The future of the Arizona Coyotes, one of the NHL's most contentious teams, will be determined on May 16th by Tempe, Arizona residents. Should the proposed entertainment district not pass in the upcoming vote, the Coyotes will be left without a prospective home in Arizona. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has consistently backed the franchise and refuted speculation of the Coyotes leaving Arizona, but the extent of his commitment to secure their future remains to be seen. <h2>Connor Bedard... an Arizona Coyote?</h2> <div align='center' style='padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:20px;'><img src='https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/i/photo/244613.webp' width='100%' border='0' alt='image' loading='lazy' defer /></div> Today, the league officially revealed that the NHL's draft lottery is scheduled for May 8th, a mere eight days prior to the Tempe vote. This timing raises the question of whether the NHL is making a calculated move to influence voters towards supporting the proposed arena. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1636012102698557441?s=20'> </a></blockquote></div> Connor Bedard has been deemed a generational talent by numerous scouts, and the team that drafts him will significantly improve their chances of becoming a contender. Arizona currently holds the 7th best odds for securing the 1st overall pick and the opportunity to select Bedard, making the competition for the last place fiercer than ever. Some observers have started to theorize that the NHL has scheduled the draft lottery before the Tempe vote with the hope that Arizona lands the top pick and chooses Bedard. The prospect of acquiring a game-changing player like Bedard could potentially sway many voters towards supporting a new arena for the Coyotes, thus influencing the vote's outcome. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/GrindLinePod/status/1636045456307372036?s=20'> </a></blockquote></div> Additionally, some fans believe that Bettman may manipulate the draft lottery to ensure that the Arizona franchise secures the right to draft Bedard. The notion of the NHL draft lottery being rigged has persisted since its inception. Notable examples include the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the Crosby lottery, rescuing the team from near bankruptcy, and the Montreal Canadiens securing the 1st overall pick last year while hosting the draft. Arizona is virtually guaranteed to acquire an exceptional player in the upcoming draft, given the abundance of high-caliber talent in the first round. Nevertheless, a prospect like Bedard could be the deciding factor in rescuing the franchise from the threat of relocation. As Read On HockeyPatrol - <a href='https://www.hockeypatrol.com/nhl-team/arizona-coyotes/Bettman-Plan-to-Save-the-Coyotes-Is-Officially-in-Motion' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Bettman's Plan to Save the Coyotes</a> Officially in Motion