After the disappointment of being eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes, fans of the New York Rangers were given a whole new reason to be excited for the upcoming season.
The New York Rangers would call it a Miracle on Broadway.
After an extremely disappointing Stanley Cup Qualifier series against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Blueshirts entered Phase 2 of Monday night’s NHL Draft Lottery with 12.5 percent chance of notching the coveted first overall selection in the upcoming NHL Draft.
They got exactly that.
It is ours.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) August 10, 2020
Confirmed. pic.twitter.com/U8EK3UVfTz
In a suspenseful random draw shown live on television, unlike in past years, the Rangers’ ping pong ball came out first among the other seven inside the glass container, meaning they were awarded the pick that is expected to be QMJHL standout Alexis Lafreniere. The Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets are the seven teams the Rangers beat out for the top selection.
And having previously acquiring one other first round selection for the upcoming draft, winning this lottery means so much more to the Rangers.