The NHL draft lottery is happening on Monday night and we are both terrified and excited for what it could mean for our Philadelphia Flyers and the entire NHL. If the Flyers get the honor of picking first (or even second) overall, then they will solidify the start of their rebuild with one of the most talented prospects to come through the draft in a very long time.
If not, well I guess we have to cheer for Connor Bedard to not have a massive effect on the future success of the Flyers. Or, even, for him to go to a nice team that we can observe and like watching as a neutral observer, for the betterment of hockey.
There are a total of 10 non-Flyers teams that have a chance at landing first overall and get to draft Bedard this summer. So, even though it might be a painful exercise to think about a generational talent on a different team, we’ve decided to rank all 10 teams from being totally and completely fine with Bedard going there (might even like it), to would absolutely loathe the result if they got first overall.
Let’s see that ranking!
1. Vancouver Canucks
The top non-Philadelphian team was probably the easiest decision to make, despite them having the lowest odds of just three percent at first overall.
Bedard is a massive Canucks fan, was born and raised in North Vancouver, and the fan base deserves at least a little bit of sympathy for what they have gone through. Imagine having Chuck Fletcher But Worse At Everything as your team’s general manager for several years. That was Jim Benning.
Vancouver has never ever had the first-overall pick in their 50-plus year existence and to make it a generational talent that loves the team so much, would just be a perfect narrative. Plus, for us, we can enjoy him playing on a talented team late at night and only suffer twice a year when he scores several points against the Flyers. It’s a win-win.
2. Arizona Coyotes
This totally depends if you want hockey in the desert to work. I like it, so I’m biased. But having someone as foundational as Bedard playing with Logan Cooley and the other prospects that the Coyotes have grabbed over the years, the Coyotes would be a destination watch.
Again, they are over there so it doesn’t affect our favorite hockey club that much. With Bedard, Arizona rises to the top of the Game To Throw On After The Flyers Lost, To Watch Fun Hockey List.
3. Anaheim Ducks
They have the highest odds at a whopping 25.5 percent at landing Bedard, so maybe this is just coping with what will happen. But also, Bedard with Trevor Zegras, and the army of fun and young blueliners like Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov, would make the Ducks’ offense so nice to watch.
They would be humming along – given they hire the right head coach for this team – and have all the pieces in place to be another fun team to take a glance at from the other coast.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
This one is a little bit tricky, because obviously the Blue Jackets are in the Metropolitan division along with the Flyers. But, they also have the second-highest odds with a 13.5 percent chance at getting Bedard.
If we take our Philadelphian hats off for just a moment, the teenaged superstar teaming up with Johnny Gaudreau and the other talented Columbus roster puts them almost immediately into a playoff dark horse team and that could mean more pain for other teams like the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. Would force a longer rebuild for the Flyers, but they would be bringing down the other Metro teams sinking to the bottom.
Columbus has more of a ready-made foundation of young talent and existing stars, where we would not see Bedard’s first few years in this league wasted, like we would potentially see on some other teams.
5. Montreal Canadiens
This might be a biased of wanting Bedard in a jersey I personally like to skate around on the ice, but the uber-talented prospect heading to Montreal would be too perfect. The best prospect we have seen since Connor McDavid heading to Hockey Mecca would send everyone into a frenzy.
He would join up with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki to form this electric trio of offensive power and the pressure would be on from every single Habs fan to make this team good again. Plus, as a neutral observer, seeing the Atlantic Division burst into flames with every single team being very good and having some cutthroat and competitive games almost immediately would be like watching a building demolition from a safe distance.
6. San Jose Sharks
This one was a little bit difficult to put down so low, but they probably deserve it a little bit less than the other west coast teams. The Sharks are still coming down from the high of being in the Stanley Cup Final this century and haven’t endured as much as some of the other teams over there.
Still, it would be fun to see William Eklund and Bedard on the same team.
7. Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings might have not won just a few years ago, but they were successful for so damn long and Detroit was home to some of the best hockey players to ever live. Could we at least get some variety for the future of the NHL?
On a positive note, they have a very talented group already and adding Bedard to the mix would be fun to watch.
8. St. Louis Blues
This will be a trend for these middling teams. It feels like they lifted the Stanley Cup just yesterday, and now they want to suddenly be back in that race with a generational talent? Really?
They decided to tank for just this one single year and now have a 3.5 percent chance at getting The Dude. They have very good players on the roster and would honestly probably be a favorite to win the Central if this happens and they get some decent goaltending this summer.
Plus, this would mean the Flyers dropping by at least a spot. No thank you!
9. Washington Capitals
Yeah, no. This was so close to being the Pittsburgh Penguins, which could have potentially dropped them even further, but Washington should stay far away from the top pick. The only benefit I can see if this happens, is we get to to witness Alex Ovechkin breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record even sooner.
Still, this would be so painful.
10. Chicago Blackhawks
No. They deserve nothing and should rot in hockey hell for the next few decades.
