The Detroit Red Wings might have been worse in 2018-19 than they were the previous year, but that didn’t result in a better draft pick.
For the second straight year, the Red Wings will select No. 6 in this June’s National Hockey League Draft in Vancouver.
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That disappointing news came during Tuesday’s draft lottery, which saw the Red Wings enter with the fourth-best chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick since they had the fourth-worst record in the NHL this season.
But instead of going up, the Red Wings actually slid back, dropping two spots to No. 6 as Chicago (No. 12) and the New York Rangers (No. 6) moved up into the top-3.
New Jersey, which entered with the third-best odds of landing the top pick, won the lottery and will pick first.
The Devils will likely select the consensus top player in the draft, 18-year-old American center Jack Hughes, who plays for the U.S. National Developmental Team based out of Plymouth.
It was a tough blow for some Red Wings fans who hoped throughout the season they could “lose for Hughes,” and get a major break for the future of the franchise.
But it wasn’t to be, and now the Red Wings will have to once again make the best of picking No. 6.
NHL draft lottery results (draft order for picks 1-15)
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
Follow live draft lottery updates here:
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