While the Stanley Cup playoffs offer a shot at glory and hockey immortality for 16 teams, the NHL Draft Lottery presents the opportunity for a brighter future for everyone else.
On Saturday night, the 15 NHL teams that didn't qualify for the postseason all lined up in hopes of scoring the top pick (or at least a top-three selection) in this summer's NHL Entry Draft. Those teams were entered into the leagues' Draft Lottery, which determines the order of draft picks 1-15.
Entering the night, the Buffalo Sabres -- the worst team during this past regular season -- had the best odds (18.5 percent) at nabbing the first overall selection. Those odds worked out, as Buffalo did indeed earn the top pick.
The biggest winner in terms of defying the odds was the Carolina Hurricanes, who were in line to have the 11th pick before landing at No. 2. The Montreal Canadiens were projected to land fourth but they also hopped into the top three.
Here's a look at how the lottery played out:
15. Florida Panthers
14. Philadelphia Flyers (via St. Louis)
13. Dallas Stars
12. New York Islanders (via Calgary)
11. New York Islanders
10. Edmonton Oilers
3. Montreal Canadiens
2. Carolina Hurricanes
1. Buffalo Sabres
The consensus top prospect in this year's draft is Rasmus Dahlin, an 18-year-old Swedish defenseman who is believed to be a potential franchise-altering presence on the blue line. That makes the lottery victory a little bit extra sweet for the Sabres, who could desperately use a star defenseman.
The 2018 NHL Entry Draft will be held June 22-23 in Dallas.
