The 2025 regular season has come to an end, and the league will now gear up for the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. Sixteen teams have made it to the postseason, but for those that did not, the planning for their next season is going to begin soon.
According to reports, the league has planned to hold the 2026 draft lottery on May 4. On this day, two separate lotteries will be held to determine which team is going to be picking the first and second picks in the draft.
All teams that did not make the postseason games are going to be a part of this lottery, with the worst team last season having the biggest chance of winning the lottery.
The NHL follows this pattern to avoid teams being in a race to the bottom, who are going through a bad season. After all, this way gives all teams a small but nonetheless a chance to potentially get the No. 1 draft pick. The 2026 NHL Draft might bring in a plethora of new talent, making the lottery winner a significant change for any franchise.
Penn State left winger Gavin McKenna, Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg, and WHL defenseman Carson Carels will be eligible for the teams to select. According to reports, any of these names might be the first or second overall draft pick in the following season.
The NHL Draft 2026 will be held at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Round 1 is scheduled for June 26, with the other rounds (from 2 to 7) taking place on June 27.
What Are The Teams’ Current Odds in the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery?
Many teams found the 2025-26 season to be very difficult. But in the end, the Vancouver Canucks had the fewest points (58) of the NHL’s 32 teams. On the plus side, at 25.5%, they have the best probability of winning the No. 1 draft pick in the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. Even after that, they have the best possibility of being selected as the No. 2 Draft choice at 18.8%.
Following them, the Chicago Blackhawks have claimed second place on the lottery odds list. This year, the team has a 13.5% chance of receiving the No. 1 draft pick, which would allow them to select their third No. 1 NHL Draft player in history. The franchise has previously done it twice, selecting Patrick Kane in the 2007 NHL Draft and Connor Bedard in 2023.
Talking in detail about all teams’ chances, here’s a look at them:
No. 1 pick:
- Vancouver Canucks – 25.5%
- Chicago Blackhawks – 13.5%
- New York Rangers – 11.5%
- Calgary Flames – 9.5%
- Toronto Maple Leafs – 8.5%
- Seattle Kraken – 7.5%
- Winnipeg Jets – 6.5%
- Florida Panthers – 6.0%
- St. Louis Blues – 5.0%
- San Jose Sharks – 3.5%
- New Jersey Devils – 3.0%
No. 2 draft pick:
- Vancouver Canucks – 18.8%
- Chicago Blackhawks – 14.1%
- New York Rangers – 11.2%
- Calgary Flames – 9.5%
- Toronto Maple Leafs – 8.6%
- Seattle Kraken – 7.7%
- Winnipeg Jets – 6.7%
- Florida Panthers – 6.2%
- St. Louis Blues – 5.2%
- San Jose Sharks – 3.7%
- New Jersey Devils – 3.2%
- Nashville Predators – 5.1%
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