NHL 2026 Draft Lottery Set for Tuesday

The NHL Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of the first 16 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, takes place Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET from the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. The 16 teams that missed the playoffs enter with varying odds based on regular-season records, as four ping-pong balls are drawn from a set of 14 to form a random four-digit combination assigned to each club.

Vancouver Canucks hold the best odds at 18.5 percent for the No. 1 selection, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks at 13.5 percent and New York Rangers at 11.5 percent. Other contenders include the Calgary Flames at 9.5 percent, Toronto Maple Leafs at 8.5 percent, Seattle Kraken at 7.5 percent and Winnipeg Jets at 6.5 percent. The process features two draws, one each for the top two picks, with the remainder set in reverse order of standings. A rule caps any team's movement at 10 spots, meaning only the bottom 11 clubs can claim the first pick.

The lottery carries added intrigue for several teams. The Canucks, Flames and Jets have never held the No. 1 selection in their histories. Toronto risks conveying its pick to the Boston Bruins if it falls outside the top five, stemming from a prior trade...