TORONTO -- Finishing last in the Western Conference standings and out of the NHL playoffs paid huge dividends for the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. cheap jerseys china . Colorado won the NHL draft lottery and the right to make the first pick in this years entry draft. The Avalanche had an 18.8 per cent chance of winning the lottery after finishing the regular season with a dismal 16-25-7 record. The Florida Panthers, who finished last overall with a 15-27-6 mark, had the best odds of winning at 25 per cent. But they had to settle for the No. 2 pick when the draft is held June 30 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The Avs will have first shot at Portland Winterhawks defenceman Seth Jones, the No. 1 ranked North American skater according to the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. The six-foot-four, 206-pound Jones had 14 goals and 42 assists in 61 regular-season games and also helped the U.S. capture the world junior hockey title. "Theres a lots to like (about Jones)," said Rick Pracey, Colorados amateur scouting director. "His size and skating are two things that jump off the page and are attention-grabbers. "But his ability to rush the puck and make decisions coming out of the defensive zone and create offence from the back end has our attention. Hes an individual that brings two-way ability and size, the reach, the ability on the back end serve him well in the D-zone. Hes certainly a well-rounded, two-way defenceman that is getting plenty of attention and hype at the top of the board and rightly so. Jones, 18, is the son of Popeye Jones, an assistant coach with the NBAs Brooklyn Nets who spent time as a player with the Toronto Raptors (1996-98). If the Avalanche draft Jones, itll be a homecoming of sorts. He learned to skate and got his start in hockey in Denver when his father played for the Nuggets. But Pracey said Halifax Mooseheads forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin are both very much in the picture to be selected first overall in what is very deep talent pool. "This is not a slam-dunk decision by any means," he said. "Our philosophy has always been best player available. "It may sound like a cliche or were dancing but that isnt the case. We firmly believe in building our list the right way and well make our decisions based on our core scouting beliefs that we think have served us well in the past." The lottery adopted a different format this year, with all of the 14 non-playoff teams having a shot at the first overall pick. In previous years, the lottery-winning team could move up no more than four spots in the draft order. The remaining teams, in order of selection based upon the lottery, are Tampa Bay, Nashville, Carolina, Calgary, Edmonton, Buffalo, New Jersey, Dallas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Winnipeg and Columbus. The Oilers have made the first pick overall in the last three NHL drafts, becoming the first team to do so since Quebec (1989-1991). This year, all seven rounds will be held on the same day for the first time since 2006. Pracey gave the NHLs new lottery format the thumbs up, even if it was a little nerve-wracking. "Its truly exciting, thats probably the best way to describe it," he said. "Theres some anxious moments, its great it turned out our way." Panthers GM Dale Tallon said the No. 2 pick will secure his club a talented player but admitted not garnering the top selection stung. "We were hopeful to get the pick to weather some of the storm we had over the year and lessen some of the pain," he said. "It wouldve been nice to pick first but second is pretty good to. "The top four, five, six or seven are pretty good players. They can make a difference to your franchise. Theyre different, they bring different qualities to the game and thats exciting. Were looking forward to getting one of those players." And Tallon has a definite idea of the kind of player hell be looking for in New Jersey. "I like offence," he said. "I like puck-moving defencemen, I like to score goals. "I like to play an exciting brand of hockey so some of those players will help us do that." Nashville GM David Poile liked the drama the intrigue created by the new lottery format. He said the prospect of landing a top-flight prospect will help lessen his disappointment of the Predators missing the post-season. "Its not fun being a non-playoff team and being in the bottom five of the league," he said. "But having said that this is a terrific year. "The top five or six players are outstanding so were going to be rewarded very nicely for not making the playoffs . . . so from that standpoint were very happy." So too was Carolina GM Jim Rutherford. "The fact of the matter is right through the first round and even in the second round theres going to be some impact players if you get the right ones," he said. "Were not excited about picking where we are because of the season but it is what it is. "Were going to get somebody thats going to fit into our team and help us." . Davis. CHICAGO -- Rashad Evans unanimously outpointed fellow former Big Ten wrestler Phil Davis in a five-round light heavyweight fight at UFC Chicago on Saturday night. [url=http://www.cheapnfljerseyschinaplay.com/Mlb-Jerseys_Texas-Rangers-Jersey/]C... Texas Rangers Jerseys . Timothy Bradley never wavered in his chase for boxing glory, even when his bank account was down to $11 and there was no guarantee he would ever be on the big stage. http://www.cheapnfljerseyschinapla... . TSN 1290s coverage begins with Hustler & Lawless at 3:00pm ct. Rick Ralph hosts the official Jets pregame show at 5:00pm ct. [url=http://www.cheapjerseyssafe.com/]cheap nfl jerseys . Then Baylors dual-threat quarterback tore the ACL in his right knee and missed the last nine games of the 2009 season. . Play hard, play tough and play rough. The philosophy has been a lesson in frustration for opponents.LOS ANGEGLES, Calif. -- Kings forward Dustin Penner is turning a painful pancake experience into a win for local Los Angeles charities. Penner and the Kings Care Foundation announced on Friday that he would host "Pancakes with Penner," a fundraiser for the L.A.-based childrens charity run by the hockey team. Penner infamously suffered back spasms as he sat down to a pancake breakfast prepared by his wife in early January. The left-winger missed Los Angeles 1-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 7 as he recovered from the injury. "Pancakes with Penner" will have 75 fans and their guests join Penner for a buffet breakfast at an IHOP pancake restaurant in Los Angeles. "We are happy to support Dustin Penner and the Kings Care Foundation with Pancakes for Penner," said Natalia Franco, IHOPs senior vice president, in a statement. "The Kings are incredibly involved in the community and their efforts help a lot of meaningful organizations in the Los Angeles area. "All of us at IHOP are also devoted to giving back to the communities in which we operatte. [url=http://www.cheapjerseyssafe.com/nhl-jerseys_edmonton-oilers-jersey-mw-79/]C... Edmonton Oilers Jerseys. " Fans can purchase raffle tickets online for the chance to attend the event (http://lakings.com/pancakes). Money raised will go to the Kings Care Foundation. The charity has provided US$3.5 million in support for the L.A. community, including a $250,000 donation to develop a state-of-the-art Los Angeles Childrens Museum and a pledge of $250,000 to the Neil Bogart Memorial Fund, a non-profit organization that funds research at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Penner wrote a tongue-in-cheek open letter to address the pancake incident on Jan. 11 that was posted to a Kings fan blog. "First and foremost, I think we can agree that having delicious pancakes that your wife made for breakfast, for a 1pm game, is not out of the norm," wrote Penner. "Secondly, SOBS (Sudden Onset Back Spasms) can occur at any moment, doing just about anything you can think of, and is a very serious issue. "Those who have experienced SOBS, know it is no laughing matter. Im a little hurt, to tell you the truth, that the plight of my people isnt being taken seriously." ' ' '