'Lottery ball specialist' Taylor Hall acknowledges his fortune

If you’re willing to overlook seven seasons of misery and the untimely trade away from a team now within two wins of reaching the conference final, Taylor Hall’s a pretty charmed dude.

This is an elite athlete making millions to live out his dream. In itself, that should offer enough perspective at the end of the day, even if it still torments him that he still hasn’t appeared in a single Stanley Cup Playoff game.

“Blessed” isn’t in his Twitter bio for nuthin’.

[Follow Puck Daddy on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tumblr]

But beyond this general privilege, Hall seems to be that one person who needs a single ticket at the raffle to walk away with the flat-screen television. That is, if the last eight NHL Draft lotteries are any indication.

Previously the prize at the event, Hall’s luck at the draft lottery evidently transferred to the New Jersey Devils, who acquired him in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers last summer.

The Devils won the rights to the No. 1 overall selection at the NHL Draft on Saturday night when heading into the event with just an 8.5 percent chance of claiming the prize.

Hall couldn’t help but acknowledge his endless association with the draft slot on Twitter:

Here’s his history at the event:

2010: Oilers win lottery, select Hall.
2011: Oilers earn No. 1 pick when Devils win lottery, select Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
2012: Oilers win lottery, select Nail Yakupov
2013: Avalanche win lottery
2014: Panthers win lottery
2015: Oilers win lottery, select Connor McDavid
2016: Maple Leafs win lottery
2017: Devils win lottery

[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey contest now]

Hall is expected to soon call either Brandon Wheat Kings forward Nolan Patrick or Halifax Mooseheads forward Nico Hischier a teammate.

The two prospects rate comfortably between “McDavid” and “Yakupov” on the success probability metre.