When building an elite playoff-contending team, you need a bit of luck to go your way. Sometimes, you get that luck through a late draft pick turning into a star for years to come, but the best way to strike a pot of gold is by moving up or even winning the NHL draft lottery. Moving up even just one spot can make a drastic difference in your organization’s future. Take the Chicago Blackhawks for example, the Blackhawks last year moved up one spot, going from 2nd to 1st overall. That one spot difference led to them selecting upcoming phenom Connor Bedard. As if moving up from 12th to 3rd overall in 2013 was enough for the Chicago Blackhawks, they got rewarded again last offseason.
The Anaheim Ducks have been out of the playoffs for six straight seasons and have yet to move up even just one spot via the draft lottery. Let’s take a look at each year they missed the playoffs, and what players that led to them missing out on the opportunity of selecting.
2019 NHL Draft & Draft Lottery
In 2019, the Ducks finished 24th overall in the standings, giving them the 8th worst record and 8th best odds at winning the draft lottery. This is the year Chicago moved up from 12th, which led to them jumping the Ducks. The Ducks ended up moving back one spot in the draft, going from 8th to 9th.
This didn’t affect Anaheim too much, they still drafted Trevor Zegras. I’m sure even now Anaheim wouldn’t make any changes to that pick. The player they missed the opportunity of drafting was Philip Broberg, who went 8th to the Oilers. Still to this day, Broberg has yet been able to solidify himself as an NHL player. He currently is in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors.
2020 NHL Draft & Draft Lottery
In 2020, the Ducks finished the season 5th to last, meaning they had the 5th best odds at winning the draft lottery. Anaheim once again had been dealt bad cards and they moved back 1 spot, for the second season in a row. The New York Rangers had one of the lowest odds of winning the lottery, yet that is exactly what happened. They took Alexis Lafrenière with the first overall pick.
Anaheim drafted Jamie Drysdale this year at 6th overall. The player they missed the opportunity of drafting due to bad luck via the lottery draft, was Jake Sanderson, who went 5th overall to the Senators.
2021 NHL Draft & Draft Lottery
Finally, the Ducks finished in a spot that seemed very likely for them to either have the 1st or 2nd overall pick. In the 2020-21 season, Anaheim finished 2nd to last, this meant only Buffalo had better odds at getting the first overall pick. Buffalo, sure enough, ended up getting the first overall pick, but it was the Seattle Kraken that got the 2nd overall pick. Anaheim, once again, dropped one place back in the draft for the THIRD season in a row.
Anaheim still hit gold with the Mason McTavish pick at 3rd overall, but there’s no doubt that Matty Beniers has been seen as the better player, and that’s who they missed out on at 2nd overall.
2022 NHL Draft & Draft Lottery
Will the Ducks drop again in the draft for the 4th time in a row? No. The Ducks came into the draft lottery placed 10th, in best odds to get the first overall pick. They didn’t drop but didn’t move up either, the Ducks stayed at 10th.
This year despite having a lower pick, again Anaheim seemed to hit this pick out of the park, selecting Russian defenceman Pavel Mintyukov.
2023 NHL Draft & Draft Lottery
The Ducks haven’t received any good luck at all, so in the 2022-23 season they finished 32nd overall in the NHL Standings. Giving the Ducks the best odds at drafting 1st overall, in the Connor Bedard draft. Yet again, Anaheim dropped one spot in the draft, as Chicago was the team that moved up and got to draft Bedard.
Anaheim still got to draft Leo Carlsson, who is nothing short of an elite potential center, but he still isn’t on the level of Conor Bedard.
Related Page: 2023 NHL Draft – Nashville
2024 NHL Draft & Draft Lottery
The Anaheim Ducks currently rank 30th out of 32 teams, giving them the 3rd best odds at winning the draft lottery. It seems as if Anaheim’s positioning won’t change much in the standings unless Chicago wins a few games and jumps the Ducks for 30th.
Is this year FINALLY the year that Anaheim gets rewarded in the draft lottery? Macklin Celebrini is the obvious pick for 1st overall, and he would be quite the fit in Anaheim alongside Trevor Zegras, Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, and Troy Terry.
Episode 108: Merry LAPmas – Late Arrivals: An Anaheim Ducks Podcast
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