Proof comes forward of NHL restarting the draft lottery 4 times

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Sam Walker
May 8, 2024 (12:23)

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Unexpected Twists at the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery

This year's NHL Draft Lottery was full of surprises, especially for the San Jose Sharks. Known as the Macklin Celebrini lottery because of the high interest in the top pick, this year's event was unlike any other.

The Sharks ended up being the luckiest team, but it wasn't straightforward.

The drawing happened just before it was shown to the public, in a room only a few could enter. Along with some reporters and an auditor, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was there too.

They had two draws planned, one for the first pick and another for the second, using a mix of four numbers for each.

Reporter Marco Normandin shared something really unusual from the lottery. Since the NHL started its lottery in 1995, no team had ever won back-to-back draws. But this time, the Sharks won not just once, but three times in a row.

«If the same team wins the first and the second draw, the rules say we have to draw again to find a different winner. This has never happened before but yesterday, it happened twice!»

- Marco Normandin

Because of this, they had to keep drawing. The Sharks kept winning until the fourth draw, when the Chicago Blackhawks finally won, getting the second overall pick.

«The San Jose Sharks won the first three draft lottery draws. The Blackhawks won the fourth drawing for the second overall pick. It's the first time we've ever had to redraw, and we had to do it twice.»

- Greg Wyshynski

Sheng Peng noted,

«Normally, there are just two draws for the Draft Lottery, and a redraw only happens under rare conditions. It's never actually happened before. The Sharks won the first three times, so we had to keep drawing until the Blackhawks finally won the second pick on the fourth try!»

This whole situation shows just how unpredictable the draft lottery can be. It's a rare thing to see, and this year, the Sharks seemed destined to get a top pick.

Looking ahead to the draft, the excitement is really building. With players like Macklin Celebrini waiting to be picked, the lottery results this year could really change the future for teams like the Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks.

This was a key moment in their history, showing just how unexpected and thrilling the NHL Draft Lottery can be.

Source: Habsfanatics