The Columbus Blue Jackets are heading into Tuesday night’s NHL Draft Lottery with slim odds—but hey, crazy things have happened before.
They’re not in the race for the No. 1 overall pick this year, but there’s still a shot at a meaningful jump if the ping-pong balls bounce their way. And in a system built on luck? That’s always worth watching.
🎯 What’s at Stake
Even without a path to the top pick, Columbus could still climb as high as No. 4 overall—and that’s a big deal.
- The team currently sits with the 14th-best odds
- There are two separate lottery draws (for No. 1 and No. 2 picks)
- That means two chances to move up
👉 Bottom line: It’s unlikely, but not impossible.
📊 The Odds Breakdown
Here’s how things shake out for Columbus:
- 3.2% chance to jump up to No. 4
- 94.7% chance to stay right at No. 14
- 2.1% chance to drop one spot
Meanwhile, teams like Vancouver and Chicago are sitting in much better positions, with significantly higher odds at landing the top pick.
Still, remember this: last year proved long shots can hit. A couple of teams with tiny odds made big jumps—so the Jackets have every reason to stay hopeful.
🧊 A Season That Almost Made It
Columbus wrapped up the season with a 40-30-12 record (92 points)—just missing the playoffs.
- They ranked third-best among non-playoff teams
- Only Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals finished better without making the postseason
That puts them in a weird middle ground: competitive, but not quite there yet.
🎲 How the Lottery Works
The draft order is decided using a random draw of four ping-pong balls, each combination tied to a team.
- There are 1,000 possible combinations
- Columbus holds 15 of them
Not great odds—but enough to dream.
🏒 A Look Back
The Blue Jackets haven’t had much lottery luck over the years.
- Their only jump came in 2016
- They moved up to No. 3 and picked Pierre-Luc Dubois
Since then, they’ve mostly stayed put despite multiple lottery appearances.
🔥 Top Prospects to Watch
If Columbus does move up, there’s some serious talent waiting in this draft class. A few standout names include:
North America:
- Gavin McKenna – explosive scorer with huge upside
- Keaton Verhoeff – big, physical defenseman
- Carson Carels – offensive-minded blueliner
International:
- Ivar Stenberg – one of the most polished players in the class
- Alberts Smits – strong two-way defenseman
- Viggo Bjorck – creative playmaker
🧠 Final Take
No, the odds aren’t great. And no, Columbus can’t land the No. 1 pick.
But…
- ✨ They can jump into the top 5
- ✨ They do have two chances
- ✨ And they could land a game-changing player
That’s why Tuesday night still matters.
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