Exclusive Behind The NHL Draft Lottery Scenes With Ken Morrow

Ken Morrow has always believed in miracles.

Allan Kreda has been covering hockey for more than three decades, most recently for The New York Times and The Associated Press. He recently completed co-authoring Islander legend Ken Morrow’s memoir: “Miracle Gold, Four Stanley Cups and a Lifetime of Islanders Hockey.”

Ken Morrow has plenty of experience with miracle moments.

There’s the “Miracle on Ice” win over the Soviets (and subsequent gold medal victory over Finland) at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. There’s four-straight Stanley Cup wins with the Islanders from 1980-83. And three playoff overtime goals scored by the stalwart defenseman, the most of any Islander from 1980-84.

Now Morrow can add a truly modern miracle to his resume as the Islanders – with a 3.5 percent chance going in – overcame long odds to win the 2025 draft lottery. They will have the leadoff selection on June 27 in Los Angeles for the first time since 2009, when John Tavares was their choice. New York also had the first pick in 2000, 1973, and 1972.

I caught up with my pal Ken to get his reactions: