The hockey gods have smiled their good fortune down on the Buffalo Sabres.
Buffalo will be selecting No. 1 overall in the 2018 NHL Draft after winning the Draft Lottery Saturday night in Toronto.
#NHLDraftLottery Results:
The @BuffaloSabres, @NHLCanes and @CanadiensMTL own the top three picks for the First Round of the 2018 #NHLDraft. pic.twitter.com/zc40RbcgXW— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 29, 2018
It’s the third time in the franchise’s history where the Sabres will pick No. 1 overall. Buffalo selected Hall of Famer Gilbert Perrault with the first pick in the 1970 Amateur Draft and chose Pierre Turgeon in the 1987 Draft.
The odds were always in favor for the Sabres, who had an 18.5 percent chance of winning the lottery by virtue of their record during the 2017-18 season.
Because the Carolina Hurricanes moved up to the No. 2 spot in the Draft Lottery, the Rangers, who had the eighth-best odds to win it, fell one spot and will select No. 9 overall.
#NYR are picking 9th in the Draft.
Also scheduled to pick 2 other times in the first…
2 times in the 2nd…
2 times in the 3rd…
And once in each of rounds 4-6. #NYRLottery @newyorklottery pic.twitter.com/8aAJNriHSS— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) April 28, 2018
The Blueshirts have picked ninth overall three times in franchise history, including Hall of Famer Brian Leetch in 1986.
The Islanders, who had two first-round picks that were eligible for the lottery, will have back-to-back selections, as they’ll pick 11th and 12th overall.
The #Isles will pick 11th and 12th in the 2018 #NHLDraft. pic.twitter.com/yv7pbG8OEs
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) April 28, 2018
The Isles have only selected 11th once before, taking defenseman Pat Price in the 1975 Amateur Draft. They picked 12th in the 2009 Draft, taking defenseman Calvin de Haan.
