Blue Jackets score franchise first in draft lottery
COLUMBUS, OH -- The Columbus Blue Jackets won the third draft drawing and will have the third overall pick at the 2016 National Hockey League Draft to be held on June 24-25 at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. The Toronto Maple Leafs won the first Drawing and will hold the first overall pick and the Winnipeg Jets won the second Drawing and will select second overall. It marks the first time in franchise history the Jackets have moved up in the Draft via the Lottery Drawing.
The first 14 picks of the 2016 NHL Draft are as follows: 1 -- Toronto Maple Leafs; 2 -- Winnipeg Jets; 3 -- COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS; 4 -- Edmonton Oilers; 5 -- Vancouver Canucks; 6 -- Calgary Flames; 7 -- Arizona Coyotes; 8 -- Buffalo Sabres; 9 -- Montreal Canadiens; 10 -- Colorado Avalanche; 11 -- New Jersey Devils; 12 -- Ottawa Senators; 13 -- Carolina Hurricanes; 14 -- Boston Bruins. The remaining draft positions will be determined at the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The NHL Draft Lottery is a weighted lottery system that determines the order of selection for the first 14 picks of the Draft. Clubs that did not qualify for this season's Stanley Cup Playoffs, or clubs that acquired the first-round picks of those non-playoff clubs, participated in the lottery. In August 2014, the NHL announced changes to the Draft Lottery format. Beginning this year, the NHL Draft Lottery assigned the top three slots in the first round of the NHL Draft -- a change from prior years, when the Draft Lottery was used to determine the winner of the first overall selection exclusively. Three draws are held: the first drawing determining the club selecting first overall, the second drawing determining the club selecting second and the third drawing determining the club selecting third overall.
Under this system, the Blue Jackets had the 11th-most regular season points and a 9.5% chance of winning the lottery. The percentage chance of being selected in the 2016 NHL Draft Lottery was as follows, based on team finish: Toronto (20.0 pct.), Edmonton (13.5 pct.), Vancouver (11.5 pct.), COLUMBUS (9.5 pct.), Calgary (8.5 pct.), Winnipeg (7.5 pct.), Arizona (6.5 pct.), Buffalo (6.0 pct.), Montreal (5.0 pct.), Colorado (3.5 pct.), New Jersey (3.0 pct.), Ottawa (2.5 pct.), Carolina (2.0 pct.) and Boston (1.0 pct.).
The Blue Jackets currently hold five selections in the 2016 NHL Draft. In addition to drafting third overall, the Blue Jackets own a second and third round selection as well as picks in the sixth and seventh rounds.
BLUE JACKETS DRAFT LOTTERY HISTORY
2000 -- Lost coin flip with fellow expansion club Minnesota (No. 3 pick) to earn No. 4 overall pick in 2000 Entry Draft.
2001 -- Entered in No. 8 position and earned No. 8 pick. Atlanta (No. 3) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2002 -- Entered in No. 2 position and earned No. 3 pick. Florida (No. 3) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.*
2003 -- Entered in No. 3 position and earned No. 4 pick. Florida (No. 4) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2004 -- Entered in No. 4 position and earned No. 4 pick. Washington (No. 3) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2005 -- No Drawing due to cancellation of 2004-05 season.
2006 -- Entered in No. 6 position and earned No. 6 pick. St. Louis (No. 1) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2007 -- Entered in No. 7 position and earned No. 7 pick. Chicago (No. 5) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2008 -- Entered in No. 6 position and earned No. 6 pick. Tampa Bay (No. 1) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2009 -- Not eligible for Drawing. NY Islanders (No. 1) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2010 -- Entered in No. 4 position and earned No. 4 pick. Edmonton (No. 1) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2011 -- Entered in No. 7 position and earned No. 8 pick. New Jersey (No. 8) won Drawing and No. 4 overall pick.
2012 -- Entered in No. 1 position and earned No. 2 pick. Edmonton (No. 2) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2013 -- Entered in No. 14 position and earned No. 14 pick. Colorado (No. 2) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2014 -- Not eligible for Drawing. Florida (No. 2) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2015 -- Entered in No. 8 position and earned No. 8 pick. Edmonton (No. 3) won Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
2016 -- Entered in No. 4 position and earned No. 3 pick. Toronto (No. 1) won First Drawing and No. 1 overall pick.
(*pick acquired by Columbus, which selected Rick Nash No. 1 overall)
(Blue Jackets press release)
