- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,128,881
- Reaction score
- 59
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been awarded the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Now, the question is whether they will take Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg with the top pick. But that's a decision to be made in June.
For now, the Maple Leafs received the right to make that choice by winning the draft lottery on Tuesday, May 5. They had 8.5% odds of landing the top pick and hang onto the pick, which had been dealt but was top five protected.
The draft lottery drawing was conducted in front of cameras for the second year in a row in the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Last year, the New York Islanders won the lottery despite 3.5% odds and selected defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the top pick.
Teams in the 12 to the 16 range can't win the No. 1 overall pick. They would move up 10 spots.
There are two drawings, first for a chance at the top pick and then for a chance at the second pick. Winning teams can move up only 10 spots. The last-place team can draft no lower than third overall. Beginning with the 2022 lottery, a team cannot win more than twice in a five-year period. There are 14 ping-pong balls in the machine and each team is assigned a series of four numbers. The lower a team is in the standings, the more series of numbers it gets.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL draft lottery results: Maple Leafs win, will pick No. 1 overall
Continue reading...
Now, the question is whether they will take Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg with the top pick. But that's a decision to be made in June.
For now, the Maple Leafs received the right to make that choice by winning the draft lottery on Tuesday, May 5. They had 8.5% odds of landing the top pick and hang onto the pick, which had been dealt but was top five protected.
The draft lottery drawing was conducted in front of cameras for the second year in a row in the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Last year, the New York Islanders won the lottery despite 3.5% odds and selected defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the top pick.
What were the 2026 NHL draft lottery odds
Teams in the 12 to the 16 range can't win the No. 1 overall pick. They would move up 10 spots.
- 1. Vancouver Canucks: 18.5% (25.5% overall)
- 2. Chicago Blackhawks: 13:5%
- 3. New York Rangers: 11.5%
- 4. Calgary Flames: 9.5%
- 5. Toronto Maple Leafs: 8.5% (pick traded to Boston but is top 5 protected. If It remains in top 5 after the lottery, Toronto will give up its 2027 or 2028 first-rounder).
- 6. Seattle Kraken: 7.5%
- 7. Winnipeg Jets: 6.5%
- 8. Florida Panthers: 6.0%
- 9. San Jose Sharks: 5.0%
- 10. Nashville Predators: 3.5%
- 11. St. Louis Blues: 3.0%
- 12. New Jersey Devis: 2.5%
- 13. New York Islanders: 2.0%
- 14. Columbus Blue Jackets: 1.5%
- 15. Detroit Red Wings: 1.0% (pick traded to St. Louis)
- 16. Washington Capitals: 0.5%
How does the draft lottery work?
There are two drawings, first for a chance at the top pick and then for a chance at the second pick. Winning teams can move up only 10 spots. The last-place team can draft no lower than third overall. Beginning with the 2022 lottery, a team cannot win more than twice in a five-year period. There are 14 ping-pong balls in the machine and each team is assigned a series of four numbers. The lower a team is in the standings, the more series of numbers it gets.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL draft lottery results: Maple Leafs win, will pick No. 1 overall
Continue reading...
