The clubs that did not qualify for the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs - or the clubs that acquired the first-round picks of the non-playoff clubs - participated in the 2019 NHL Draft Lottery.
The order of selection for the first 15 drafting positions in the First Round, only, of the 2019 NHL Draft is as follows:
1. New Jersey Devils
2. New York Rangers
3. Chicago Blackhawks
4. Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa)
5. Los Angeles Kings
6. Detroit Red Wings
7. Buffalo Sabres
8. Edmonton Oilers
9. Anaheim Ducks
10. Vancouver Canucks
11. Philadelphia Flyers
12. Minnesota Wild
13. Florida Panthers
14. Arizona Coyotes
15. Montreal Canadiens
The remaining positions are determined by the results of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Three draws were held: the first drawing determined the club selecting first overall, the second drawing determined the club selecting second overall and the third drawing determined the club selecting third overall. Once a club was assigned a pick, it was ineligible for further participation in subsequent drawings.
Devils Win No. 1 Drafting Position
In the drawing that determined the No. 1 drafting position, the Devils had the 3rd-greatest percentage likelihood of being selected based on inverse order of regular-season finish (11.5%). The Devils are the second team in the past five years to jump from the No. 3 position to claim the first overall draft pick (Edmonton, 2015: selected Connor McDavid).
The Devils won the NHL Draft Lottery for the third time, moving from 8 to 4 in 2011 (drafted Adam Larsson) and from 5 to 1 in 2017 (drafted Nico Hischier).
The franchise has made the first overall Draft selection twice, picking Rob Ramage in 1979 (as the Colorado Rockies) and Hischier in 2017.
Rangers Win No. 2 Drafting Position
In the drawing that determined the No. 2 drafting position, the Rangers had the 5th-greatest percentage likelihood among the 14 remaining clubs eligible for selection (8.5%) and climbed from No. 6 to No. 2. The Rangers, selected in the NHL Draft Lottery for the first time in franchise history, become the second team from the No. 6 spot to win a Draft Lottery drawing (Winnipeg jumped from No. 6 to No. 2 in 2016).
The Rangers have picked No. 2 overall once, selecting future Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Brad Park in 1966.
Blackhawks Win No. 3 Drafting Position
In the drawing that determined the No. 3 drafting position, Chicago had the 10th-greatest percentage likelihood among the 13 remaining clubs eligible for selection (3.1%). The Blackhawks have been selected in the NHL Draft Lottery for the third time in franchise history, jumping from 8 to 4 in 1999 and from 5 to 1 in 2007. They are the first team from the No. 12 spot to win a Draft Lottery drawing.
For each of the three drawings, 14 balls, numbered 1 to 14, were placed in a lottery machine. The machine randomly selected four balls. The resulting four-number series (without regard to selection order) was matched against a chart that shows all possible combinations and the clubs to which each was assigned. The chart showed that the Devils had been assigned the numbers (2-4-10-12) that were expelled in the first drawing, followed by the Rangers (2-5-9-11) in the second drawing and the Blackhawks (2-3-9-11) in the third drawing.
The 2019 NHL Draft will take place at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. The first round will be held Friday, June 21. Rounds 2-7 will take place Saturday, June 22.
