NHL draft lottery results: Toronto Maple Leafs will pick No. 1 overall
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.
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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. Their 2026 first-round pick had been traded but was top five protected, so they keep the selection.
The Maple Leafs last picked No. 1 overall in 2016, when they chose Auston Matthews.
The San Jose Sharks won the second drawing and will choose second overall for the second year in a row. They also picked first in 2024, taking Macklin Celebrini.
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Masterton nominee: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Garrett Wilson
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: San Jose Sharks goalie Laurent Brossoit
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin
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NHL awards finalists: Who’s up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews
2026 NHL draft order
Top NHL draft prospects
The top prospects as listed by NHL Central Division:
Top North American skaters
LW Gavin McKenna, Penn State
D Reid Chase, Sault Ste. Marie
D Carson Carels, Prince George
D Keaton Verhoeff, North Dakota
D Daxon Rudolph, Prince Albert
Top international skaters
C Oliver Suvanto, Finland
RW Elton Hermansson, Sweden
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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%
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).
8. Florida Panthers: 6.0%
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%
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.
