The balls moved (we're told), and the hockey gods have spoken: The New Jersey Devils won the NHL's Draft Lottery Drawing, moving them up to the 4th overall pick and, in the process, bumping the Islanders (and Ottawa, Atlanta and Columbus) down one notch.

So the Islanders, who entered this process with the 4th "seed," now possess the 5th overall selection, with the Devils leaping them, the Senators, Thrashers and Blue Jackets.

Edmonton retains the 1st overall pick for the second year in a row. The Islanders -- at least for now -- possess the 5th overall pick for the second year in a row.

Why the hockey gods would smile upon the Devils, after their first season of misfortune in a decade, I do not know. Sigh.

(Moment of truthiness: Really, despite our fun and moaning and comedic paranoid griping, this year's draft -- at least as things stand now among the experts -- is far from the worst year to move from 4 to 5. And that's if the Islanders elect to stay there.)