from Ansar Khan of Mlive,

The seventh-best team during the regular season could land the No. 1 pick in the NHL entry draft.

The Pittsburgh Penguins accumulated 86 points in 69 games for a .623 points percentage before the NHL season paused on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic. They were on pace for 102 points.

The Penguins were fifth in the Eastern Conference, missing out on a bye into the first round of the playoffs. They will play 12th seeded Montreal in the qualifying round. If Pittsburgh loses that best-of-five series, it will join the other seven qualifying round losers in the second phase of the draft lottery.

Each of the eight teams has a 12.5 percent chance of securing the top pick, certain to be left wing Alexis Lafreniere.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings, who finished 23 points below the next-worst team – with 47 fewer points than the Penguins -- and posted the worst points percentage (.275) for a non-expansion team since 1997-98, will select fourth, as determined by Friday’s first lottery phase.

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