The top overall pick in this year's NHL Entry Draft will go to the team that had the worst record this season.
The Buffalo Sabres, which had the highest odds to land the number-one pick, landed it during the NHL Draft Lottery, held Wednesday night. With the overall pick, the Sabres may take the consensus number-one player available, defenceman Owen Power from the University of Michigan.
The Sabres missed the playoffs for the tenth straight season and finished with just 37 points. Their season also included an 18-game winless streak.
The expansion Seattle Kraken did well in its first draft lottery, taking the second-overall pick. The Anaheim Ducks drew the third ball, with the New Jersey Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets rounding out the top-five.
The Detroit Red Wings finished with the fifth-worst record in the NHL this season but drew the sixth overall pick once Seattle was included in the top-five.
The Ottawa Senators drew the tenth overall pick and had completed the season with the tenth-worst win-loss record.
The draft lottery involves all teams who did not qualify for the playoffs. The rest of the draft order is filled out throughout the playoffs, based on where playoff teams finish. The team winning the Stanley Cup usually picks last in the first round.
The NHL Entry Draft will take place virtually on July 23 and 24.
