![An NHL Draft miscue from ESPN hockey analyst Kevin Weekes has fans screaming the league is rigged. The Chicago Blackhawks landed the No. 1 pick. [Twitter/Screenshot/Public — @DaveyUpper]](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Screenshot-2023-05-09-10.59.01-AM-e1683644526661.png "An NHL Draft miscue from ESPN hockey analyst Kevin Weekes has fans screaming the league is rigged. The Chicago Blackhawks landed the No. 1 pick. [Twitter/Screenshot/Public — @DaveyUpper]")
I mean … it is a little bit funny how this all went down.
Chicago Blackhawks fans were absolutely ecstatic Monday night after their franchise landed the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft after winning the lottery. However, not everybody was happy. Just ask Columbus Blue Jackets fans, who are absolutely livid at both ESPN hockey analyst Kevin Weekes and the NHL.
During ESPN’s presentation of the draft lottery, Weekes was providing commentary whenever a pick was made. Well, when we got to the end of the draft, three teams were left: the Blackhawks, Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks.
Following the San Jose Sharks being given the fourth overall pick, ESPN was heading to a commercial break, but before they got there, Weekes said that Columbus landed the No. 3 pick. But there was a problem: That part of the lottery wasn’t shown on television.
Kevin Weekes just said #CBJ dropping to 3rd ? #NHL pic.twitter.com/XXVacOfYCY
— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) May 9, 2023
When ESPN got back from commercial break, the Blue Jackets did in fact land the third pick, with the Ducks grabbing second and Chicago winning the lottery being awarded the top pick. (RELATED: Bronny James’ $7.4 Million NIL Value Worth More Than 68% Of NBA Players, Some NFL Stars Including Trevor Lawrence)
And NHL Twitter absolutely went off:
nothing is more nhl than kevin weekes spoiling the draft order and proving the draft lottery is rigged by accidentally announcing that the blue jackets dropped to third
— n (@davidsonfc) May 9, 2023
I hope Bedard is a all time great because he is moving to my city, and we will always have the NHL rigged ping pong ball machine moment to tell our kids about. Will make Ewing frozen envelope look like child’s play. What a moment to share
— PFT Commenter (@PFTCommenter) May 9, 2023
Ive said it once and i’ll say it again…nothing more rigged in all of sports than the NHL draft lottery https://t.co/0oQEOAUSym
— Mike Grinnell (@MikeGrinnell_) May 9, 2023
It’s so obviously rigged you can’t even deny it at this point
— blashdril (@blashdril) May 9, 2023
I’m now on the rigged train. I wasn’t before. I am now.#CBJ
— Phil R (@PostGradPhil) May 9, 2023
No NHL fan is surprised by Chicago getting first at all. Maybe just surprised at how bad ESPN messed that up, or surprised how blatantly rigged it was lol.
— dani smith (@thedanismith) May 9, 2023
Chaos, just absolute chaos.