from Michael Traikos of the National Post,

When the NHL announced last Friday that it not only intended on having the entry draft in June — before the start of the playoffs — but that only one of the non-playoff teams would be able to move up four spots in the order, some read it as the commissioner’s way of rewarding the Detroit Red Wings for a historically awful season.

Under the old rules, Detroit could fall to fourth overall. Now, the team is guaranteed a top-two pick.

That’s a huge difference. And for an Original Six franchise that recently built a new arena and re-hired Steve Yzerman as general manager, it might sound a little convenient — especially after the Red Wings basically tanked this year by winning just 17 of 71 games.

“To those people who say that, they don’t know what they’re talking about,” Red Wings senior vice-president Jimmy Devellano said. “We got screwed by the lottery. That’s factual.”

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