In previous years, the 12 teams that lost in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs got picks 17 through 28 based upon their standings in the regular season. The Conference Finals losers got picks 29 and 30, the Stanley Cup Final loser got pick 31, and the Stanley Cup winner got pick 32.

It appears that the latter remains the same, but I have seen some Mock Drafts posted which imply that the first-round losers will get picks 17 through 24 and the second-round losers will get picks 25 through 28. Is this a misconception by the posters, or have the rules changed?

The rule is losers of the first two rounds get picks 17-28 based off points, HOWEVER, all division winners IF they lose in rounds 1-2 will get a pick in the 25-28 range ( of course if 3 division winners lose, they would be 26-28 based off points, if 2 27-28 based off points, you get the point ), then Conf finals losers get 29-30, 31 goes to cup loser, 32 cup winner

This was how CF did it last year

Yes, that's what I thought -- so the guys who have been saying that if Carolina or Las Vegas get upset in the first round, they'll be picking 23rd or 24th are wrong.

There's still lots of time left in the regular season for either of those teams to fall out of first place in the division, but no, division winners cannot pick earlier than 25th.