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Toronto Maple Leafs: The NHL Is Back With the Draft Lottery Tonight

By Stephen Nixon

BUFFALO, NY - JUNE 24: Winnepegs Jets second overall pick Patrik Laine, Toronto Maple Leafs first overall pick Auston Matthews and Columbus Blue Jackets third overall pick Pierre-Luc Dubois celebrate during round one of the 2016 NHL Draft on June 24, 2016 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - JUNE 24: Winnepegs Jets second overall pick Patrik Laine, Toronto Maple Leafs first overall pick Auston Matthews and Columbus Blue Jackets third overall pick Pierre-Luc Dubois celebrate during round one of the 2016 NHL Draft on June 24, 2016 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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The opportunity for the Toronto Maple Leafs to get the first-overall pick starts tonight.

The Toronto Maple Leafs traded their first round pick to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Patrick Marleau deal, but it’s top-10 protected, so the team still has a chance at winning the NHLDraft Lottery.

I mean, there’s still a lot that has to happen for this to occur, but it’s still possible.

For Toronto Maple Leafs management, they would much rather win the Stanley Cup than worry about the first round selection, but if they lose to Columbus, I’m sure they would love to have a high pick, instead of gift-wrapping it to Carolina.

NHL Draft Lottery Happens Tonight

As a recap, here are the odds for the NHL Draft Lottery tonight:

  • Detroit Red Wings (.275) – 18.5 percent chance for No. 1 pick
  • Ottawa Senators (.437) – 13.5 percent
  • Ottawa Senators (from San Jose Sharks, .450) – 11.5 percent
  • Los Angeles Kings (.457) – 9.5 percent
  • Anaheim Ducks (.472) – 8.5 percent
  • New Jersey Devils (.493) – 7.5 percent
  • Buffalo Sabres (.493) – 6.5 percent
  • Qualifier Team A – 6.0 percent
  • Qualifier Team B – 5.0 percent
  • Qualifier Team C – 3.5 percent
  • Qualifier Team D – 3.0 percent
  • Qualifier Team E – 2.5 percent
  • Qualifier Team F – 2.0 percent
  • Qualifier Team G – 1.5 percent
  • Qualifier Team H – 1.0 percent

If any of the seven teams listed above win the NHL Draft Lottery, a second phase will not be needed. However, if Qualifier Team A-H wins a top three selection, there will be another Lottery after the First Round of the playoffs to determine the winning team.

That’s where the Toronto Maple Leafs fit in.

If one of the Qualifier Team A-H teams win, and the Leafs end up losing in the First Round to Columbus, they will be in the Lottery and if they win, they’ll get to keep their first round pick this year. However, if they lose and their pick isn’t in the top-10, then the Carolina Hurricanes will get their pick this year.

Sure, it’s a little confusing but at the end of the day, who really cares?

We’re getting live hockey tonight!

It may not be a game but it’s a sense of normalcy. For the first time since March, there will be a live hockey event that is truly exciting.

No more press conferences, or discussing about Hub cities; just pure hockey enjoyment, and I couldn’t be happier about that.

As much as it’s fun to cheer against the Leafs rival Ottawa Senators, it would be nice to see them get the number one and two selections tonight, so it could maybe help fast-track a rivalry that used to be a ton of fun.

The “Battle of Ontario” was unbelievable in the early 2000s as both teams faced each other four times in the playoffs.

It was especially fun because the Leafs beat the Senators every year, but it would be great to see both teams play each other again in the playoffs.

Next. Happy Auston Matthews Day!. dark

Either way, tonight will be interesting and a great event to watch. Sit back and try to forget what’s going on in the world for an hour, and enjoy a real hockey event for the first time in over 100 days.

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