Flyers daily news: Chicago celebrates another lottery win

Flyers fans could only sit back and grimace as Chicago celebrated winning the NHL Draft lottery Monday night.

At Wrigley Field during the Cubs-Cardinals game, the Jumbotron in centerfield announced the Blackhawks’ good fortune to hearty cheers.

Connor Bedard, the presumed next great NHL player, is expected to be the Blackhawks’ pick in the June 28 draft.

Ben Pope, of the Chicago Sun-Times, reported on Twitter: The Blackhawks have already sold $2.5 million worth of season-ticket plans for 2023-24 in the 1.5 hours since winning the #1 pick — including more than 500 new full-season plans.

“To see the excitement when I walked back into that [draft] room was pretty special,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson told reporters. “It’s a pretty invigorated staff right now. I think it’ll be a very excited fan base, what the possibilities are here.”

The Blackhawks had the third-best odds at 11.5 percent but jumped over the Ducks and Blue Jackets. Anaheim will get the second pick.

Draft lotteries won by Chicago bring back bad memories for Flyers fans. In the 2007 lottery, the Flyers had the best odds to win the top pick. The Blackhawks had the fifth-best chance to win the lottery but the ping-pong balls landed in Chicago’s favor.

The Blackhawks chose Patrick Kane — a likely Hall of Famer — and Flyers picked James van Riemsdyk at No. 2. When the teams met in the 2010 Stanley Cup Final, there was Kane scoring that weird-angled Stanley Cup-winning goal in Game 6 at the Wells Fargo Center.

Kane was part of two more Cup victories in Chicago, in 2013 and 2015, as Flyers fans unhappily recall.

Around the National Hockey Now network:

Vegas Hockey Now: The last franchise-changing draft pick, Connor McDavid, wasn’t enough in Game 3 at home against the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday. Vegas took a 2-1 series lead with a 5-1 win at Edmonton.

Chicago Hockey Now: The Blackhawks’ rebuild has a whole different feel with Connor Bedard.

Calgary Hockey Now: Tyler Toffoli scored 34 goals for the Flames this season but he could be a candidate for a trade.

Boston Hockey Now: While the record-setting Bruins are still stunned by their first-round playoff exit, restricted free agent goalie Jeremy Swayman is excited about returning to Boston.

Tonight’s playoff games:

The Devils play host to the Rod Brind’Amour-coached Hurricanes at 7 p.m. on ESPN. The Hurricanes lead the series, 2-1.

The Dave Hakstol-coached Kraken play the visiting Stars at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN. Seattle leads the series, 2-1.