The lottery standings as of this morning:
| Team | Points | Odds at #1 |
| Buffalo | 43 | 20% |
| Edmonton | 46 | 13.5% |
| Arizona | 47 | 11.5% |
| Carolina | 55 | 9.5% |
| Columbus | 56 | 8.5% |
| Toronto | 57 | 7.5% |
| New Jersey | 64 | 6.5% |
| Philadelphia /\ | 66 | 6.0% |
| Dallas /\ | 66 | 5.0% |
| Colorado \/ | 67 | 3.5% |
| Ottawa | 67 | 3.0% |
| Florida | 69 | 2.5% |
| San Jose | 72 | 2.0% |
| Los Angeles | 72 | 1.0% |
Colorado won last night, lowering their odds and moving Dallas & Philadelphia up the list. Anaheim beat Nashville, lowering the best case for that extra #1 pick the Leafs have from 26th to 25th overall. Yevgeni Svechnikov here we come!
Tonight there are 8 games schedule.
Calgary Flames at Boston Bruins
Best Result: Boston over Calgary in Overtime
This is a tough one. Both teams are hanging on to their playoff spots by a thread, and they’re in the lottery (with however small a chance of winning) if they fall out. Going to OT gets them both a precious point to hold onto those playoff spots, but I’ll give Boston the extra point to keep Jacobs from getting a lottery pick and if Calgary wins Burke will just give up the pick anyway because winning a damn lottery isn’t the way to build a team.
St. Louis Blues at Philadelphia Flyers
Best Result: St. Louis over Philadelphia in overtime
St. Louis is 4 points back of the Perds for #1 in the division and if Nashville falls so does the ranking of our draft pick from them. Flyers should get a point just to make their lottery odds worse.
Minnesota Wild at Washington Capitals
Best Result: Washington over Minnesota in Regulation
Washington pretty much has the #1WC spot in the East locked down, so giving them 2 points puts Pittsburgh in a dangerous spot of falling to a WC position.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning
Best Result: Tampa Bay over Toronto in Regulation
To Tank or not to tank eh? At this point it’s a given, really. Tampa Bay nabbing two points puts them closer to the Habs for the Division, and Nashville for the League (push that pick down!).
Dallas Stars at Florida Panthers
Best Result: Dallas over Florida in Regulation
Both are lottery teams so Dallas gaining two points puts them farther back of Toronto, which is good. But it keeps Florida from taking Bostons playoff spot, which is like the poison sprinkles on your free frogurt.
NY Islanders at Nashville Predators
Best Result: NY Islanders over Nashville in Regulation
Easy pick. No points for the Preds, and I want to keep the Islanders tops of the Metro to make their pick high 20’s because screw you Buffalo.
Vancouver Canucks at Arizona Coyotes
Best Result: Coyotes over Canucks in Regulation
Coyotes sit at 28th, so let’s have Mike Smith get on a hot streak!
Montreal Canadiens at Los Angeles Kings
Best Result: Montreal wins in Regulation
The Habs winning the game puts them closer to (again, I’m going on about this) knocking down the Preds 1st rounder in draft order. That’s worth having Montreal #1 in the league right?