Eyes On Isles
Fansided

New York Islanders Need A Miracle At The NHL Lottery

By Christopher Lizza

Jun 26, 2015; Sunrise, FL, USA; Mathew Barzal puts on a team jersey after being selected as the number sixteen overall pick to the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2015; Sunrise, FL, USA; Mathew Barzal puts on a team jersey after being selected as the number sixteen overall pick to the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Come Saturday night, April 29th, the New York Islanders organization is looking for some help from the hockey gods. One of the only solaces to this disappointing season is the Isles have a chance to score one of the top three picks in the 2017 NHL draft. The Islanders are looking to get lucky at the NHL lottery.

While there is no Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews level player at the top of the 2017 NHL amateur draft, there are a couple of players to get excited about. There is a two-way battle for the number one overall spot between Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier.

Patrick, Canadian kid (Winnipeg), is 6’3, 200 lbs, and is projected to be a two-way center. He has been compared to Jonathan Toews.

Hischier from Naters, Switzerland, is 6’0, 174 lbs playmaker who can play either center or right wing. Hischier electrifying skills has drawn comparisons to Pavel Bure.

Long Odds

The good news is the New York Islanders have a chance to have the ping pong balls go their way and land a top-three pick. The bad news is the odds that happens for the blue and orange are very long, to say the least.

The Islanders are in the 15th slot for next week’s lottery drawing. Odds are the Isles will be staying at the 15th spot in the first round of the draft. In fact, there is a 97% probability the Islanders will have the 15th overall pick this year.

New York Islanders

The Isles have a three percent chance of landing a top-three pick this year. There is a 1.1% chance the Isles get the third overall pick, 1% at the second, and 0.9% they land the first overall pick.

Better odds than the Powerball but still remote.

Excitement Right Away

Once the NHL lottery proceedings start a little after 8 PM eastern on Saturday, April 29th, Islander fans you better be ready.

Reason being the first card to be flipped will be the 15th overall slot. Now, Islander fans hope, pray, and break out the lucky rabbit’s foot that you don’t see the Isles logo when that card is flipped.

If you don’t see the Islanders logo when the 15th card is flipped that means the Isles have landed a top-three selection in this year’s draft. So Islander fans you will know right way if the team got lucky at the lottery.

You Never Know

How does the New York lottery slogan go? You never know, right?

In all likelihood, Islander fans prepare yourselves for the fact when Bill Daly flips over the card for the 15th slot it will be for the Isles.

Next: Early Criticism of New Ownership

In the coming weeks, yours truly will break down the best possibilities on who could be on the board when the Islanders most likely pick at 15th overall.

My thoughts are the Isles pick should be very much in play, a recent article of mine.

In the meantime, Islander fans you can hope and dream for some magic for the Isles come the night of the NHL lottery.

Home/Editorials