If the season gets cancelled, how would the next draft work?
 

I was just reading an article on Puck Daddy about the positives for Columbus on having the ASG postponed, and there's this:

I don't recall how the last draft worked following the lockout, was it a straight random lottery or was it weighted with the standings of the previous season? It'd be a silver lining in this whole schmozzle if my Leafs are poised to get another high pick without having to watch them suck hard to earn it.

It was something like each team had 3 balls put into the barrel and then one was removed for making the playoffs or winning the cup or drafting 1st overall (or all three). The draw was done from the remaining balls and Bettman read out Pittsburgh's name while winking at Mario and flipping off Gretzky. And thus Cindy Crysby became a Penguin.

Note: above synopsis may be devoid of facts

I was actually doing some research on this the other day.

The last lockout,

"Teams that failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the three seasons before the Draft, or were not awarded the first overall selection in the previous four NHL Drafts had the best chance of winning the lottery by being awarded 3 balls. If a team met one of the criteria above, they were awarded 2 balls, and if a team met more than one of the criteria, they were awarded only 1 ball."

In this lockout, that would mean:

Calgary, Columbus, Toronto, Dallas, Winnipeg, Carolina, Minnesota would all have 3 balls and a 6% chance at 1st overall.

The teams with 2 balls would be Colorado, St. Louis, Islanders, Tampa, Florida, and Anaheim which would give them a 4% chance at 1st overall.

The other 17 teams would have 1 ball and a 2% chance at 1st overall. Also, Columbus holds LA's 1st (Carter/Johnson trade) which would boost their chances to 8% and the best team to land the #1 pick.

Assuming the NHL uses the same criteria, expect something like this.

Oh, and the 2nd round would snake back around. And with all the talent in this draft, that is a pretty big bonus for all the teams with 1 ball, or any team that picks late in the first round.

In the 2005 draft I remember a lot of draft pick trading (or at least a lot of talk between teams to try to make it happen) where teams would essentially trade their 1st and 2nd for another team's 1st and 2nd. With the snake order most teams had roughly equivalent draft pick value which made things interesting.

In this scenario the Oilers should get like negative-2 balls. They've had enough top picks.

Remember the last time Columbus had the best chance at 1st overall?

I think there should be no draft and then raise the draft age to 19. Most players need an extra year or more of development anyway. You are only missing out on less than 10 players per year that would play otherwise. Then teams get players who are a little closer to being ready at least. Highly unlikely that this happens though. I don't think the NHLPA would want it either since it would stop some players from playing at 18.

How would that work? What does two negative balls look like?

(I have a feeling this might get out of hand...)

I believe Columbus also owns the NYR's 1st Rd pick from the Rick Nash trade.