Live: Can the Canucks finally be lucky in the provisional lottery?

In what became typical of the Canucks at the time of Jim Benning, the 2018-1919 team spent the year breaking records, losing then it should have won and winning when they should have lost.

The club was eliminated from the playoff race in March, failing the annual stated goal of participating in the playoff tournament. But as many have started asking the team to make a higher choice, the club has instead found another speed, scoring 7-4-2 in its last 13 games to finish the season in 23rd place. General clbadification. The realm of sadness, apart from the playoff bubble, but not unlucky enough to guarantee a high pick in this summer's draft, which is coincidentally in Vancouver.

Yet there is hope. While Canucks fans expect the worst after being eliminated on the blackboard in three consecutive seasons, Vancouver still has a five per cent chance of winning the first overall pick for the first time in franchise history, which gives them the opportunity to match the best hope Jack Hughes with brother Quinn. They also have a little over five percent chance of writing a second or third place, which would not be too bad either.

Of course, the most likely possibility is that they write the ninth rank – Vancouver has a 48.8% chance of landing there, and while it's not ideal, it's certainly better than falling into the chart one more time, in tenth place (a probability of 30.7%), or the worst of all, eleventh (a chance of 4.3%). Let us pray.

The draw takes place on Tuesday at 5 pm and you can follow it here.

4:40 p.m. – We are in a little less than half an hour and the lottery is very expensive for the Canucks. Their next core has really emerged this season, with Elias Petterson, Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat and Quinn Hughes all resembling the future cornerstones of Canucks hockey. But more help is needed everywhere.

Jack Hughes or Finnish winger Kappo Kakko would add to the list of top two picks, but even a top-five pick would be a treat, which would give the Canucks the opportunity to add a talented Russian winger. Valeri Podkolzin or the outstanding defender of the Vancouver Giants, Bowen Byram. Stay tuned.

4:45 p.m. – As we discussed, the worst scenario of this day is that the Canucks fail. But there are two other nightmarish possibilities: the first is that the Edmonton Oilers, who have won the first four places in the decade and have a good chance of doing so again, win the lottery. It would be an abomination. Already enough.

The second bad result is that the Buffalo Sabers, who won the provisional draw last year and stole the first overall pick of the Canucks in 1970, have done the same thing again today. I do not care to know that both franchises are cousins ​​of the expansion. If they pull that shit again, they are out of the family.

17:00. – So begins the story. Forget the 82 mediocre hockey games we've just experienced – this is the most important moment of the Canucks season. The preliminary version of the televised broadcast of the NHL Lottery has begun and we are now waiting to see if the Canucks will win the right to choose another game change factor if necessary or to get the short round again. If you have a lucky item, enter it now and continue until the order is announced in half an hour.

5:05 p.m. – A minor complaint: I hate the lottery project being dragged into a half-hour program, most of which is only a preview of the playoffs. If we were interested in the playoffs, we would obviously be encouraging another team. Instead, the NHL should launch the broadcast by revealing the order, then interviewing all the disappointed GMs about what they are going to do now and why their teams were so badly injured in the first place.

5:10 p.m. – While we wait, here is a brief overview of Canucks fans brandishing their lucky items. This guy has a lucky puck.

This woman has a lucky shirt.

This guy is wearing his lucky hat.

It is hoped that these blessed objects make all the difference. And if that's not the case, turn them on in the fire, Normally, I'm not the type to suggest lighting fires when things do not happen like the Canucks, but, well, there is a previous.

5:15 p.m. – And now, we're talking about the bloody Toronto Maple Leafs, because what would a hockey broadcast show in Canada be without a longer segment on the only team in the country? Get out of there.

5:25 p.m. – The charge is over. We now know that most experts choose Tampa Bay Lighting to win the Stanley Cup. I'm glad we listened to this shocking report. Then: the reason we are here. The Canucks are ready and their game GIF is at the rendezvous.

17:30. – Who is here to represent the Canucks? Why, it's Jim Benning, general manager. He looks very confused as to what is going on, outlining the need for the Canucks to choose an irreproachable choice.

5:35 p.m. – The young man Jack Hughes is in the building. Either that or that's the kid from The Fault in Our Stars. Hard to say.