NHL Draft Lottery 2019: Date, Odds and Latest Regular-Season Standings

While the Tampa Bay Lighting skated away with the Presidents' Trophy, the playoff-qualifying Colorado Avalanche may have something to celebrate in the 2019 NHL draft lottery.

The Avs received a 2019 first-round pick from the Ottawa Senators in the Matt Duchene trade of November 2017. At the time, Ottawa had Stanley Cup aspirations. Two years later, however, the Senators were the NHL's worst team.

Colorado owns the highest odds for the No. 1 pick in the draft, as well as a 49.4 percent chance for a top-three choice.

Before the playoffs start, the hockey world's eyes will be focused on the 2019 NHL draft lottery.

2019 NHL Draft Lottery Info

When: Tuesday, April 9, 8 p.m. ET

Where: Toronto

TV: NBCSN and Sportsnet

Final NHL Lottery Standings

Odds for No. 1 Pick

1. Colorado Avalanche―via Ottawa Senators (18.5 percent)
2. Los Angeles Kings (13.5)
3. New Jersey Devils (11.5)
4. Detroit Red Wings (9.5)
5. Buffalo Sabres (8.5)
6. New York Rangers (7.5)
7. Edmonton Oilers (6.5)
8. Anaheim Ducks (6.0)
9. Vancouver Canucks (5.0)
10. Philadelphia Flyers (3.5)
11. Minnesota Wild (3.0)
12. Chicago Blackhawks (2.5)
13. Florida Panthers (2.0)
14. Arizona Coyotes (1.5)
15. Montreal Canadiens (1.0)

Red Wings Hoping for Good Karma?

As long as professional leagues reward mediocrity, tanking is the best strategy for eliminated teams to improve their roster.

Late in the 2018-19 season, though, Detroit did the opposite.

Adrian Kraus/Associated Press

The Red Wings bounced back from a 1-9-3 stretch with eight wins in the last 11 games. In the process, Dylan Larkin and Andreas Athanasiou both cracked the 30-goal mark while Detroit climbed from the second-worst point total in the NHL to fourth.

However, that surge had a considerable effect on the Wings' lottery odds. No longer do they own a 38.8 percent chance at a top-three pick or a guaranteed top-five selection. It's now 28.8 percent for a top-three choice and a worst-case scenario of No. 7.

Detroit's young players don't much care, though.

"It's been lots of fun," said rising star Anthony Mantha, according to Ansar Khan of MLive. "Everyone's smiling. Everyone's more relaxed. And it shows out there, too."

Perhaps the hockey gods will reward Hockeytown for playing hard down the stretch. Landing a top-two selection would send Detroit into the offseason on a truly promising note.

But if that doesn't happen, the sting of missing Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko may outweigh the short-term happiness.

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.