Where Sharks stand in NHL Draft Lottery order after season finale originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The Sharks’ 2022-23 season has come to an end, but their spot in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes isn’t set just yet.
San Jose entered play Thursday with a chance to still finish as high as second in the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery order. The Sharks boasted the fourth-fewest points in the league with 60 and didn’t pick any more up thanks to a season-ending loss to the Oilers.
But the Blackhawks ended the potential for San Jose to jump up to the No. 2 position with an overtime loss to the Flyers. Had Chicago defeated Philadelphia, the Blackhawks would have also finished with 60 points and lost the tiebreaker of regulation wins to San Jose.
The Sharks do, however, still have the ability to move up to third. The Blue Jackets defeated the Penguins in overtime in their penultimate game to pull even with the Blackhawks at 59 points. That means San Jose will take over the third spot if the Blue Jackets beat the Sabres at home on Friday. Any other result, including an overtime loss, would keep San Jose in fourth since Columbus has fewer regulation wins.
While an overtime loss wouldn’t drop the Blue Jackets to fourth, it would see them finish third. Columbus, which owns the tiebreaker over Chicago, needs to lose in regulation to earn the No. 2 spot over the Blackhawks.
The Ducks, who San Jose couldn’t surpass, locked up the best lottery odds with a loss to the Kings for a 13th straight defeat. Anaheim finished with 58 points.
There’s a two-percent difference between finishing third (11.5%) and fourth (9.5%) in the lottery order. Anaheim has a 25.5% chance at the top pick, while whichever team picks second will have 13.5% odds. The Canadiens, who finished fifth, have 8.5% odds.
San Jose has never been picked first in the NHL draft, and this would be quite the year to end that drought. That’s because the 2023 draft boasts arguably the most-hyped prospect since Connor McDavid in Bedard.
