The National Hockey League has announced that its 2026 draft lottery will take place on May 5 at the NHL Network facilities in Secaucus, New Jersey.
League officials confirmed Saturday that the event will air simultaneously on ESPN, Sportsnet and TVA Sports, though broadcast times remain to be determined.
The selection process will start by determining the first overall pick, then proceed to reveal the second selection. Sixteen teams that failed to qualify for the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs are eligible to participate in the lottery. When a team has traded away its first-round selection, the acquiring franchise receives that lottery position regardless of playoff status.
Leading the lottery odds are:
1. Vancouver Canucks, 18.5%
2. Chicago Blackhawks, 13.5%
3. New York Rangers, 11.5%
4. Calgary Flames, 9.5%
5. Toronto Maple Leafs (conditional trade to Boston Bruins), 8.5%
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 Devils, 2.5%
13. New York Islanders, 2.0%
14. Columbus Blue Jackets, 1.5%
15. St. Louis Blues (from Detroit Red Wings), 0.5%
16. Washington Capitals, 0.5%
League regulations limit teams from advancing more than 10 positions in the draft order, meaning only the top 11 teams listed can claim the number one selection.
Last year’s lottery winner was the New York Islanders, who jumped from the 10th position despite holding only a 3.5% probability. The Islanders used their top pick to select defenseman Matthew Schaefer from Erie in the Ontario Hockey League.
The 2026 draft’s opening round is scheduled for June 26 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Rounds two through seven will continue the following Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Eastern Time.
Two prospects generating buzz for the top overall selection are Penn State left wing Gavin McKenna and left wing Ivar Stenberg from Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League.
According to a March 7, 2025 trade agreement between Toronto and Boston, the Maple Leafs retain their pick if it lands in the top five positions. Should that occur, Toronto would then transfer either their 2027 or 2028 first-round selection to the Bruins.
