How win over Devils affects Bruins’ NHL draft position (2025)

The Bruins certainly helped morale, but not their draft situation by beating the Devils, 7-2, on Tuesday.

The win moved them from the fourth fewest points to fifth with the Flyers slipping behind them.

If that holds, it would mean the Bruins would enter the lottery with the fith-best odds of picking first (8.5 percent). If they stay in that spot, the worst they could pick is No. 7 overall.

Fourth is the now the highest draft position the Bruins can finish in before the lottery. Nashville is now locked at third.

Here’s where the Bruins sit:

Games left: 3 — vs. Chicago, at Pittsburgh, vs. New Jersey

After Tuesday’s game: The Bruins have the fifth fewest points in the NHL.

Highest pre-lottery draft spot Bruins can reach: Fourth.

Lowest pre-lottery draft spot Bruins can reach: 13th

Outlook: At 32-38-9, the Bruins have 73 points. The most they can get to is 79 if they won their last three games. There are 19 teams who already have 80 or more points.

Only the Sharks, Blackhawks and Predators can’t reach 73.

Here are the bottom nine teams in the NHL, who have the best chance to finish with the No. 1 draft pick. It shows each team’s record, their points and most points they could possibly reach if they won the rest of their games. Below them is their remaining schedule.

.....................GP—W—L—OT—Pts—MOST PTS

Buffalo.........77—35-36-6—76—86

at CBJ, at Fla, at TB, vs. Tor, vs. Phi

Anaheim.......77—34-35-8—76—86

vs. CGY, at LA, vs. Col, at Min, at WPG

Pittsburgh....79—32-35-12-76—82

at NJ, vs. Bos, vs. Was

Seattle.........79—34-39-6—74—80

at VGK, vs. StL, vs. LA

Boston.........79—32-38-9—73—79

vs. Chi, at Pit, vs. NJ

Philadelphia.77—31-37-9—71—81

at NYR, vs. NYI, at Ott, vs. CBJ, at Buf

Nashville......78—28-42-8—64—72

at Utah, at VGK, vs. Utah, vs. Dal

Chicago......78—22-46-10—54—62

at Bos, vs. WPG, at Mon, at Ott

San Jose......77—20-47-10-50—60

at Min, at EDM, at CGY, at Van, vs. Edm

Wednesday games that will impact pre-lottery draft order standings:

Flyers at Rangers

Sharks at Wild

Flames at Ducks

Here’s how the lottery works:

NHL Draft Lottery rules

All non-playoff teams are in the lottery.

There will be two drawings, one for the No. 1 pick and one for the No. 2 pick. Once the top two picks have been determined, clubs will be slotted in reverse order of their finish in the regular season. A team can only move up 10 selections if it wins one of the lottery draws, a change announced by the NHL on March 23, 2021. Only the top 11 teams in lottery are eligible to receive the No. 1 selection.

If a team outside of the top 11 wins the first draw, the team with the worst record would get the No. 1 pick and the winner would move up 10 spots.