Overcoming universal pessimism over the likely result of the evening's festivities, the Blue Jackets earned the #3 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, virtually assuring an impact player will be heading to Columbus.
It wasn't the top prize, but it wasn't bad. The Blue Jackets garnered the #3 overall selection in the June Entry Draft, meaning that a truly elite talent will be joining the roster in the near future.
The lottery, conducted in Toronto as a lead-in to Game 2 of the Washington-Pittsburgh series, carried more than the usual amount of drama.