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Steve Yzerman somehow stays calm after Detroit Red Wings burned by NHL draft lottery

Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman on a Zoom call following the news he'll pick fourth in the 2020 draft. Detroit Free Press

The 2020 NHL draft lottery was exposed for its flaws, rewarding a team deemed good enough to be in the playoffs and punishing the worst team in the NHL.

The Detroit Red Wings, who won just 17 games in 2019-20, were bumped back as far as possible, landing the fourth pick in Friday’s lottery. They entered the event with 18.5% odds of winning the first overall pick, but the 15-team draw also included eight placeholders for the teams that are part of the 24-team “return to play” playoff scenario.