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Islanders FAQ: Everything you need to know 2nd NHL Draft Lottery

By Michel Anderson

NEW YORK - JULY 22: The National Hockey League draft balls are checked prior to the lottery at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers on July 22, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Marlin/Getty Images for NHLI)
NEW YORK - JULY 22: The National Hockey League draft balls are checked prior to the lottery at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers on July 22, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Andy Marlin/Getty Images for NHLI) /
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What do New York Islanders fans need to know about the second draft lottery?

Chaos reigns in the NHL. We know a placeholder team won the NHL Draft Lottery. So if a team like the New York Islanders lose their play-in round against the Florida Panthers they, and the other seven play-in losers, get a chance for the first overall pick in a second lottery.

So, what do we need to know about this second lottery that could yield an elite level talent in Alexis Lafreniere?

Here’s an FAQ.

Our 2020 1st Round Pick

The Islanders traded their first-round pick to the Ottawa Senators for Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Wisely, Lou Lamoriello protected that pick. If the Isles first-rounder in 2020 becomes a top-three pick, the Isles keep it. Ottawa gets the Islanders first-round pick in 2021.

Who, What, When, Where, How?

When

No firm date has been set yet for the second leg of the draft lottery, but we do know that it is supposed to take place between the end of the qualifying round and the start of the playoffs. Whenever that is.

Where

It will likely be done remotely just as it was done for the first draft lottery. Maybe they hold it within one of the hub cities. But that sounds a little irresponsible and naive considering there are still some concerns over how the NHL can keep everyone safe in containment.

What

The first overall pick at the 2020 draft is up for grabs here. A pick that could (and likely) will be used to draft Rimouski Oceanic winger Alexis Lafreniere.

Who

The winger has already spent three years in the QMJHL thanks to a late birthdate (September). In those three years, he’s dominated the Quebec league with 297 points in 173 games. A return of 1.72 points per game.

He’s NHL ready and he’s likely to be a force in the league. Whoever gets him will be getting an incredible asset.

How

The second phase of the draft lottery will pit all eight losers in the same pot with equal odds to win the first overall pick.

Odds

All eight loser teams will have an equal 12.5 percent chance of winning the first overall pick. So any team from Pittsburgh (86 points) to Montreal (71 points) could conceivably have a chance to select Alexis Lafreniere. As long as they lose their play-in round.

Here are the matchups for the play-in round so you can get a sense of who could receive this elite talent.

Eastern Play-in Series:

  • Pittsburgh (5) vs. Montreal (12)
  • Carolina (6) vs. NY Rangers (11)
  • NY Islanders (7) vs. Florida (10)
  • Toronto (8) vs. Columbus (9)

Western Conference Play-in Series:

  • Edmonton (5) vs. Chicago (12)
  • Nashville (6) vs. Arizona (11)
  • Vancouver (7) vs. Minnesota (10)
  • Calgary (8) vs. Winnipeg (9)

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Ideally, the Isles will have to hand over their 2020 third-round pick to the Ottawa Senators as well. That pick only goes to Ottawa if the Isles win the Stanley Cup in 2020. That’s the ultimate prize, right?

Ideally, they win the Cup. But if they stumble right out of the gate getting a chance at Alexis Lafreniere is one hell of a consolation prize.

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