The NHL Draft Lottery has long been a highlight of the spring for Detroit Red Wings fans, offering hope for a brighter future. But this year, the buzz is noticeably quieter in Hockeytown.

The lottery takes place Tuesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN, and while the hockey world will be watching closely, the Red Wings may only have a passing interest. That's because Detroit dealt its first-round pick—currently slotted at 15th overall—to the St. Louis Blues at the trade deadline in exchange for defenseman Justin Faulk and prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov.

At the time, the Wings were pushing for a playoff spot, and Faulk, with one year remaining on his contract, seemed like the perfect piece to bolster the lineup. But hockey is a game of inches, and Detroit's late-season collapse extended their playoff drought to a painful 10th season.

Now, without a first-round pick, the Red Wings find themselves in unfamiliar territory on lottery night. General Manager Steve Yzerman, never one to mince words, explained the team's strategy: "Obviously we used a first-round pick and a good prospect to acquire a defenseman that helps us for the foreseeable future. Free agency, with a 32-team league and the salary cap going up, teams in the past weren't able to re-sign their free agents. But they're all getting re-signed, so that free-agent market is thinner. Ultimately, you're drafting or looking at really trading to do that."

While the lottery can sometimes deliver dramatic jumps, there's no chance of Detroit's pick landing at No. 1. Picks 12 through 16 can only move up 10 spots, and the Blues have just a 1.1% chance of jumping to fifth overall. For Wings fans, it's a night to watch the drama unfold from the sidelines.

The rest of the draft, set for June 26-27 in Buffalo, New York, will determine the top 16 picks. Detroit still holds selections in the second, third, fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds, plus Calgary's seventh-rounder from a previous trade. Their fourth-round pick was sent to Ottawa for forward David Perron.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings' minor league affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, are busy making noise of their own, opening their AHL divisional semifinal series. For a franchise that has long relied on the draft to rebuild, this year's lottery is a reminder that sometimes, the path to success requires a different kind of gamble.