"(Connor McDavid would've been) a Sabre or something": Chris Johnston dismisses rumors of NHL draft lottery being rigged

The NHL draft lottery has been a topic of debate for a long time in the hockey community. Fans have questioned its credibility, with many conspiracy theories suggesting the process is rigged by the league.

The process of the team finishing in last spot getting the first pick for the following year's draft was long done away with. Instead, teams in contention for the top picks have to go through a lottery process by drawing lots from ping-pong balls.

Podcaster Steve Dangle bluntly asked insider Chris Johnston about the process being rigged. Johnston straight up denied the allegation. Fellow panelist Adam Wylde shared his views about the transparency, bringing in the aspect of accounting firm Ernst & Young looking after the process.

He also said that Connor McDavid could have been part of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Johnston doubled down on it, saying that the Oilers forward could have also been a Buffalo Sabre.

"They bring in an outside security team to do it. Ernst and Young," Wylde said on Tuesday (1:18:00), via "The Steve Dangle Podcast." They do have a reputation for fairness. If it was rigged, Connor McDavid would have been a Leaf, I think. I don't think he would have gone to Edmonton.

"Or a Sabre or something," Johnston said.

In the years leading up to McDavid entering the draft, the Sabres and Leafs were among the big-market clubs with losing records. Johsnton's reasoning was that if McDavid were to play for any of the big market clubs, his impact would be more widesprea. He compared it to almost like Wayne Gretzky's when he shifted to LA from Edmonton.

Instead, McDavid was signed by the Oilers, a smaller market in Western Canada.

NHL draft lottery for this year had question marks despite transparency

To increase transparency, the NHL introduced the live broadcast of the draft this year. The New York Islanders won the draft even though they were the 10th-best team to get the first-round pick with a 3.5% vote.

While the chances of the Isles getting the first pick were minimal, the process was clearly explained by the league. However, the live broadcast was considered confusing in the aftermath. New York picked defenseman Matthew Schaefer as its first No. 1 pick since John Tavares in 2009.

The lottery will be a major point of discussion next year as Gavin McKenna enters the draft, touted as one of the best prospects of all time.