NHL Draft Order: Pens Pick 21st, First Pick Since 2014

The season that could have been but ended with a whimper will now be the Pittsburgh Penguins 21st overall draft pick. The NHL released the draft order which reserves the top 15 picks for the non-playoff teams which are in the lottery for the top overall pick, then the next 12 spots are based on regular season points of the teams which didn’t advance to the conference final. The Penguins are sandwiched between the New York Rangers who snagged the Winnipeg Jets 20th overall selection via trade and the LA Kings who will have the 22nd choice by virtue of the Jake Muzzin deal with Toronto.

The Penguins haven’t selected in the First Round since 2014 when they selected Kaspari Kapanen with the 22nd overall pick.

In 2015, the Penguins gave their top choice to Edmonton for David Perron. On July 1, 2015, the Penguins spent their 2016 top choice on Phil Kessel. In 2017, the Penguins dealt Oskar Sundqvist and their 31st overall pick for the 51st overall selection and Ryan Reaves. In 2018, the Penguins didn’t have a first rounder because of the Derick Brassard deal.

At least one of those deals worked out spectacularly well.

NHL DRAFT ORDER:

1. New Jersey Devils
2. New York Rangers
3. Chicago Blackhawks
4. Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa Senators)
5. Los Angeles Kings
6. Detroit Red Wings
7. Buffalo Sabres
8. Edmonton Oilers
9. Anaheim Ducks
10. Vancouver Canucks
11. Philadelphia Flyers
12. Minnesota Wild
13. Florida Panthers
14. Arizona Coyotes
15. Montreal Canadiens
16. Colorado Avalanche
17. Vegas Golden Knights
18. Dallas Stars
19. Ottawa Senators (from Columbus Blue Jackets)
20. New York Rangers (from Winnipeg Jets)
21. Pittsburgh Penguins
22. Los Angeles Kings (from Toronto Maple Leafs)
23. New York Islanders
24. Nashville Predators
25. Washington Capitals
26. Calgary Flames
27. Tampa Bay Lightning
28. Conference final losing team with fewest points
29. Conference final losing team with most points
30. Stanley Cup Final losing team
31. Stanley Cup winner