Lightning Round: New York Rangers win first overall pick, playoffs begin today

The New York Rangers have won the NHL Draft Lottery 2.0 after their lottery ball was picked live on NBCSN and Sportsnet by Gary Bettman. The single ball with the Rangers logo was plucked from the machine while balls for the Penguins, Maple Leafs, Panthers, Oilers, Wild, Predators, and Jets rumbled around in the bottom. As a result, the first 15 picks in the NHL Draft have been set, with the Draft itself taking place in early October.

1. New York Rangers
2. Los Angeles Kings
3. Ottawa Senators (via SJS)
4. Detroit Red Wings
5. Ottawa Senators
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. New Jersey Devils
8. Buffalo Sabres
9. Minnesota Wild
10. Winnipeg Jets
11. Nashville Predators
12. Florida Panthers
13. Carolina Hurricanes (via TOR)
14. Edmonton Oilers
15. Minnesota Wild (via PIT)

Pick 16 will likely be the Montreal Canadiens after they get demolished by the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Tampa Bay Lightning gave the San Jose Sharks their first round pick in the Barclay Goodrow trade, and should the Lightning bow out in the first round, they’ll pick no higher than 20th (this is if Boston, St. Louis, and Colorado, the three teams with better regular season records than the Lightning, also lose their first round series).

If the Lightning win the Cup, the Sharks will of course be picking 31st. That said, there is the possibility the Arizona Coyotes lose their first round pick after the tampering they did with undrafted prospects last year. Gary Bettman has yet to make a ruling on their punishment but word is they’re quite angry with what recently fired GM John Chayka did.

Yesterday’s Games

Today’s Games

The real playoffs begin today with four games on tap, starting with the Bolts!

Columbus Blue Jackets “@” Tampa Bay Lightning - Game 1
3pm ET, NBCSN, TVAS, Sportsnet, SUN, FS-O

Calgary Flames “@” Dallas Stars - Game 1
5:30pm ET, NBCSN, TVAS, CBC, Sportsnet, FS-SW+

Carolina Hurricanes “@” Boston Bruins - Game 1
8pm ET, NBCSN, TVAS, CBC, Sportsnet, NESN, FS-CR

Chicago “@” Vegas Golden Knights - Game 1
10:30pm ET, NBCSN, TVAS, Sportsnet, ATTSN-RM, NBCSCH

Starting today, the Lightning will play every other day until Game 6 next Friday if necessary. Game 7 will be the next day on Saturday. All eight rounds will include exactly one back-to-back in order to expedite the playoffs and get the tournament done as fast as possible during the pandemic. Here is what the Lightning’s schedule looks like. The elimination games are yet to have their start times determined, but we’ll know once we get there.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

Game 1: 3pm, (Tues, Aug 11th), Home
Game 2: 3pm, (Thurs, Aug 13th), Home
Game 3: 7:30pm, (Sat, Aug 15th), Away
Game 4: 3pm, (Mon, Aug 17th), Away
Game 5*: TBD, (Wed, Aug 19th), Home
Game 6*: TBD, (Fri, Aug 21st), Away
Game 7*: TBD, (Sat, Aug 22nd), Home

The Lightning are the opening game in Toronto each day they play except Game 3, meaning they’ll have more ideal ice during their games. The ice in Toronto has been known to crack and chip later in the day after its been using multiple days in a row (this tournament and the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 has provided the evidence).

Lightning Links

Justin walked us through the Qualifying Round and caught us up on what happened during those crazy two weeks of hockey.

For the Question of the Week, we answered what constitutes a successful season for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Are the Lightning the fourth best team in the playoffs? I guess maybe at the moment.