NHL Draft Lottery Puts Canucks Blackhawks and Rangers First in Line

NEW YORK: The NHL will draw the first two picks in the 2026 Draft Lottery tonight at NHL Network's studio in Secaucus, New Jersey, with the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers holding the best odds for the No. 1 selection, according to NHL Public Relations.

The league said the lottery will set the order for the first 16 picks in the first round of the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, Sportsnet and TVA Sports, according to the NHL.

What Happened

NHL Public Relations said the Canucks enter the draw with an 18.5 percent chance at the first pick after finishing 32nd in the standings. The Blackhawks have a 13.5 percent chance, while the Rangers have an 11.5 percent chance.

The league said the next teams are Calgary at 9.5 percent, Toronto's pick, conditional to Boston, at 8.5 percent, Seattle at 7.5 percent, Winnipeg at 6.5 percent, Florida at 6.0 percent, San Jose at 5.0 percent and Nashville at 3.5 percent. St. Louis has 3.0 percent, New Jersey has 2.5 percent, the Islanders have 2.0 percent and Columbus has 1.5 percent, according to the league.

NHL Public Relations said two picks carry 0.5 percent odds: St. Louis' pick from Detroit and Washington's pick. If Toronto's 2026 first round pick becomes a top five selection after the lottery, the league said Toronto will instead transfer its 2027 or 2028 first round pick to Boston.

Photo by Sphilbrick, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

How The Lottery Works

The NHL said the lottery has two phases, one drawing for the first overall pick and another drawing for the second overall pick. The first 16 slots belong to teams that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs or teams that acquired those first round draft positions.

NHL.com said the system uses four balls numbered 1 through 14, creating 1,001 possible four number combinations. One combination, 11, 12, 13 and 14, is assigned as a redraw, which allows the league to divide 1,000 combinations among the 16 lottery participants.

The lower a team finished in the standings, the more combinations it receives, according to NHL.com. Vancouver receives 185 combinations, Chicago receives 135 and New York receives 115.

The league's 10 slot move up limit is the rule that shapes the night. NHL Public Relations said a team can move up no more than 10 selections if it wins one of the lottery drawings, which means only the top 11 seeds can land the No. 1 pick.

NHL.com said if the same team wins both drawings, the second drawing is held again. Picks 17 through 32 will be determined by the results of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Response

The league is presenting the broadcast format as a transparency step. NHL.com said viewers will see the lottery balls drawn live instead of watching a countdown after the drawing has already taken place in a separate room.

"We learned a lot from last year, and this evolution makes the experience even more transparent and dramatic," Steve Mayer, the NHL president of content and events, said in the league's preview.

Mayer said the real time format gives teams and viewers a clearer view of the stakes as each ball comes out.

"As we get down to the final ball, every team still in the mix will know exactly what needs to be drawn and when it happens, it's one of the most exciting moments of the entire year," Mayer said.

NHL.com said Commissioner Gary Bettman will still preside over the draw and Ernst & Young will still oversee it. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly will still announce the order, according to the league.

Who Is At Stake

The league's draft coverage points to Penn State left wing Gavin McKenna and Frolunda left wing Ivar Stenberg as the leading names attached to the top of the board.

NHL.com said McKenna is No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters. The 18 year old finished tied for fifth in the NCAA with 51 points, 15 goals and 36 assists, and ranked second with 1.46 points per game in 35 games this season, according to the league.

Dan Marr, NHL Central Scouting's director, said McKenna separated himself from the field.

"Gavin McKenna is an elite talent with exceptional hockey sense, quickness and maturity which has allowed him to dictate the play and influence games at every level he's played," Marr said in the NHL's prospect preview.

NHL.com said Stenberg is No. 1 on Central Scouting's final ranking of international skaters. The Frolunda forward had 33 points, 11 goals and 22 assists, in 43 Swedish Hockey League games, the most by an 18 year old SHL player since Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin in 1998 to 1999, according to the league.

Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen, the NHL director of European scouting, said Stenberg's game is built on skill and responsibility.

"He's exceptionally smart," Vuorinen said in the NHL's international rankings release. "High hockey IQ, elite awareness and decision-making. He's a highly skilled playmaker/scorer hybrid, able to drive offense and finish. He also has a great two-way reliability, makes strong defensive reads, and has an effective retrieval and disruption game."

Photo by Michael Miller, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

What People Are Saying

"The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will determine the order of selection for the first 16 picks in the first round of the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft," NHL Public Relations said in its April 18 announcement.

"This is a great sports town, a great hockey market," Bettman said of Buffalo hosting the 2026 draft, according to NHL.com. "The reception we get here is always terrific. Fans are knowledgeable and passionate."

"In the offensive zone he's a wizard out there, and you can see that in his game," Marr said of McKenna in the NHL's Buffalo draft announcement.

The Big Picture

The lottery does not decide which player will go first, but it decides which club gets the first chance to make that call. For Vancouver, Chicago and New York, the difference between the first pick and a lower slot could shape a rebuild, change trade talks and reset public expectations before the draft reaches Buffalo.

The NHL said the first round of the 2026 draft will be held June 26 at KeyBank Center, with rounds two through seven set for June 27. Tonight's live drawing is the league's first step toward that order.