The New York Rangers have won the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
In doing so, they’ve earned the chance to draft likely first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere, the Rimouski Oceanic standout who recently became the only player aside from Sidney Crosby to nab back-to-back QMJHL MVP honours.
The news was announced Monday during the Second Phase of the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery, which saw the eight teams eliminated from the post-season’s Qualifying Round each enter the day with an identical 12.5-per cent chance of being granted the first-overall pick.
The First Phase of the lottery locked up picks two through eight, those going to the following clubs:
2. Los Angeles Kings
3. Ottawa Senators
4. Detroit Red Wings
5. Ottawa Senators
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. New Jersey Devils
8. Buffalo Sabres
With the final puzzle piece of the first-overall selection now awarded, the top slate of the 2020 NHL Draft is laid out, allowing the teams involved to move forward with assessing their options among this year’s draft class or exploring a potential trade.
The two-phase lottery was implemented due to the lengthy pause that interrupted the NHL’s 2019-20 campaign, that hiatus coming as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that brought professional sports to a halt globally.
Originally scheduled to take place in June, the 2020 NHL Draft has been rescheduled to Oct. 9-10 and will be held online.
More to come.
