Oilers win lottery, right to draft Connor McDavid
The Edmonton Oilers had an incredible run of first-round picks this decade, but it hasn't led to a rise from near the bottom of the standings.
But the 28th overall Oilers won the biggest draft prize in years, capturing the draft lottery Saturday night and the right to take Erie (Pa.) Otters center Connor McDavid with the first overall pick in June.
They had a 11.5% chance of winning the lottery.
"It was fun and exciting and certainly got my heart beating," McDavid said of the lottery process.
The Oilers wouldn't anoint McDavid as the No. 1 pick, preferring to do that at the draft, but general manager Craig MacTavish said on a conference call that there was zero chance he'd trade the pick.
"It's a game-changer," he said of winning the lottery.
McDavid has been anointed as the next great prospect for years and didn't disappoint in his draft year. He had 120 points in 47 games this season (he missed time with a broken hand) and recently had a five-goal game during the Ontario Hockey League playoffs.
"He's not only the most productive junior player but also the most dynamic," MacTavish said. "When you've been in the position we've been in all year, you think this is a possibility, but going into the evening, I was still pretty resigned to the fact that it was fairly long odds of it happening."
McDavid also led Canada to a gold medal at the world junior championships.
"He's a craftsman with the puck," Dan Marr, director of Central Scouting, said in his final scouting report. "His hockey sense, with his vision, his anticipation, his sense of timing and the ability to do those things at a top-end speed, you're looking at the best skilled player in the draft."
Boston University center Jack Eichel, this season's Hobey Baker Award winner and the projected No. 2 overall pick, will go to the Buffalo Sabres. They finished last overall after enduring a winless January and trading away both of their goalies.
Although Sabres fans had hoped for McDavid and a Pray for McDavid sign was prominent at First Niagara Center late in the season, Eichel is a solid consolation prize.
He led college hockey in points (71), assists (45), power play points (23) and plus-minus (+23).
"He is proving to be such an amazing game-breaker," Marr said. "He's relentless and driven on the play and has the smarts, speed and skills to deliver a needed scoring drive to tie up or win a game."
The Oilers had picked first overall from 2010 to 2012 and chose, respectively, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov, who are still developing. Hall has had the most points with 80, but he also has had injury issues.
"The group of guys they have there is pretty special," McDavid said. "If it happens to be me who is selected there, obviously, it would be a great honor to step in with a group of talent like that."
The loser Saturday was the Arizona Coyotes, who finished in 29th place and will pick third instead. Landing McDavid or Eichel would have helped a franchise that has new ownership after years of being run by the league.
The next group, a step behind McDavid and Eichel but still highly talented, includes Boston College defenseman Noah Hanifin and Ontario Hockey League players Dylan Strome, Lawson Crouse and Mitch Marner.
"There's half a dozen guys that could be candidates for that position," Coyotes GM Don Maloney told the Arizona Republic before the lottery. "I don't think it's locked in stone, that third position, which gives us flexibility because there are one or two of those that we like more than the others.
"So maybe if we get what we want and we trade down a slot or two, we have to look at those options once we find out where the balls end up in the lottery. But there are some good players that can help us – maybe not next year, but not that long after."
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