Tavares watch is on?

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

NHLN: On the Fly


The Buffalo Sabres if they lose the rest of their games could have a shot to land Tavares who is projected to be the #1 draft choice in the 2009 Entry Draft.

THE DRAFT LOTTERY - HOW IT WORKS

The lottery (the NHL refers to it as the Draft Drawing) involves the picks from clubs that don't make the current season's Stanley Cup Playoffs, or clubs that acquired the first-round picks of those non-playoff clubs. The lottery result does not affect the draft order for the remainder of the first round and rounds two through seven.

The club selected in the lottery may not move up more than four positions in the draft order. Thus the only clubs with the opportunity to receive the 1st overall selection are the five clubs with the lowest regular-season point totals (or clubs that acquired those clubs' first-round drafting positions). No club can move down more than one position as a result of the lottery. Under the weighted lottery system, the club with the fewest regular-season points will have the greatest chance (25%) of winning the lottery and will pick no lower than second at the Entry Draft.

Fourteen balls, numbered 1-14, are placed in a lottery machine and four are drawn, forming a series of numbers. A probability chart, created by Bortz & Company, divides the possible combinations among the 14 participating clubs. The four-digit series that results from the balls drawn are be compared to the probability chart to determine the team to which that combination has been assigned.

The percentage chance of being selected in the lottery is as follows, based on team finish:

30th........... 25.0% (250 combinations)
29th........... 18.8% (188 combinations)
28th........... 14.2% (142 combinations)
27th........... 10.7% (107 combinations)
26th.............8.1% (81 combinations)
25th.............6.2% (62 combinations)
24th.............4.7% (47 combinations)
23rd.............3.6% (36 combinations)
22nd............ 2.7% (27 combinations)
21st.............2.1% (21 combinations)
20th.............1.5% (15 combinations)
19th.............1.1% (11 combinations)
18th.............0.8% (8 combinations)
17th.............0.5% (5 combinations)

There are 1,001 numerical combinations possible, with one combination eliminated to make the odds fair; if the eliminated combination is drawn (a 0.1% probability), the drawing is immediately re-done.

After the club selected moves up, the balance of the first 14 draft selections are adjusted by one, with the appropriate clubs moving down one slot to accommodate the winner, if necessary. Here's a chart showing the chances of each team picking in a given spot:
http://www.nhlscap.com/draft.htm

[OpIv37]

Sabres are currently 20th in the standings, which would give them a 1.5% chance.

Typical Buffalo mediocrity- not good enough to win, not bad enough to blow the team up and start over or get good draft picks.

[Dr. Lecter]

I would rather have Hedman at this time anyway.

[Mski]

tavares, while good... is same prototype as gerbe... very talented, great with the puck, but way too undersized

[bigbub2352]

even if we finished dead last the NHL would find a way not to give us the number 1 pick overall

[Nighthawk]

Tavares is VERY good and it would be amazing for this franchise to get this player. That being said, this is Buffalo and it will never happen.

[don137]

For some reason the Sabres have had zero luck in these drafts...If I recall the Sabres were one of the worst teams in the league the year Crosby came out and had one of the best chances to land the first pick however Pittsburgh with long shot odds won the lottery.

[User Manuel]

tavares, while good... is same prototype as gerbe... very talented, great with the puck, but way too undersized

HAVE YOU EVER EVEN SEEN HIM?????? Have you ever seen him play?

He is 6'0" and 200 lbs. He is also trenedous down low and around the net. He is about as far from Gerbe as humanly possible.

[User Manuel]

I would rather have Hedman at this time anyway.

Why?

[JD]

lose out!!

[Dr. Lecter]

Why?

I would rather a great defensive core than high scoring offense, especially the way the league is moving.

A defense of Sekera, Weber, Butler, Myers, Hedman and Bannan would be superb and have the potential to dominate.

[User Manuel]

I would rather a great defensive core than high scoring offense, especially the way the league is moving.

A defense of Sekera, Weber, Butler, Myers, Hedman and Bannan would be superb and have the potential to dominate.

Fair enough.

[THATHURMANATOR]

tavares, while good... is same prototype as gerbe... very talented, great with the puck, but way too undersized
He is a lot bigger than Gerbe

[SabreEleven]

For some reason the Sabres have had zero luck in these drafts...If I recall the Sabres were one of the worst teams in the league the year Crosby came out and had one of the best chances to land the first pick however Pittsburgh with long shot odds won the lottery.

I'm going off memory here but Pittsburgh and Buffalo had the best chance to get the #1 overall that year in the lottery coming off the strike year. With Pittsburgh getting the #1 because the NHL had to have a reason to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh. Buffalo wound up get like the #11 overall and the annual NHL screwing instead. I believe they got Stafford that year. Shocking, I know.

[Dr. Lecter]

That is how I remember it as well, except the Sabres drafted 13th and got Zagrapan.

http://www.kronishsports.com/SE/NHL/DH/2000s/2005.htm

[Nighthawk]

IMO, there is no question that the guy that would serve the franchise best would be Tavares. This guy is a star, something we haven't had here since Lafontaine. Yes, Drury and Briere were great, but Tavares has the ability to be a superstar and a face of the NHL.