When the Pittsburgh Penguins traded their 2015 1st round selection to the Edmonton Oilers along with Rob Klinkhammer for David Perron no one was expecting a scenario where the then 26th overall pick could become a lottery pick for the Oilers.
As I wrote about the trade in early-January:
Based off the current NHL standings the pick coming from the Penguins looks to be a late first rounder in a deep draft if the Oilers elect to keep the pick. It’s believed the Oilers will shop the pick in hopes of landing either a goaltender or top pairing defenseman but if they don’t here is a list of players available with what currently looks like the 26th overall pick based off the December ISS rankings:
Now fast forward a few months and with the season concluding today the Penguins could find themselves on the outside looking in which only helps the Oilers cause in their hunt for a fourth 1st overall selection in six years.
Injuries & Inconsistency Costing Penguins During Final Stretch Drive…
The Penguins have found themselves on a disastrous run to conclude the season including a 3-5-2 run in their last 10 games. During this run Perron has 12 goals and 22 points in 42 games as a Penguin.
Just look at the Penguins IR. Pascal Dupuis has been out since November with blood clots, Olli Maatta has been injured since December, Christian Ehrhoff and Derrick Pouliot are day-to-day and now Kris Letang is likely out for the remainder of the season with a concussion.
The Penguins are SO giving the Oilers McDavid.
— Steve Dangle Glynn (@Steve_Dangle) April 11, 2015
The Penguins have had to play the last two games with five defenseman due to the injuries and being up against the salary cap. Now that the Ottawa Senators have clinched a berth thanks to a 7-2-2 run in their last 11 games and a win over the Philadelphia Flyers today, the Penguins find themselves in quite the predicament according to Sportsnet.ca:
The Penguins would clinch a playoff berth if they defeat the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa losses in regulation. Pittsburgh would also get in if Boston losses to the Lightning. The Pens also enter Saturday with a 38-37 advantage in regulation and overtime wins, but the Bruins won the season series 2-1.
Well the Senators already beat the Flyers so they are in.
Fevered dream of an #Oilers fan: Sabres knockoff Penguins today. Penguins then win lottery next week. Oilers get McDavid over Sabres.
— David Staples (@dstaples) April 11, 2015
Not as simple as just beat the last place Buffalo Sabres anymore.
What Does A Penguins Loss Mean For Oilers Odds In Draft Lottery?
Either way as much as Oiler fans have seen their fair share of misery this season, knowing that trading away Perron, which was such a sore spot for fans in January, could potentially give them the coupe de grace in the lottery is a silver lining they can’t resist.
With that said despite having balls in the hopper for two teams the Oilers odds of securing the top selection are still less than that of the Sabres and Arizona Coyotes as a Penguins loss would only give the Oilers a 1% increase in odds according to the new NHL Draft Lottery Odds:
- 1. Buffalo Sabres 20%
- 2. Arizona Coyotes 13.5%
- 3. Edmonton Oilers 11.5%
- 4. Toronto Maple Leafs 9.5%
- 5. Carolina Hurricanes 8.5%
- 6. New Jersey Devils 7.5%
- 7. Philadelphia Flyers 6.5%
- 8. Columbus Blue Jackets 6.0%
- 9. Colorado Avalanche 5.0%
- 10. Florida Panthers 3.5%
- 11. San Jose Sharks 3.0%
- 12. Dallas Stars 2.5%
- 13. Los Angeles Kings 2.0%
- 14. *Pittsburgh Penguins 1.0%
* if the Penguins lose and Bruins win. This is currently Boston’s lottery odds.
The Oilers odds would only go up to 12.5% yes, but it’s still the third best odds in the league to secure Connor McDavid who just so happened to score 5 goals last night against the London Knights last night for the Erie Otters to go up 2-0 in their series.
Finally Something For Long Suffering Fanbase To Cheer For…
This is a deep draft at the top end with difference-makers throughout the Top 5. Connor McDavid is the sure-fire top pick and likely making a run for the Memorial Cup. Jack Eichel locked up the Hobey Baker award and isn’t far behind McDavid talent-wise. Noah Hanifin makes up the top defenseman in the draft and even then forwards Dylan Strome and Mitch Marner have garnered plenty of attention heading into the final stretch before the draft.
The end of the season was once looking bleak for the Oilers fanbase, but having the return from the Perron trade a few months ago potentially coming back and haunting Penguins fans has to have them rolling on the floor laughing.
Remember there were grumblings that Perron was asking for a trade out of Edmonton.
If the trade ends up gifting the Oilers McDavid, I’m sure that Perron can drink for free in Edmonton for the rest of his life.
