Why would an NHL team want to lose to be last in the standings?

Answer: While winning is ultimately the goal of professional sports teams, in many sports leagues, including the National Hockey League (NHL), teams that are worse get higher draft picks in the upcoming year's entry draft.

Having a higher pick in the entry draft can be very valuable, since it is one of the best ways to get a very talented player on your team. For example, Sidney Crosby, and Connor McDavid, widely considered to be the best players in the NHL were both first overall picks in their drafts.