Toronto Maple Leafs Win 2026 NHL Draft Lottery

The Toronto Maple Leafs won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, vaulting up the board to claim the first overall selection in the upcoming draft.

The lottery victory serves as an immediate, massive windfall for newly appointed General Manager John Chayka and Senior Executive Advisor Mats Sundin. After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016, Toronto entered the lottery with incredibly slim odds. The jump to the number-one spot instantly reshapes the organization's trajectory for the rest of the decade.

John Chayka on landing No. 1 pick: "Well, you need some luck, and we got it tonight. ... It's a monumental opportunity." 

In regards to who they will select, "We haven't had scouting meetings yet. Second day on the job."

Heading into the lottery, the Vancouver Canucks entered with the best odds to get the first-overall pick, as they finished last in the NHL with 58 points, matching the team’s lowly mark from the 1998-99 season, when they won a measly 23 games.

Along with Penn State's Gavin McKena, there are exceptional prospects in Ivar Stenberg, Chase Reid, Keaton Verheoff, Carson Carels and Caleb Malhotra, each of which is expected to be taken in the top 10 of this year’s draft.

The rest of Round 1 is as follows:
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. New York Rangers
6. Calgary Flames
7. Seattle Kraken
8. Winnipeg Jets
9. Florida Panthers
10. Nashville Predators
11. St. Louis Blues
12. New Jersey Devils
13. New York Islanders
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
15. St. Louis Blues (from DET)
16. Washington Capitals