CANADA WON THE NHL LOTTERY
Five teams pick in top six at draft
Canadians needed this. In a way, they deserved it.
It has been 23 years since a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup. And after all seven teams missed the playoffs for the first time since 1970, there was the obvious navel-gazing about why this country cannot succeed at a sport that everyone cares deeply about.
So Saturday night’s draft lottery, in which the Toronto Maple Leafs won the No. 1 pick and the Winnipeg Jets won the No. 2 pick, was a much-needed win.
It might not change much for next season. The Leafs, Jets and many other teams are still in various stages of rebuilding their rosters. But with franchise forwards heading to Toronto and Winnipeg — and top-six picks going to Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary — Canadian teams shouldn’t be doormats for much longer.
Here is a breakdown of what the draft lottery meant for all seven teams:
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Draft Selection: 1st overall What it means: This was a huge win for the last-place Leafs, who add a franchise forward to a young core that already includes Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly. The likely addition of Auston Matthews (and the first-round pick belonging to Pittsburgh) does not improve Toronto’s Stanley Cup odds for next season — or even make the Leafs playoff contenders — but in getting a future No. 1 centre, the team can now focus on finding a goaltender rather than trying to sign pending free agent Steven Stamkos in the summer. Who will they pick: Matthews, who scouts compare to Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, is expected to step into the NHL next season and challenge for the Calder Trophy.
WINNIPEG JETS
Draft Selection: 2nd overall What it means: Based on the impressive depth of prospects in the system, The Hockey News last year predicted the Jets would win the Stanley Cup in 2019. But winning the No. 2 pick likely moves that prediction up a year. With Jacob Trouba and Nikolaj Ehlers already in the lineup and Hobey Baker finalist Kyle Connor, defenceman Josh Morrisey and Chicago’s first-round pick in the pipeline, the Jets should have no trouble making the playoffs next season — as long as they get better goaltending. Who will they pick: The choice comes down to Patrik Laine, a sniper in the Alex Ovechkin mould, or two-way winger Jesse Puljujarvi. Either way, the Jets will get the best Finnish forward prospect since Teemu Selanne.
EDMONTON OILERS
Draft selection: 4th overall What it means: For only the second time in the last seven years, the Oilers will not be picking in the top three and getting a player that can step right into the lineup. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing for a team that gets criticized for rushing its prospects. The question now for GM Peter Chiarelli is whether he actually uses the pick on a player for the future or trades it for established players who can help the team right away. Who will they pick: If the Oilers hang onto the pick, the team would be wise to select Jakob Chychrun, an all-purpose defenceman that is exactly what the Oilers need.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Draft selection: 5th overall What it means: Falling out of the top three was obviously not the result Vancouver wanted, especially for a team that is trying to rebuild on the fly and could have used Laine or Puljujarvi to bolster its playoff chances next season. But maybe this is the kick in the pants that the Canucks needed to finally strip this thing down once and for all. Who will they pick: If he is still available, power forward Matthew Tkachuk is the type of gritty, no-nonsense scorer that will remind Canucks fans of Todd Bertuzzi. Put him on a line with Bo Horvat and Jake Virtanen and the opposing defence will be running for the hills.
CALGARY FLAMES
Draft selection: 6th overall What it means: Calgary went from picking fifth to sixth, which really doesn’t matter much in a draft where the order becomes anyone’s guess after the top three. The Flames were able to hit a home run with Sean Monahan at the No. 6 pick in 2013, so there is no reason that they cannot find another impact player at that spot. Who will they pick: With Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau and Sam Bennett up front, the Flames have a strong nucleus at forward. But they could use a defenceman, such as the slick-skating Olli Juolevi, to get them the puck.
MONTREAL CANADIENS
Draft selection: 9th overall What it means: A top-10 pick for a team that would have been in the playoffs and possibly still playing in the post-season if Carey Price had not missed most of the year with an injury is a huge bonus. Price’s absence shed light on the many holes Montreal has in its lineup. But along with prospects Michael McCarron (25th overall in 2013), Nikita Scherbak (26th, 2014) and Noah Juulsen (26th, 2015), maybe this is a chance to fill it. Who will they pick: Julien Gauthier, a big power forward that was the only draft-eligible player on Canada’s world junior team, has the size and skill that Montreal needs up front.
OTTAWA SENATORS
Draft selection: 12th overall What it means: The Senators had a 2.5 per cent chance of winning a top-3 pick, so it’s not surprising that they will end outside the top-10 for the fifth straight year. That’s OK. The team drafted Erik Karlsson 15th overall and unearthed Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone in the fifth and sixth rounds, respectively. With a new coach on the way and a defence that should be deeper with the addition of Dion Phaneuf, Ottawa could be back in the playoffs as long as its young players take another step forward. Who will they pick: Tyson Jost, a heart-and-soul forward (think: Mike Fisher), has seen his draft stock rise since captaining Canada’s entry at the recent under-18 championship.