New Jersey Devils: Devils win the Draft lottery again, here are three initial thoughts

The New Jersey Devils had an abysmal 2018-19 regular season but apparently it was all worth it. For the second time in three years, the Devils will have the first overall pick.

The New Jersey Devils, if we are being honest are not a franchise that deserves a lot of luck. Yeah, they recently ended a long playoff drought, but they are historically one of the best in the NHL. Either way, my hot take on that does not matter, they got a little lucky and they have won the lottery. Once again, the Devils will be picking first overall.

Last year at this time, we were preparing for the Devils to show if they were ready to contend as they got ready to play the Tampa Bay Lightning in the playoffs. Around this time two years ago, it was more or less the same as it is now, the Devils has won the lottery and held the first overall pick.

Sometimes, it is just your time. The Devils, and maybe it is good karma, never really felt like they were tanking. Sure, they stalled out after losing Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk, Martin Brodeur, and eventually Patrik Elias to retirement, but it always felt like they were at least attempting to be competitive.

https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1115783950725787649

So yes, maybe losing the Cup, then a few years later most of the players from that team in just a few short years meant they deserved some good karma, but still two first round overall picks in three years? The hockey gods helped with that one.

I have even managed to go this entire time without mentioning Taylor Hall, you know, the MVP, that perhaps shows even more luck, we don’t even have to give the Devils credit for Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson straight up, maybe that more reflects the incompetence of the other team involved.

No matter what, the Devils pick first come June 21 in Vancouver. Here are three initial thoughts on that.