There really is no limit to the hockey gods’ cruelty when it comes to the Vancouver Canucks.

Not only did the National Hockey League’s worst team lose the draft lottery parlour game yet again Tuesday, the rusty knife plunged into the guts of Canucks Nation was twisted sickeningly when the Toronto Maple Leafs snatched the first pick and the chance in June to select Gavin McKenna.

The Maple Leafs moved to first from fifth in the draft order, while the Canucks dropped to third. The San Jose Sharks leapt to second from ninth by winning the second lottery draw, the California team’s second victory by chance in three years.

When the NHL carnival wheel spun against the Canucks in 1970, it was supposed to decide the first pick of that year’s draft. But on days like Tuesday, it sure feels like it set the tone for the fate of the franchise.

Since picking second behind their expansion cousins — the Buffalo Sabres grabbed Hall of Famer Gilbert Perreault, the Canucks took Dale Tallon — that first season, Vancouver remains without a Stanley Cup and is the only team currently 0-3 in Cup Finals.

At 25-29-8 — with just nine home wins all season — the Canucks last month finished last in the NHL by three time zones, 20 points behind the Leafs and 28 adrift of the emerging Sharks. 

But finishing last in the NHL earns the league’s most needy team only a 25.5 per cent chance of drafting first and the Canucks, as usual, watched others beat the odds.

Statistically, Vancouver picking third overall in........

© Sportsnet