In the months, weeks and days leading up to tonight’s Draft Lottery, I spent a significant amount of time trying to convince myself it really didn’t matter what the ping pong balls said.
Even though Colorado came in with an 18.5% chance at landing the first overall pick, it felt like an inevitability. So much has gone wrong for the Senators in the last 24 months that it just felt like a sure thing. One last kick to the groin before the rest of the league turned their attention to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
So I told myself, it didn’t really matter.
What was happening with the Ottawa Senators and the rebuild was in no way influenced by where some Western Conference team picked in the Entry Draft.
And then it happened. And then it became clear that despite what I tried to tell myself and anyone who asked over the course of the this awful season, it mattered so much.
Surprise? Joy? Relief? Not really sure what emotions were being expressed in the moments that followed tonight’s result but it was a celebration that I honestly wasn’t expecting.
Sens fans deserved a break.
And even though this was technically the most likely outcome, it really did feel like for one night anyway, things might actually start to go our way. Or less against us, anyway.
The New Jersey Devils will select first overall at the Entry Draft in June.
The New York Rangers will select second overall. The Chicago Blackhawks will select third overall. Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche land at 4th overall.
There is no real consensus choice at that point in the Draft but Bob McKenzie’s latest projects have Kirby Dach as the fourth ranked prospect.
Meanwhile, Ottawa has this guy.
