NHL Franchise Boys

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 !!!

The 2015-2016 NHL regular season will come to an end this weekend and so will the 21st season of the NHL Franchise Boys Hockey Pool. Joe D. brilliantly summarizes the season in sharing his thoughts… “I am genuinely pleased with the state of the NHLFB Fantasy Hockey Pool….Not only may we have a new winner this year, the winner may be a first time winner! WOW! Paolo and Steve, who finished 10th and 9th, respectively, last year have transformed their fortunes into finishing in the money this year. Great job guys! And going into the last week of the pool, none of the top 3 spots had yet been decided…all in all….it was another great year and I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for contributing to making it the fun and fantastic year it was”. 

Obviously we all know it doesn’t matter if you win or lose… it’s way beyond that… it’s the draft, the pucks, sticks, skates, faceoffs, goals, assists, overtime, shoot-outs, shutouts, injuries, trades, countless hours of watching games and tracking players, disappointments and surprises, spending hundreds of dollars on free agents, and most of all – the game of HOCKEY.

We wake up every day and check the dreaded box scores, we stay up to the wee hours of the night hoping our goalie gets the shutout, and some of us even add the letter “y” to the end of player’s name when they had a great night. Nothing else matters… the world is absolutely perfect for the entire hockey season. Ladies don’t understand us, kids look at us as mentors and heroes, guys want to be us… WE are the envy of every hockey fan in the universe. It’s never been for the the money, nor the fame…. ok, ok, maybe the bragging rights… but essentially it’s all because we love it. May the passion live forever and see you all next year!