who gets Tavares?

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

The League will unveil the results of the Draft Drawing live during a 30-minute program produced and televised by TSN in Canada and simulcast on VERSUS in the U.S. The show also will be streamed live on NHL.com and TSN.ca. NHL Network will re-broadcast the Draft Drawing in the U.S. only at 9 p.m., ET.


Clubs that did not qualify for this season's Stanley Cup Playoffs, or clubs that acquired the first-round picks of those non-playoff clubs, will participate. Under the weighted lottery system, the club with the fewest regular-season points will have the greatest chance (25%) of winning the Draft Drawing and will pick no lower than second at the 2009 Entry Draft.

The club selected in the Draft Drawing may not move up more than four positions in the draft order; the only clubs with the opportunity to receive the first overall selection are the five with the lowest regular-season point totals, or those that acquired an eligible club's first-round draft picks. No club can move down more than one position as a result of the Draft Drawing.

The percentage chance of a team being selected in the Draft Drawing:

NY Islanders 25.0%
Tampa Bay 18.8%
Colorado 14.2%
Atlanta 10.7%
Los Angeles 8.1%
Phoenix 6.2%
Toronto 4.7%
Dallas 3.6%
Ottawa 2.7%
Edmonton 2.1%
Nashville 1.5%
Minnesota 1.1%
Buffalo 0.8%
Florida 0.5%
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=417947#&navid=nhl-search

[Nighthawk]

The team that wins the lottery...

[SabreEleven]

and before anybody brings up the Sabres winning the Lottery please read this sentence again

The club selected in the Draft Drawing may not move up more than four positions in the draft order

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

my guess is that the NHL will find a way for Phoenix to get Tavares just like they did with Pittsburgh getting Crosby. Phoenix needs Tavares badly as their trying to find new investors or ownership for the financially strapped franchise. Bettman also came out and said that the NHL isn't moving the Coyotes.

[SabreEleven]

Read my post above please.

[OpIv37]

typical Buffalo mediocrity- not good enough to win, not bad enough to get a chance to get better.

[Nighthawk]

typical Buffalo mediocrity- not good enough to win, not bad enough to get a chance to get better.

It's the Buffalo way!

[SabreEleven]

typical Buffalo mediocrity- not good enough to win, not bad enough to get a chance to get better.

What pisses me off is back when the NHL came back from the strike and they had their best chance at the #1 pick overall along with Pittsburgh. Of course Pittsburgh gets #1 but Buffalo fell all the way down to #13 that year. I can understand Bettman fixing the lottery to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh but to **** over the Sabres by having them fall that far. It's just Bettman screwing over the Sabres and Ruff for the '99 Finals embarassment.

[SabreEleven]

oh and when this Lottery does happen in 4 minutes, it probably won't be neccisary to start it's own thread.

Edit: ****, I forgot how to speel neccissary...****

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

NY Islanders

[Nighthawk]

OK, now trade Roy, Stafford, whoever, whoever, 3 #1's to the Islanders for the #1 pick in the draft.

[THATHURMANATOR]

What pisses me off is back when the NHL came back from the strike and they had their best chance at the #1 pick overall along with Pittsburgh. Of course Pittsburgh gets #1 but Buffalo fell all the way down to #13 that year. I can understand Bettman fixing the lottery to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh but to **** over the Sabres by having them fall that far. It's just Bettman screwing over the Sabres and Ruff for the '99 Finals embarassment.bettman didn't fix the lottery.

[Dr. Lecter]

I will repeat this: I would not take Tavares if I had the first pick in the draft.

[Nighthawk]

I will repeat this: I would not take Tavares if I had the first pick in the draft.

OK, why?

[Dr. Lecter]

Hedmen is a rare talent on defense. He is being somewhat overlooked by some because he does not put up huge numbers like Tavares. Everything I have read is that he will be an anchor on defense for years to come like Lindstrom has been for Detroit. And with the NHL slowly drifting back to a league that emphasizes defense over offensive skill, having dominant players on the blueline is critical.

[chernobylwraiths]

Then maybe we could trade to get the number 2 pick. Either way, we get a phenominal talent.

[SabreEleven]

I have it up to here with European defensemen...

[OpIv37]

I have it up to here with European defensemen...

Maybe Vanek can play defense. He's Austrian, not European.

[JD]

Shocking that the Isles... (lowest fan attendance for how many years?) gets Tavares to spike interest. They'll be what the Penguins are today in 2-3 years.

[SabreEleven]

Maybe Vanek can play defense. He's Austrian, not European.

Maybe rbochan will get the joke now.

[chernobylwraiths]

Shocking that the Isles... (lowest fan attendance for how many years?) gets Tavares to spike interest. They'll be what the Penguins are today in 2-3 years.

The fact that they are the worst team in the league and had the best chance to get the first pick didn't have anything to do with it?

[SabreEleven]

Bettman fixed it...

[Nighthawk]

Hedmen is a rare talent on defense. He is being somewhat overlooked by some because he does not put up huge numbers like Tavares. Everything I have read is that he will be an anchor on defense for years to come like Lindstrom has been for Detroit. And with the NHL slowly drifting back to a league that emphasizes defense over offensive skill, having dominant players on the blueline is critical.

I don't think you pass on a talent like Tavares...period. He is a difference maker and will make players around him better. Have you ever seen this kid play??? I'd love to have him on the Sabres.

[OpIv37]

The fact that they are the worst team in the league and had the best chance to get the first pick didn't have anything to do with it?

you're talking to a guy who thinks George Bush planned 9/11. There's no he'll believe that the team with a 1 in 4 chance won without some conspiracy behind it.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

Shocking that the Isles... (lowest fan attendance for how many years?) gets Tavares to spike interest. They'll be what the Penguins are today in 2-3 years.

Shocking the Islanders got the pick? Really? What team would have gotten that pick that you would be sitting here saying they should have gotten the pick? The Islanders are terrible. The Islanders will be the Penguins in 2-3 years? What, a team that has Malkin on their team? They will have two of the best offensive players in the league and have an average team? C'mon man, the Islanders will find a way to screw this whole thing up.

[User Manuel]

I will repeat this: I would not take Tavares if I had the first pick in the draft.

He IS that good Doc.

[JD]

Shocking the Islanders got the pick? Really? What team would have gotten that pick that you would be sitting here saying they should have gotten the pick? The Islanders are terrible. The Islanders will be the Penguins in 2-3 years? What, a team that has Malkin on their team? They will have two of the best offensive players in the league and have an average team? C'mon man, the Islanders will find a way to screw this whole thing up.

What happened to the Bruins? Look how fast they turned their game around. The Islanders began to find their own identity late in the season..aside from the 9-0 assault.. you cannot say the same about the Sabres. How about the Capitals? Flyers?

The Isles are well on their way.

[JD]

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[TheGhostofJimKelly]

What happened to the Bruins? Look how fast they turned their game around. The Islanders began to find their own identity late in the season..aside from the 9-0 assault.. you cannot say the same about the Sabres. How about the Capitals? Flyers?

The Isles are well on their way.

Getting Tavares and having top five picks for the past five years, I would hope they are on their way.

[rbochan]

Imagine what Tavares is thinking... "Oh **** not the Islanders!"