from Mike Johnston of Sportsnet,
The Montreal Canadiens carry the best odds this year after finishing a league-worst 22-49-11 only one season after a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. The Canadiens have held the No. 1 pick an NHL record five times, however all those instances occurred between 1963 and 1980.
The last time a Canadian franchise besides the Edmonton Oilers or Toronto Maple Leafs had the top pick was in 1996 when the Ottawa Senators used it to take Chris Phillips.
WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS YEAR’S LOTTERY?
The draft lottery underwent a couple tweaks to its format in 2021.