This year's National Hockey League Draft will be staged virtually on October 6-7, the league announced Friday, with plans to begin 2020-21 season free agency on October 9. The events will come in the days following the conclusion of the Stanley Cup playoffs, set to start later this month after the season was shut down in March and the playoffs started last month. The New York Rangers own the top pick in the draft after winning the NHL Draft Lottery on August 10. Canadian 18-year-old left wing Alexis Lafreniere is expected to be the first player selected. The Los Angeles Kings own the second pick, followed by Ottawa, Detroit and Ottawa again -- the first time since 2000 that one team has owned two top-five picks. The draft had been scheduled to be staged in Montreal on June 26-27 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Setting the draft date allowed for the NHL to establish free agency plans, dealmaking usually starting on July 1 but delayed by the virus outbreak. The NHL salary cap for the 2020-21 season will be the same as this season at $81.5 million despite the financial hit taken due to the virus, which has forced the playoffs to be played in a bubble environment in Canada. A major free agency market will be around goaltenders, with Vegas netminder Robin Lehner, Washington's Stanley Cup-winning goalie Braden Holtby and Chicago's Corey Crawford set to become unrestricted free agents. js/rcw