The Colorado Avalanche's last game was April 9, but the worst team in hockey is still taking losses.
The NHL Draft lottery was Saturday, and Colorado, which had the best shot at the No. 1 pick, learned it will pick fourth overall in the upcoming draft.
The Avalanche had an 18 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick and a 48.1 percent chance at a top-three pick. That's because the Avalanche, who went 22-56-4 in 2017, had the worst record in hockey. Colorado's worst-case scenario was picking fourth. Unfortunately for Joe Sakic's club, that scenario became a reality.
The New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars leapfrogged other teams to get into the top three. The Devils, who had an 8.5 percent chance of getting the top pick, will choose first. The Flyers, who had a 7.2 percent chance of getting a top-three selection, will choose second. The Stars, who had an 18.3 percent chance of getting a top-three pick, will choose third.
As hockey writer @DownGoesBrown pointed out, Colorado was the first team to be the NHL's worst by 20-plus points and not get a top-three pick.
The NHL Draft is June 23.
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