Mocking the First 15 Picks of the 2020 NHL Draft Following the Phase 2 Lottery

The New York Rangers hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

Representatives from the eight teams participating in Phase 2 of the NHL Draft Lottery checked in virtually, there by virtue of their team’s their play-in round defeats. They all had the same odds — one-in-eight, good for a 12.5 percent chance.

There could only be one winner this phase. For the second straight year, Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton was just that. Last year’s lottery propelled New York from sixth overall to second; this year’s took them from 11th to first. That’s a combined 14 spots, for anyone keeping track.

It’s a hell of a consolation prize for the Rangers, who bowed out in three ignominious outings to the Carolina Hurricanes in their Stanley Cup Qualifiers series.

It’s also a bit of a relief