHL Draft Lottery is upon us. Fans of the 16 teams that didn't qualify for the postseason will be glued to their screens with hopes of landing the coveted No. 1 pick.
This year's event will be held remotely again, with team representatives patched into the broadcast.
Last March, the NHL announced changes to the lottery process. Teams can no longer move up more than 10 spots if they win one of the lottery draws, and clubs can't win the lottery more than twice in a five-year span. Lottery winners prior to 2022 won't be counted.
The draft will take place July 7-8 in Montreal. The hometown Canadiens have the best chance at securing the top pick after finishing last this season.
Odds to win No. 1 pick
| Pick | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montreal Canadiens | 18.5% |
| 2 | Arizona Coyotes | 13.5% |
| 3 | Seattle Kraken | 11.5% |
| 4 | Philadelphia Flyers | 9.5% |
| 5 | New Jersey Devils | 8.5% |
| 6 | Chicago Blackhawks* | 7.5% |
| 7 | Ottawa Senators | 6.5% |
| 8 | Detroit Red Wings | 6% |
| 9 | Buffalo Sabres | 5% |
| 10 | Anaheim Ducks | 3.5% |
| 11 | San Jose Sharks | 3% |
| 12 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 2.5% |
| 13 | New York Islanders | 2% |
| 14 | Winnipeg Jets | 1.5% |
| 15 | Vancouver Canucks | 0.5% |
| 16 | Vegas Golden Knights** | 0.5% |
* - Chicago's pick belongs to Columbus a part of last summer's Seth Jones trade. However, if the Blackhawks earn a top-two pick, they will defer the selection they owe the Blue Jackets to 2023.
** - Vegas' pick was dealt to Buffalo in the Jack Eichel trade. If the lottery vaults the Golden Knights into the top 10, they'll surrender next year's first-rounder instead.
Projected top pick
Shane Wright has been the consensus No. 1 pick for the 2022 draft since he was granted exceptional-player status in the OHL as a 15-year-old. He enters the draft as Central Scouting's top-ranked North American skater, coming off a season with the Kingston Frontenacs in which he posted 94 points in 63 games. Wright will also have a chance to showcase his talents this summer at the rescheduled world juniors in August.
A ton of hype has surrounded the 6-foot-1 pivot for several years, and he's expected to make an immediate impact in the NHL. Whoever wins the Fight for Wright will likely be landing a franchise player.
Best of the rest
Logan Cooley: The USNTDP pivot is considered to be one of the most complete two-way players in the draft and should be taken inside the top five at most. He finished his draft year as the second-ranked North American skater after registering 75 points in 51 games this season. He was also the youngest player selected to USA's world junior squad in December.
Juraj Slafkovsky: The Slovakian winger opened plenty of eyes at the Olympics in February, winning tournament MVP with seven goals in as many games and helping his home country claim a bronze medal - its first time reaching the podium in men's hockey. He played his club hockey this season with TPS in Finland's top flight where he produced 10 points in 31 contests. Slafkovsky finished his year atop the international skater rankings.