Season removed from Stanley Cup Finals appearance, Montreal Canadiens win NHL Draft Lottery

The Montreal Canadiens secured the first overall pick in the NHL draft lottery on Tuesday, becoming the first team since 1985 to host the draft and own the top pick.

It marks the first time in 42 years that the Canadiens, who made the Stanley Cup Final last season, will select first overall, having last selected forward Doug Wickenheiser with the top pick in 1980.

«It's a very exciting outcome for us. Our fans I'm sure will be thrilled, especially with the draft being held in Montreal, to have all of that anticipation and excitement leading into it,» Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said.

The NHL draft is scheduled for July 7-8 in Montreal.

Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils won the second lottery drawing, earning the second overall pick. It marks the third time in the past six years the Devils will have selected first or second overall.

The NHL's 16 non-playoff teams were ranked by worst points percentage in the standings to the highest. Here's how the draft lottery played out, including each team's odds to secure the first overall pick before the draft:

1. Montreal Canadiens (18.5%); 2. New Jersey Devils (8.5%); 3. Arizona Coyotes (13.5%); 4. Seattle Kraken (11.5%); 5. Philadelphia Flyers (9.5%); 6. Columbus Blue Jackets (7.5%, transferred from Chicago); 7. Ottawa Senators (6.5%); 8. Detroit Red Wings (6.0%); 9. Buffalo Sabres (5.0%); 10. Anaheim Ducks (3.5%); 11. San Jose Sharks (3.0%); 12. Columbus Blue Jackets (2.5%); 13. New York Islanders (2.0%); 14. Winnipeg Jets (1.5%); 15. Vancouver Canucks (0.5%); 16. Buffalo Sabres (0.5%, transferred from the Vegas Golden Knights).

The Sabres acquired the Golden Knights' first-round pick in the Jack Eichel trade. The Blue Jackets acquired the Blackhawks' first-round pick