The Chicago Blackhawks will have two first-round draft picks in next month’s NHL draft in Dallas. The first one will the No. 8 overall selection based on the NHL draft lottery while the second will be determined by how the Nashville Predators finish the season.
Chicago would have the No. 1 overall pick if the ping pong balls bounced differently.
.@JeremyWGR @hsimon62 @Schopptalk @Bulldogwgr I took some time see what other team was closest to winning the lottery. Ball 11 was in prime position, but somehow 6 zoomed up and miraculously knocked 11 to the right. Had 11 gone up instead, Chicago would be drafting Dahlin. pic.twitter.com/e1h2TmGcJH
— Harrison Bacon (@HarrisonBacon) May 2, 2018
As seen in the left picture, the No. 11 ball for Chicago looks poised to be taken up and thus award the Blackhawks the top overall pick to be used on Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. However, the No. 6 ball for Buffalo knocked out Chicago’s ball to take the No. 1 pick.
If things had gone differently and the Hawks won the lottery they’d have the top pick for the first time since 2007 when they drafted Patrick Kane.
This year’s NHL draft will be June 22-23 at American Airlines Center.