The reason why dead last is so important is it guarantees you McDavid or Eichel. There is no chance the NHL lottery shenanigans ruins it for you.
- Feds91Stammer

Yes obviously last is best for the Yotes, but, second last will still get you a great player. I hope the Coyotes win the lottery.

please lose the next 2 games. thanks

So you are saying, last place is due...
- ImThatGuy

Hopefully not

please lose the next 2 games. thanks
- SJFreez19

I will say the same to you

Buffalo needs to go on a little winning streak here with Cody Hodgson getting a few hat-tricks

I will say the same to you
- Herzeleid

Might wanna change your location

Yes obviously last is best for the Yotes, but, second last will still get you a great player. I hope the Coyotes win the lottery.
- LeftCoaster

Any player in the 1st round should be a good player especially in the top 10. It's all about the fit and the development.

Some people don't realize you're still rooting for your team, just longer-term.
- IceColdBeer

Exactly.

Any player in the 1st round should be a good player especially in the top 10. It's all about the fit and the development.
- Feds91Stammer

Yup - a lot of good young center prospects out there.

Any player in the 1st round should be a good player especially in the top 10. It's all about the fit and the development.
- Feds91Stammer

But not every one is a generational talent.

(but I'm still mad at him )

Yup - a lot of good young center prospects out there.
- LeftCoaster

Patience is key too.

Patric Hornqvist went freaking 230th overall.

But not every one is a generational talent.

(but I'm still mad at him )
- Herzeleid

A guy drafted top 3 should be able to be a franchise changing player but still he has to be the right fit.

A guy drafted top 3 should be able to be a franchise changing player but still he has to be the right fit.
- Feds91Stammer

Depends on the draft year, some draft classes are just flat out better and the top 10/15 is pretty good outside of a couple of busts and then in other classes you get a bust seemingly for every other pick made.

Exactly.
- James_Tanner

No difference than last couple games of the season for a playoff team in a close race. Bet it goes through their heads , win and we play the top seed and no chance of winning , Lose and we play so and so and move a better chance of going to the 2nd round.

Depends on the draft year, some draft classes are just flat out better and the top 10/15 is pretty good outside of a couple of busts and then in other classes you get a bust seemingly for every other pick made.
- Nucker101

Yes but that's why patience in development and the fit is so important. If you pick a guy that fits the teams system and you develop them properly that leaves only a few reasons for them to be busts:
1. Peaked in HS
2. Injury
3. European didn't translate game to smaller ice
4. Unreal expectations (it's okay if a guy only develops into a middle 6 forward or a bottom 4 defenseman)

So what you're saying tanner is that the Oilers need to look at the sabres and yotes on how to properly tank?

Yes but that's why patience in development and the fit is so important. If you pick a guy that fits the teams system and you develop them properly that leaves only a few reasons for them to be busts:
1. Peaked in HS
2. Injury
3. European didn't translate game to smaller ice
4. Unreal expectations (it's okay if a guy only develops into a middle 6 forward or a bottom 4 defenseman)
- Feds91Stammer

I think there's tons of reasons a guy could miss, but I think the one that I would put ahead of all four on your list combined is just plain psychology.

Making the NHL is one thing, and exceedingly rare, but I'd be willing to bet that for every player who makes it, there are at least two with the talent to do so that can't handle the stress, grind, pressure, dedication etc of the big leagues.

Just for example, if you're drafted in the first couple rounds, the odds are good that you were the best player on every team you ever played on (or at worst, 3rd or 4th best by the time you're playing junior). Then, suddenly, once you go to the NHL - or even the AHL - you're suddenly not even in the conversation and I think that can be really hard for some guys.

So close to finishing last. it's like you almost got the job done, but you'll take it.



I hope arizona wins the lotto, screw buffalo i don't want them getting mcdavid, but its not like its awful to get eichel or something

In a perfect world the devils win

It's pretty amusing to see that so many people assume finishing last will guarantee getting McDavid. I honestly think Phoenix is going to win the lottery either way.

It's pretty amusing to see that so many people assume finishing last will guarantee getting McDavid. I honestly think Phoenix is going to win the lottery either way.
- SolGoode

I havnt read one person assume that. Where you getting that from?

It's pretty amusing to see that so many people assume finishing last will guarantee getting McDavid. I honestly think Phoenix is going to win the lottery either way.
- SolGoode

80% chance someone else wins is not great odds, I hope McDavid goes to the Coyotes

The difference is Buffalo had no intent of being a good team this year while Arizona, Edmonton, and Toronto all had playoff aspirations.
- Feds91Stammer

While I agree with this in general, if you look at total points last season vs. this season for those four teams, Buffalo is the only one that has a chance to improve this year. In fact, they already matched last seasons total points.

Arizona and Toronto are twenty points less.

Buffalo finish last, last year and nobody said a word.

It is only a big deal now because of who is in the draft.

Excellent Blog James.

Less than a toss up though because of schedule strength and the tie-breaker. If Arizona wins one game it's like 99% Buffalo wins. But right now, it's still probably really highly in Buffalo's favor just because of the odds that they'd win 4 of 7 AND lose one in OT are just so unlikely.
- James_Tanner

Its Buffalo. They usually only play hard when the games are meaningless.