The Ducks’ miserable season ended a month ago, but they absorbed another painful loss Monday when they didn’t win the NHL draft lottery in a year that features the potential franchise-changing talents of forward Connor Bedard.
Despite having a 25.5% chance of getting the No. 1 pick — the best odds among the 16 teams that missed the playoffs this season — the Ducks fell to No. 2 behind the Chicago Blackhawks. The announcement was made during a broadcast aired from the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, N.J.
New rules stipulating that no team could move up more than 10 spots in the lottery had enhanced the odds that the Ducks (23-47-23 last season) would win the right to select Bedard, whose scoring exploits for Regina of the junior-level Western Hockey League and for Team Canada at the world junior championships contributed to him being proclaimed an unquestioned No. 1 in scouts’ rankings. However, Chicago defied the odds to get the top pick in the weighted draw.
The NHL’s Central Scouting Services ranked Leo Carlsson, a center for Orebro of the Swedish League, No. 1 among international skaters. Adam Fantilli of the University of Michigan was ranked second behind Bedard among North American skaters, followed by center William Smith of the U.S. National Team Development program.
Adding Bedard would have accelerated a much-needed rebuild by the Ducks, who have stockpiled a considerable amount of young talent the past few seasons but haven’t been able to shed old, bloated contracts and move many of those kids into prominent roles. The Ducks have missed the playoffs each of the last five seasons and have struggled mightily on defense, allowing a league-worst 338 goals this season. Afterward, coach Dallas Eakins was not retained by general manager Pat Verbeek.
It’s unclear if the Ducks will have a new coach in place before the draft, which will be held June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
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