The Boston Bruins have completed the rare Double 4-3 Choke Job.
They led the Phildelphia Flyers 3 games to 0 in the series, but lost three straight to force a Game 7 Friday night in Boston. Leading 3-0 in the game, Philadelphia scored the next four goals to win the game — and the series — 4-3.
It’s just the third time that an NHL team has lost the first three games of the series and still won.
It’s bad news for the Ducks, who are in line to receive Philadelphia’s first-round draft pick in June. By virtue of the Flyers’ win, that pick cannot be higher than 27th. The Ducks already own the 12th selection in the draft.
The Ducks will pick 12th when the NHL Entry Draft comes to Staples Center in June, according to the draft order announced Tuesday. The Edmonton Oilers posted the worst record in the NHL this season and drew the first pick, followed by the Boston Bruins (via Toronto), Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Atlanta Thrashers, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, Ducks, Phoenix Coyotes (via Calgary) and St. Louis Blues. The order of the final 16 selections will be determined in the playoffs.
So what should the Ducks do with the pick? Keep in mind, they also will receive the Philadelphia Flyers’ first-round pick that was obtained in the Chris Pronger trade, a pick that will be determined based on the Flyers’ playoff finish.
Here’s a sampling of players drafted 12th the past decade: Calvin De Haan (Islanders, 2009); Tyler Myers (Buffalo, 2008); Ryan McDonagh (Montreal, 2007); Bryan Little (Atlanta, 2006); Marc Staal (Rangers, 2005); A.J. Thelen (Minnesota, 2004); Hugh Jessiman (Rangers, 2003); Steve Eminger (Washington, 2002); Dan Hamhuis (Nashville, 2001); Alexei Smirnov (Ducks, 2000).
The list includes one great player (Myers), some solid players (Little, Staal and Hamhuis) some disappointments (Eminger, Smirnov) two players who have never made the NHL (Jessiman, Thelen) and two more who are too young to judge (De Haan, McDonagh). Marian Hossa was a 12th overall pick. So was Alex Tanguay. Historically, the 10-15th range has included two or three busts on average.
