Blackhawks NHL Draft Lottery Fun Facts

As we get closer to the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery, which takes place this evening, here are some fun facts from past draft lotteries to keep in mind as we cross our fingers the Blackhawks move up to No. 1 overall.

• Since 2015, two teams have moved up from the third-best odds to pick No. 1 overall in the NHL Draft Lottery:
  2015 – Edmonton – Connor McDavid
  2019 – New Jersey – Jack Hughes

• The most the Blackhawks have moved up in the NHL Draft Lottery is from 12th to 3rd in 2019. They selected Kirby Dach.

• In 2007, the Blackhawks moved up from 5th to 1st in the NHL Draft Lottery. That is, thus far, the only time the Hawks have selected first overall in the history of the franchise. They selected Patrick Kane.

• In 2021 the Kraken moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 and selected Matty Beniers.

• The last team to retain the third overall pick in the NHL Draft was Ottawa in 2020. They selected Tim Stützle.

• The last time no team moved up in the NHL Draft Lottery was 2010, when the Oilers selected Taylor Hall.

• In 1999, the Blackhawks moved up from 8th to 4th overall in the draft lottery. Chicago traded that pick to Vancouver in a cascading series of moves that landed the Sedin brothers in Vancouver at Nos. 2 and 3.

• The team with the best odds of winning the lottery has retained the top pick the last two years. However, between 2012 and 2020, a team moved up into the No. 1 overall pick in seven of nine lotteries.