PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 27: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman speaks during the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at the Wells Fargo Center on June 27, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Which teams don’t deserve to win the Connor McDavid sweepstakes?

Today it was announced courtesy of Damien Cox that the 2015 draft lottery will be taking place on April 18th. A date that many teams have already had circled on their calendars to be sure but which teams don’t deserve the services of Connor McDavid? A lot of teams have had their bouts of diversity that they had to overcome but in these cases the teams should almost feel bad for winning the lottery.

Philadelphia Flyers

Current Odds 6.5%

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 28:  Mark Friedman is selected 86th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers on Day Two of the 2014 NHL Draft at the Wells Fargo Center on June 28, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 28: Mark Friedman is selected 86th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers on Day Two of the 2014 NHL Draft at the Wells Fargo Center on June 28, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

A lot has been made about Gary Bettman trying to “rig” the draft for Ed Snider so he can get a once in a lifetime player and see another Stanley Cup in his older years. While that crackpot theory is all well and good, in no way shape or form do the Flyers deserve the number one draft pick. The team has continually made questionable moves on the back end that have undermined a strong forward core. General Manager Ron Hextall is doing his best to rectify the situation in short order but is Paul Holmgren’s mess too big to clean up?

McDavid would be a saving grace for the team but a traditional power winning the lottery after only one year of missing the playoffs absolutely reeks to high heaven. One team’s own self inflicted mistakes shouldn’t warrant one of the biggest prizes in the past ten years. Sorry, Flyers fans.

New Jersey Devils

Current Odds 6%

NEWARK, NJ - JUNE 30:  New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello attends the 2013 NHL Draft at the Prudential Center on June 30, 2013 in Newark, New Jersey.  (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

NEWARK, NJ – JUNE 30: New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello attends the 2013 NHL Draft at the Prudential Center on June 30, 2013 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Much like the Flyers before them the Devils have many self inflicted wounds that are made by their GM Lou Lamoriello. Only a few seasons removed from the Stanley Cup Finals they have held onto that memory for a bit too long. An aging forward core and very few promising prospects in the pipeline have made it very obvious to some why this team failed in the 14-15 season. Schneider is establishing himself as one of the best goaltenders in the game and has done all he can to keep the team afloat.

Almost all teams in the lottery would see an instantaneous change in their forward core if McDavid was on their team but in this case I believe this would be the team that would get the least amount of impact from the future first overall pick. They still have some skill players up front but they have almost no one to surround the spritely McDavid. The Devils are a team many saw contending coming into this year but would find themselves with a shiny new car and no one to ride shotgun if they had the opportunity to select McDavid.

Boston Bruins

Current Odds 2%

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 27:  David Pastrnak is selected twenty-fifth by the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at the Wells Fargo Center on June 27, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 27: David Pastrnak is selected twenty-fifth by the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at the Wells Fargo Center on June 27, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

This thought may be the most vomit inducing of the bunch. Nine games remain in the season and many in Bruins land are advocating they try and tank for McDavid. They wouldn’t even know where to start when it begins to tanking. In all seriousness the thought of McDavid being added to the Bruins should send shivers down the spine of every single GM in the league today. This team recently has seen an embarrassment of riches and would be kicking dirt in every small market team’s face if they won the lottery.

You do need to take into consideration the possibility of McDavid not fitting into the Bruins “style” of hockey. Does he do the necessary things in the corner? Does he make curfew on time? Could he be traded for Reilly Smith, Loui Eriksson, Matt Fraser and Joe Morrow? Whoops, looks like I may be getting my generational players mixed up. I am sure the Bruins can handle it this time? Right? Right?! RIGHT?!?1?!

About Sam Blazer

Sam is a self proclaimed chess prodigy. He once placed seventh in the state of Ohio in Chess when he was in kindergarten. He will rarely if ever mention though that only eight people were entered in this tournament. Contact him at sblaze17@gmail.com

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