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Lightning to learn spot in draft today

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 10, 2001

The Lightning will find out where it picks in the June draft at noon today when the NHL holds its draft lottery drawing.

Graphic: Lightning report card

Tampa Bay's 59 points were 29th in the 30-team league. The Lightning has an 18.8 percent chance of claiming the No. 1 pick. It can pick no worse than third.

The lottery involves the first 14 picks in the draft, representing the teams that did not make the playoffs. In some cases, those teams have traded their picks. The club selected in the pingpong ball drawing can move up no more than four positions. That means only the five teams with the lowest regular-season point totals can claim the top spot. No team can move down more than one spot, so the Lightning will own no worse than the third pick.

Under the weighted system, the Islanders, the league's worst team, have a 25 percent chance of having their pingpong ball picked. However, they have a 48.2 percent chance of retaining the draft's No. 1 pick because teams six through 14 (which cannot gain the No. 1 spot) have a combined 23.2 percent chance of being selected.

Chances of being selected in the draft drawing:

1. Islanders 25 percent; 2. Lightning 18.8; 3. Thrashers 14.2; 4. Panthers 10.7; 5. Mighty Ducks 8.1; 6. Wild 6.2; 7. Canadiens 4.7; 8. Blue Jackets 3.6; 9. Blackhawks 2.7; 10. Rangers 2.1; 11. Flames 1.5; 12. Predators 1.1; 13. Bruins 0.8; 14. Coyotes 0.5.

LIGHTNING NEWS: Defenseman Andrei Zyuzin sustained ligament damage in his left elbow in the first period of Sunday's loss to the Capitals. Medical trainer Dave Boyer said surgery is not necessary. ... Forwards Matt Elich and Dmitry Afanasenkov were re-assigned to the IHL's Detroit Vipers.

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