8/8/20 | Vancouver defeated Minnesota so the Rangers are now only able to select #1, #10 or #11 depending on who wins the lottery.

8/7/20 | 9:31PM: Chicago has defeated Edmonton so the Rangers pick will now be either #1, #9, #10 or #11. If Minnesota comes back to defeat Vancouver in their series than the Rangers will pick no later than 10. If Minnesota loses and either they or Winnipeg win the lottery than the Rangers will pick #10.
6:35PM: Montreal defeated Pittsburgh which should mean that the Rangers can pick either #1 or between 9 and 12 depending on other outcomes and who wins the lottery.

5:36PM: Arizona defeated Nashville.

8:58AM: Calgary defeated Winnipeg to move on to the playoffs.

8/6/20 | 10AM: The NHL has announced that Phase Two of the NHL Draft Lottery, which will award the #1 overall pick in this October’s draft will take place on Monday August 10th at 6PM.

The Rangers, along with every team that loses in the qualifying round, will have a 12.5% chance at getting #1.

From the NHL, “the seven teams not selected in Phase 2, in inverse order of their points percentages at the time of the pause in the regular season, will be assigned 2020 NHL Draft positions 9 through 15.”

The lowest the Rangers can pick though is 13th since the Flames and Jets are both below them in points percentage and those two teams are playing each other.

Adam Rotter: There are a lot of different scenarios but it really breaks down like this, the Rangers get #1 if they win the lottery and, if they don’t win the lottery, their pick is determined by how the teams in front of them do. If Montreal or Chicago or Arizona or Minnesota win their series then the lowest the Rangers can pick goes down from 13 by one. The loser or Calgary/Winnipeg will always be ahead of the Rangers unless the Rangers get #1. So while the Rangers couldn’t pull off an upset, it’s in their best interest to root for Montreal, Chicago, Arizona and Minnesota to all win. That said, Montreal winning would give the Penguins a chance at #1 and that wouldn’t be great, so it’s best to let the Montreal series play out as it will and root for Western Conference upsets.

The NHL Draft Lottery has revealed that a team that loses in the qualifying round of the return to play plan will select #1 overall.

If the Rangers lose to Carolina they will be in the running to win the #1 overall pick in the Phase Two lottery draw.

Each of the eight teams that lose in the qualifying round will have a 12.5% chance at #1 overall.

Should the Rangers lose in the qualifying round and not win the Phase Two lottery drawing, they will pick between 9 and 15 in the inverse order of their regular season points percentage compared to the other teams that lost in the qualifying round. They are likely to pick #13th in this scenario if all of the higher seeds defeat the lower seeds.

The Rangers also hold the later of Carolina’s two first round picks, via the Brady Skjei trade, but can not get the #1 overall pick from it. If the Rangers beat Carolina and Columbus beats Toronto then the Rangers would be guaranteed a top-15 pick. If the Rangers beat Carolina and Toronto beats Columbus then the Rangers would get the pick that corresponds to when Toronto is knocked out of the playoffs.

---

If the NHL does not return to play then the Rangers, along with the seven other teams that would have missed the playoffs, would have a 12.5% chance at #1 overall. (TSN)

---

Adam Rotter: The best case scenario if the Rangers lose to Carolina is, obviously, to get the #1 overall pick and add Alexis Lafrenière to this group. The best case scenario if they win is for Columbus to beat Toronto so that they would be guaranteed a top-15 pick, still own their own pick and get a chance for this group to gain experience. It’s all pretty positive for the Rangers.