Obviously, the worst teams in the NHL should get to choose the best players coming out of junior/college/overseas. The Draft Lottery was set up to keep teams from "tanking", or losing on purpose to get the best player available the following year at the NHL Draft. The problem is, the weighted lottery system isn't doing it's job, as it rewards only the worst five overall teams a chance at the #1 pick, and can lead to teams tanking for a chance at "The Next One".
We know that of the 14 teams that do not make the playoffs, only 5 of those 14 teams have a shot at the number one pick. We also know that any or all of those 14 teams need help in a few positions (see Toronto), and the #1 pick could change their fortunes greatly in the years to come.
The worst team during the regular season in 2008/2009 (The NY Islanders) get a 48.1% chance of getting the #1 pick, and are guaranteed one of the top 2 picks. This means that in a draft that features two potential franchise players like John Tavares and Victor Hedman, they are assured to get one of those two players for coming in last.
Another issue is at the #5 slot, where the L.A. Kings (79 points) get an 8.1% chance to get the #1 pick, while the Phoenix Coyotes (79 points) get no chance at the #1 pick due to Phoenix's 36 wins to L.A.'s 34 wins. If L.A. hadn't lost 5 of their last 6 games, they wouldn't have a shot at the #1 pick, but now they do. They are rewarded for potentially tanking at the end of the season. Obviously, such tanking can effect the stretch drive for playoff teams as well, which sucks.
There were things that happened this year on Long Island that seemed extremely suspicious as well (such as using Brendan Witt in a shootout) that scream possible impropriety. Yet, they get rewarded for such actions, while teams like Phoenix and Toronto get the shaft, and are likely headed for another decade of mediocre hockey at best.
There are a number of ways to fix this, but best way to fix it would be to give all the non playoff teams an even shot at the #1 pick to minimize the reward for any tanking of any kind. Also, the team in the basement should not be guaranteed the 2nd pick, they should slide that back so they can't be guaranteed a pick any higher than 5th or 6th.
We'll see what happens tomorrow at 8pm EST, but we already know that the Islanders will be rewarded handsomely for their futility, which makes me sick.
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