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Draft lottery changed for 2015 and 2016, Erie Otters to play a game in Buffalo

Connor McDavid will be coming to Buffalo. Unfortunately it’s not the way you would have hoped just yet. The Sabres have called for a joint press conference with the Erie Otters on Thursday and will announce that Erie will play a game at the First Niagara Center this season. Will it be the most anticipated game in the arena this season? Very likely.

The game will give Sabres fans a chance to see who they hope is a future Sabre, if not simply a superstar of the future. In going with the HARBORcenter’s way of thinking, the event would give McDavid and the rest of the players more exposure to Buffalo. McDavid may be more excited about playing here after seeing the world class facilities during the game and later at the combine.

Speaking of locking up McDavid, there was a bit of good news for the Sabres in regards to draft lottery changes. Although the percentage chance of the worst team getting the top pick dropped from 25% to 20% the worst that the 30th place team can pick is still second. That means that if the Sabres do finish last this season, they will still have a shot at Jack Eichel (or McDavid if he’s passed on at one).

The larger changes to the system will take place in 2016, when the top three picks will be decided through the lottery system. The worst place team will then be able to drop all the way to the fourth overall pick. The Sabres obviously hope by that point they won’t care about picking in the top five.