Quote:
Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy
I don't recall that for the NHL, but Ottawa picked 2nd overall (Yashin) in 1992 which was their first draft before their first season (1992-93) so it looks like there was a restriction.
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Tampa Bay and Ottawa joined the same years. Tampa got 1st and Ottawa got 2nd. Tampa followed Buffalo, New York and Washington in getting the 1st overall as an expansion team that occurred in the 70s.
San Jose joined the league a year earlier and got 2nd overall (giving Quebec 1st overall Eric Lindros) but it wasn't as clean of an expansion because of the North Stars thing and San Jose and the league made a compromise to join the league a year earlier.
Florida and Anaheim joined in 1993 but were awarded the 4th and 5th picks in the draft. The other expansions teams in Ottawa, San Jose and Tampa picked the top 3. However, in 1994 Florida and Anaheim were guaranteed the top 2 picks. Florida picking 1st overall despite having 10 teams below them in the 1993-1994 standings.
Nashville was originally awarded the 2nd pick in 1998 behind Tampa Bay who finished last. However, Florida's pick won the lottery (San Jose had previously acquired it). So they dropped down to #3 before moving up to #2 in a trade. Also Tampa traded up to regain their number 1. 1998 was complicated.
Atlanta was given the 2nd pick in 1999 when they joined. Tampa, once again, finished last and was able to keep their pick. They decided to trade it to Vancouver when the rumour was spread the Sedins wouldn't play together. Atlanta and Vancouver then traded for number 1.
In 2000 Minnesota and Columbus joined the league and were given 2nd and 3rd overall picks while Atlanta got to keep their 1st overall. However, the Islanders would win the lottery pushing down those 3 teams and taking DiPietro 1st overall.
It's messy, seems like a bit of a precedent to give the 1st overall to a new team as long as they aren't taking it away from a recent expansion team.