The NHL is considering more changes to the draft lottery, according to the CBC’s Elliotte Friedman.
Click on the link to read all the details, but basically the league is pondering an expansion of the lottery, where instead of just the first overall pick being decided that way, it could be the top three, or even top five.
The NHL may also use a “rolling” five-year period to determine the lottery odds, as a way to diminish teams’ incentive to field less competitive rosters during seasons when potential franchise-altering draftees (like, say, Connor McDavid and/or Jack Eichel) are available.
Writes Friedman:
No one wanted to use the word “tanking.” But there is concern about how competitive things will be with McDavid and Eichel available next summer. If you’re an owner or a general manager, would the adoption of this policy change the way you approach the 2014-15 season?
The list of first overall picks in the last 10 years includes Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane, Steven Stamkos, and John Tavares.
Related: Burke on why the Penguins are a good team: “They won a goddamn lottery”