Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay Random
By making the conference finals.
The four teams in the conference finals draft 29th to 32nd.
Each division winner (regular season) that did not make the conference finals drafts one position before that. So if one division winner misses the conference finals, that team drafts 28th. If all four division winners fail to make the conference finals (which has occasionally happened), they draft 25th through 28th, in reverse order of standings.
Take the standings as they are at present, and project them to the end of the season. The only team ahead of Vancouver in winning percentage is the Rangers.
• If the Canucks and Rangers both make the third round, they will draft somewhere from 29th to 32nd.
• If the Canucks and Rangers both fail to make the third round, the Canucks will draft 27th and the Rangers 28th.
• If the Rangers make the third round and the Canucks don't, the Rangers will draft somewhere from 30th to 32nd, and the Canucks 28th.
It's a needlessly complicated system, but there you are.
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To hope they move from exactly 28th to exactly 29th, which is the only net gain in draft value per the chart, I believe occurs if and only if:
- Vancouver is the worst division winner.
- The other 3 division winners are already in the conference finals.
- Vancouver joins them in the Final Four and does not make the Stanley Cup Finals.
Seems highly unlikely, but I now agree that it is possible. Correct me if I'm wrong.