NHL Franchise Boys

Draft Lottery: Our lottery process was amended to better align with the NHL’s new process, basically including franchises which finished 5th through 10th via the following weighted-average:

Team 10^th – 30%

Team 9^th –  22%

Team 8^th – 17%

Team 7^th – 13%

Team 6^th – 10%

Team 5^th – 8%

Process: I printed 100 business cards with team numbers 10 thru 5 inclusively as per the weighted values above. Cards were shuffled and placed in a large bag, where they were shaken for several minutes. The honor to draw the first ticket went to Steve, since he was not eligible for the lottery pick and then we took turns based on those who were no longer eligible for the lottery. The results were astonishing…

DRAFT ORDER for 2016-17

1. Joe D.
2. Giac
3. Claudio
4. Joe L.
5. Johnny
6. Mike
7. Steve
8. Paolo
9. Nick
10. Louis

I think we were all in shock when both Mike (with 30 tickets) and Joe L. (with 22 tickets) were not selected amongst the first three draws. We conducted an audit to count all the tickets and ensure everything was correct… of course they were but that’s the luck of the draw. The NHL process does state that “the worst team in the standings should not fall lower than fourth”. I think we need to adopt such a clause for future draft lotteries. I will leave this topic up for discussion at our next get together.

Enjoy the summer and we’ll be in touch in August to kickoff the new season.

Draft lottery explained

• The lottery machine is loaded with 14 balls, each bearing one number, 1 to 14
• One set of four numbers is drawn from the machine, with each ball expelled from the machine at a ten-second interval
• Without regard to the order the numbers are drawn, there are exactly 1,001 four-number combinations
• Each of the 14 teams is assigned the number of combinations corresponding to the odds allocated to them by their regular-season finish
• That means the team given a 20 per cent chance to win the lottery is represented by 200 of the 1,001 possible combinations, the team with a 13.5 per cent chance is assigned 135 combinations, and so on

This year’s NHL draft lottery isn’t just for the top pick – two other draws will be held to determine which teams get the second and third choices. Changes agreed to in 2014 go into effect this year and make it possible for the worst team in the standings to fall outside of the top three picks, but no lower than fourth.

Here are the teams ranked by their current odds of landing the top pick – which is based on point percentage – as of Friday, April 1st:

1. Toronto Maple Leafs – 20 per cent
2. Edmonton Oilers – 13.5 per cent
3. Vancouver Canucks – 11.5 per cent
4. Columbus Blue Jackets – 9.5 per cent
5. Calgary Flames – 8.5 per cent
6. Winnipeg Jets – 7.5 per cent
7. Arizona Coyotes – 6.5 per cent
8. Buffalo Sabres – 6 per cent
9. Montreal Canadiens – 5.5 per cent
10. Colorado Avalanche – 3.5 per cent
11. New Jersey Devils – 3 per cent
12. Ottawa Senators – 2.5 per cent
13. Carolina Hurricanes – 2 per cent
14. Boston Bruins – 1 per cent

The Previous Winners

• 2015: Edmonton Oilers – Connor McDavid
• 2014: Florida Panthers – Aaron Ekblad
• 2013: Colorado Avalanche – Nathan MacKinnon
• 2012: Edmonton Oilers – Nail Yakupov
• 2011: New Jersey Devils* – Adam Larsson  *NOTE: New Jersey won the lottery in 2011, but at that time the rules stipulated they could only move up a maximum of 4 spots, raising them from 8th overall pick to the 4th. Edmonton selected first that year, drafting Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
• 2010: Edmonton Oilers – Taylor Hall
• 2009: New York Islanders – John Tavares
• 2008: Tampa Bay Lightning – Steven Stamkos
• 2007: Chicago Blackhawks – Patrick Kane
• 2006: St. Louis Blues – Erik Johnson

Congratulations to first time winner, Louis, after having overcome a devastating 19 point week early in the season, hovered around the middle of the pack all season until the final month where he climbed to first and maintained it to win the 21st edition of the NHLFB Franchise Hockey Pool.
Louis could not contain his emotions as he emphatically yelled, “I  AM the champ!! … I  AM the champ!! Finally got the monkey off my back; it took 2 decades to reach the top and I  intend to stay here for the next decade!”. He jubilantly expressed his passion for NUTS and offered to pick up the tab for a night on the town with the bro’s.

The real celebration will take place this Fall as the boys convene for the 2016-17 Hockey Pool Draft where Louis will defend his reign. Lest not forget Louis’ promise of a bottle of Patron in celebration of his championship, along with a hostess to help pour it into the cup, no less. Well done Mr. C.!!

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CONGRATULATIONS !!!