The ping pong balls landed - with jaws on the floor. After a lost season, facing questions about Auston Matthews' future and staring down their only first-round pick until 2028 sliding to the Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs cashed in on just an 8.5 percent shot to win the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday night and the right to pick first overall in June. How's that for a second day on the job for GM John Chayka?
Who will Toronto select? Chayka laughed, speaking to reporters, saying he truly had no idea - they hadn't even held a scouting meeting yet.
We can project. Let's dive in with our first edition mock draft, featuring the top five, based on what we're hearing around the league:
1. Toronto Maple Leafs: LW Ivar Stenberg, Frolunda (SWE)
In a small upset, the Leafs take the potential winger edition of Aleksander Barkov over the dynamic Gavin McKenna. Stenberg projects as a consummate 200-foot player who will immediately slot on Auston Matthews' left flank, Toronto's first power play and kill penalties. Leafs Nation may initially be disappointed in not drafting the flashier McKenna, but recent playoff disappointments should remind Leafs fans that you need more than elite offensive skill to advance in the playoffs. Stenberg will bring the skill and a whole lot more as a thicker, more physical replacement for Mitch Marner.
2. San Jose Sharks: RD Keaton Verhoeff, North Dakota (NCAA)
Dilemma time for Sharks GM Mike Grier, right? It's a tantalizing thought to add McKenna to a forward group that includes Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and Michael Misa. But I'd be floored if the Sharks add another forward in this Draft with such a clear positional need. They have two NHL defensemen under contract next season and desperately need blue line help to transform from a competitive team into a contending team. They've spent a long time closely watching Verhoeff, a 6-foot-4, 212-pound right-shot who won’t be 18 until late June. He has a chance to be a franchise defenseman. He was a goalie until age 12 and is still raw, so patience will be required - but Verhoeff offers the most upside of any 'D' in this Draft.
3. Vancouver Canucks: LW Gavin McKenna, Penn State (NCAA)
Fear not, Canucks Army. After slipping to the third pick, Vancouver gets their man from Whitehorse, Yukon. An electric offensive talent, McKenna will add the skill and speed that Vancouver craves as the Canucks embark on a multi-year rebuild. His arrival could also spark the rejuvenation of the gifted Elias Pettersson. McKenna, as the new face of the franchise, will give beleaguered Canucks fans a legitimate and maybe the only reason to watch as they compete for the top pick again next season.
4. Chicago Blackhawks: RD Chase Reid, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
The Blackhawks have their forwards figured out - from top-six to bottom-six - and they are solid in net with Spencer Knight. They've yet to formally nail down a top pair defenseman, though they have distinct possibilities still in Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel. Consider Chase Reid some high-end insurance - because one of those three (or more!) are going to pop. Reid, an elite skater with high skill, could end up being the Hawks' defensive leader for the next decade while quarterbacking their power play.
5. New York Rangers: LD Carson Carels, Prince George (WHL)
The Rangers will continue the run on top defensemen by adding Carels, a strong skating, hard-to-play against defender who appears to be just starting to tap his potential. Carels fills a huge positional need for the Rangers and should land in their top four very quickly. Just as importantly, he projects as future captain material and a culture-setter type sorely needed in New York. He helps defines winning teams. Carels would be a great starting point for GM Chris Drury and the Rangers as they chart a new course.