Today is a big day for the Calgary Flames and the other 15 teams that failed to qualify for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The NHL Draft Lottery is set to take place this afternoon, where it will be determined who will get the first-overall selection. The San Jose Sharks are the favourites to do so, with a 25.5% chance. Second is the Chicago Blackhawks at 13.5%, while the Anaheim Ducks are third with an 11.5% opportunity.
Coming in much lower on the list is the Flames, who are highly unlikely to land it, but do still have a 5% chance. Their odds of selecting second overall, which would still be a huge win, are slightly higher at 5.2%. They have never selected in the top three in their nearly 45 years of existence, but that has the potential to change today.
The most probable outcome for the Flames is that they select ninth overall. That would still be a solid outcome, as they haven’t had a top-10 pick in the draft since selecting Matthew Tkachuk at sixth in 2016.
Should they select ninth, many believe there is a strong chance they select Tij Iginla, the son of former Flames icon Jarome. The 17-year-old is coming off of an impressive 47-goal, 84-point season with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL. While taking him would certainly excite the fan base, they still have hopes of landing the first-overall pick, which is expected to be used to draft Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini.
Manifesting Circle #Flames
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🕯 🕯🕯 Macklin Celebrini 🕯
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🕯— Connie’s Burner (@connie_szn) May 7, 2024
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🕯 🕯🕯 First overall 🕯
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🕯— i dont rlly care if you cry (@200iqflamesfan) May 7, 2024
— Kuzmenkshow #1stOVRtoCGY (@moltenjaguar352) May 7, 2024
TODAY IS THE DAY MACKLIN CELEBRINI IS GOING TO BE A CALGARY FLAME pic.twitter.com/F6qzJtQPmo
— y-Mikal… Boston, im on the way! (tomfollery szn) (@Tea_Moo_Salami) May 7, 2024
The ring of fire
it summons thee
oh lotto ball
of destiny#flames pic.twitter.com/Fg9A7N4Nrf— Channel 4 (@ffrwpause) May 7, 2024
Lorscher Bienensegen but for the Flames winning the draft lottery for Celebrini and then again for McKenna 🙏
— dotdotdot (@dotdotdot28) May 7, 2024
🎰Draft Lottery day!
5.0% chance, 95% faith. #Flames
— Flames Prospects (@BlastyProspects) May 7, 2024
— Dion (@stampsfan_22) May 7, 2024
Manifesting a #Flames lottery win tonight. I’d prefer 1st but i wont complain with 2nd. Feels like I’ve been waiting for this moment all year. Hope we FINALLY get a little luck in cow town tonight!! 🤞🤞 pic.twitter.com/sd7T53wC3b
— matt🔥 (@204flamesguy) May 7, 2024
Need the Draft Lottery Luck tomorrow. Im begging the hockey gods, just once please, just once. #Flames pic.twitter.com/jH6jRB4ct7
— John Easthope (@vintagejohnny84) May 7, 2024
The lottery is set to get underway at 4:30 pm MT.
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