from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

We’re in a Bizarro World, all right, when the duel for last-overall is more compelling than the battle for first-overall, which is exactly the scenario facing the NHL in this year of the Connor McDavid/Jack Eichel sweepstakes, as it always is when a franchise player or two is due up at the draft.

There is something amiss when the tangible reward for being worst is greater than the reward for finishing first, which is what, a few thousand loonies per player and what is laughingly known as home-ice advantage; and something even more amiss when one’s attention is focused down the stretch on which team’s management has done the best job of positioning itself for (and perhaps camouflaging) an all-out tank.

OK, so if the Sabres/Flames/Candy Canes decide at the deadline to trade their best player for, oh, a seventh-rounder, would the NHL reject such a deal?

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