It's common for fans to cry foul after every draft lottery, accusing the NHL of fixing the event in favor of a particular team.
However, the situation becomes unusual when league sources and NHL players themselves express their concerns about the lottery being "rigged."
Chicago Believed to be Favored in the Draft Lottery
Players usually refrain from discussing the NHL's draft lottery, focusing instead on their immediate success. Yet, this draft seems to be an exception, possibly due to the presence of Connor Bedard, a draft phenom who is expected to make an instant impact in the NHL.
Elliotte Friedman, in a recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, revealed that sources within the NHL are questioning the draft lottery's results.
According to Friedman, an unexpected number of individuals working for NHL teams have approached both the media and the league to voice their suspicions about the lottery's integrity. He stated that he personally knows people, whom he considers intelligent, who are convinced that the lottery was rigged.
These were people across the league in executive jobs to even some players on teams coming forth with their apprehensions.
While fan reactions of this nature are commonplace, it is rare to see such concerns coming from players and team personnel. This raises questions about whether the NHL might have indeed favored Chicago in this draft lottery.