2020 NHL Draft Lottery: The Montreal Canadiens could have a chance at first overall in Phase 2

At tonight’s 2020 NHL Draft Lottery, the 1st Lottery Draw was won by a team in the qualification round. As a result, the first overall draft position will be determined in a separate Phase 2 lottery once the play-ins have been completed.

The Montreal Canadiens were the 24th-ranked team in the NHL at the time of the pause for the COVID-19 pandemic. That position was represented by the “Team A” placeholder, which will be one of the entrants in the Phase 2 lottery.

Should the Canadiens lose their play-in series versus the Pittsburgh Penguins, they will have a shot at the top pick, and will have the same odds (12.5%) as the other seven teams in contention. That number is double what they would have held in a typical draft lottery as the 24th-overall team (6.0%).

All of these results depend on playoff games being played, which is far from a guarantee at this point. The NHL now has some official results in the bank to help it navigate the draft that will go ahead in a virtual format later this year, though the other 16 clubs that weren’t included in tonight’s draws will certainly lobby for a new run if there is no post-season play.