NHL Draft Lottery 2026 Date, Odds, Projected Order, Latest Regular-Season Standings

Thursday marks the final day of the 2025–26 NHL regular season. While 10 teams have completed their seasons, some still have up to two games to go. While we know all 16 teams that will be competing in this year's Stanley Cup playoffs, seeding is still fluid. 

In Wednesday's action, a handful of games could affect both playoff seeding as well as NHL draft lottery odds. 

If the New York Rangers defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning, they will move from No. 3 down to No. 4 in the odds. 

Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs are incentivized not to play too hard against the Ottawa Senators. Currently fifth in the draft order, the Leafs' first-round pick will head to the Boston Bruins unless it falls in the top five. 

Ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft, which will be held June 26–27 in Buffalo, New York, the NHL draft lottery will determine the draft order of all 16 teams slated to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

For the second consecutive year, the NHL plans to conduct the lottery draw live on-air, adding an extra layer of drama and intrigue to the process. Teams' odds will recalculate in real time, with live reactions to their draft order. 

The Vancouver Canucks, with one game left to play in the regular season, have managed just 58 points. On the bright side, they have by far the highest odds to land the No. 1 pick, at 25.5%. 

For the fourth straight year, the Blackhawks are guaranteed a top-four draft pick, locked into the No. 2 spot in the draft lottery with 13.5% odds of landing the top pick. Chicago has had the No. 1 pick twice in franchise history. In 2007, the Hawks selected Patrick Kane; in 2023, of course, they landed Connor Bedard. 

The prospects teams will be vying for this year include Hobey Baker Award finalist and Penn State left winger Gavin McKenna, as well as Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg and WHL defenseman Carson Carels.

Here is everything you need to know about how to tune in to the NHL draft lottery, as well as which teams have the best odds of landing the first or second picks.

NHL Draft Lottery Date, Time, Streaming

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Date: May 5

Time: TBA

TV: ESPN, ESPN+

Streaming: ESPN App

NHL Draft Lottery Odds

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No. 1 Pick

Canucks: 25.5%

2. Blackhawks: 13.5%

3. Rangers: 11.5%

4. Flames: 9.5%

5. Maple Leafs: 8.5%

6. Kraken: 7.5%

6. Jets: 6.5%

7. Panthers: 6.0%

8. Blues: 5.0%

9. Sharks: 3.5%

10. Devils: 3.0%

No. 2 Pick

Canucks: 18.8%

2. Blackhawks: 14.1%

3. Rangers: 11.2%

4. Flames: 9.5%

5. Maple Leafs: 8.6%

6. Kraken: 7.7%

7. Jets: 6.7%

8. Panthers: 6.2%

9. Blues: 5.2%

10. Sharks: 3.7%

11. Devils: 3.2%

12. Predators: 5.1%

Average Pick Position (All Teams)

Canucks: 2.3

Blackhawks: 3.0

Rangers: 3.7

Flames: 4.4

Maple Leafs: 5.1

Kraken: 5.9

Jets: 6.7

Panthers: 7.6

Blues: 8.5

Sharks: 9.6

Devils: 10.5

Predators: 11.6

Islanders: 12.6

Blue Jackets: 13.7

Red Wings: 14.9

Capitals: 15.9

Odds via Tankathon

Latest NHL Regular Season Standings and Playoff Seeding

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Eastern Conference

Hurricanes (113 pts, D1)

2. Sabres (108 pts, D1)

3. Lightning (106 pts, D2)

4. Canadiens (106 pts, D3)

5. Bruins (100 pts, WC1)

6. Penguins (98 pts, D2)

7. Flyers (98 pts, D3)

8. Senators (97 pts, WC2)

9. Capitals (95 pts)

10. Red Wings (92 pts)

11. Blue Jackets (92 pts)

12. Islanders (91 pts)

13. Devils (87 pts)

14. Panthers (82 pts)

15. Maple Leafs (78 pts)

16. Rangers (75 pts)

Western Conference

Avalanche (119 pts, D1)

2. Stars (110 pts, D2)

3. Wild (104 pts, D3)

4. Golden Knights (93 pts, D1)

5. Mammoth (92 pts, WC1)

6. Oilers (91 pts, D2)

7. Ducks (90 pts, D3)

8. Kings (90 pts, WC2)

9. Predators (86 pts)

10. Sharks (84 pts)

11. Blues (84 pts)

12. Jets (82 pts)

13. Kraken (79 pts)

14. Flames (75 pts)

15. Blackhawks (70 pts)

16. Canucks (58 pts)