Pick the 2026 NHL DRAFT Lottery Winner

[MandatoryDenial]

New York Rangers, why because this new lottery based system seems to have balls heavily weighed in the favor of big market teams. I am guessing Toronto and Chicago will be in the top three as well, same reason.

[BleedingBleu]

I feel like this comes down to Vancouver & Calgary. Neither team has had the #1 Overall Pick in their +50 years. Calgary has only had two #2 Overall Picks, and Vancouver has had 4.

I’m going Vancouver #1, and they’ll trade it to the Blues. Then Calgary #2. Stenberg will go to the Blues & McKennan to the Flames

[Old_Goat]

1.) Who is #1?

2.) Who do you think are the Big Winners?

3.) Will Toronto be the Biggest Loser on the night?

I’ll randomly guess Seattle and then Chicago win the 2 lotteries. Who knows though.

Big winners are whoever wins the lotteries, duh.

Toronto’s pick is top-5 protected so if they win one of the lotteries or stay in the top-5 otherwise, they have the option to keep their pick. But if they keep it, then Boston gets Toronto’s 2027 1st rounder no matter what - fully unprotected. So if Toronto sucks again next season, it may end up to where it would’ve been better to give up this year’s pick than next year’s. Imagine if they’re able to keep it this year but then suck again next season, win the lottery and then Boston gets the 2027 1st overall pick…for freaking Brandon Carlo lol.

Well that is a potential risk. But don't you think the old "Bird In The Hand is worth more" adage calls for keeping it this year? It sure looks like they won't be much better next year, but it seems that for years their D-Corps has been their biggest weak area and with so many good D prospects this year, I think they go for one of those if they are still in Top 5. As we have seen, a lot can happen particularly at the end of the season where teams whom were looking for quite awhile to end up around the first 3 in draft order suddenly are down around 11 or so.

[HighStick]

I'm betting the Blues don't move up at all. If anything 2 teams behind them will win it and move them back 2 spots.
There won't be anything left except small LD by the time they pick.

[MrPostman01]

Ever the optimist, I predict our #15 will move up 10 spots and our #11 will move up 9 spots.
Blues select at #2 Ivar Stenberg, Stein's fellow Swede. At #5 the Blues select Caleb Malhotra

[Aesa]

Ever the optimist, I predict our #15 will move up 10 spots and our #11 will move up 9 spots.
Blues select at #2 Ivar Stenberg, Stein's fellow Swede. At #5 the Blues select Caleb Malhotra

From your lips to the hockey God's ear.

[Cahokanut]

The teams who are drafting in the top 5 will be winners. Also, whichever team uses a late round first to draft either Marcus Normark or Tommy Blevl

[Bubble4427]

Ever the optimist, I predict our #15 will move up 10 spots and our #11 will move up 9 spots.
Blues select at #2 Ivar Stenberg, Stein's fellow Swede. At #5 the Blues select Caleb Malhotra

If they selected Malhotra at #5…I would through my shoe through the television.
I’d be super disappointed. At #5….you take the best available…and he isn’t it.

I’m not trying to trash the guy…but he isn’t a top 5 guy.

[STL fan in MN]

1.) Who is #1?

2.) Who do you think are the Big Winners?

3.) Will Toronto be the Biggest Loser on the night?

I’ll randomly guess Seattle and then Chicago win the 2 lotteries. Who knows though.

Big winners are whoever wins the lotteries, duh.

Toronto’s pick is top-5 protected so if they win one of the lotteries or stay in the top-5 otherwise, they have the option to keep their pick. But if they keep it, then Boston gets Toronto’s 2027 1st rounder no matter what - fully unprotected. So if Toronto sucks again next season, it may end up to where it would’ve been better to give up this year’s pick than next year’s. Imagine if they’re able to keep it this year but then suck again next season, win the lottery and then Boston gets the 2027 1st overall pick…for freaking Brandon Carlo lol.

Well that is a potential risk. But don't you think the old "Bird In The Hand is worth more" adage calls for keeping it this year? It sure looks like they won't be much better next year, but it seems that for years their D-Corps has been their biggest weak area and with so many good D prospects this year, I think they go for one of those if they are still in Top 5. As we have seen, a lot can happen particularly at the end of the season where teams whom were looking for quite awhile to end up around the first 3 in draft order suddenly are down around 11 or so.

Oh I seriously doubt if Toronto stays in the top-5 that they would voluntarily hand over the pick to the Bruins just in case next year’s is an even better pick. I was more referring to if the Bruins do end up getting the Leafs 2027 1st that there’s a lot of risk there. And with it being Toronto and the quagmire that is their media there, it’s going to be a huge story if they have that hanging over their heads all next season.

[SameOldBlues]

Holy Poopballs, Scatman! I didn’t realize just how much movement there’s been with such small percentaged chances, and I absolutely hate conspiracy theories. Sure does look fishy tho.

[TAFKAP]

Holy Poopballs, Scatman! I didn’t realize just how much movement there’s been with such small percentaged chances, and I absolutely hate conspiracy theories. Sure does look fishy tho.

Chaos Theory, 4D Chess, Black Magic

[SameOldBlues]

Holy Poopballs, Scatman! I didn’t realize just how much movement there’s been with such small percentaged chances, and I absolutely hate conspiracy theories. Sure does look fishy tho.

Chaos Theory, 4D Chess, Black Magic

Allright, at the risk of sounding like an out of touch goober, what are them three thangs you speak of?

[Old_Goat]

1.) Who is #1?

2.) Who do you think are the Big Winners?

3.) Will Toronto be the Biggest Loser on the night?

I’ll randomly guess Seattle and then Chicago win the 2 lotteries. Who knows though.

Big winners are whoever wins the lotteries, duh.

Toronto’s pick is top-5 protected so if they win one of the lotteries or stay in the top-5 otherwise, they have the option to keep their pick. But if they keep it, then Boston gets Toronto’s 2027 1st rounder no matter what - fully unprotected. So if Toronto sucks again next season, it may end up to where it would’ve been better to give up this year’s pick than next year’s. Imagine if they’re able to keep it this year but then suck again next season, win the lottery and then Boston gets the 2027 1st overall pick…for freaking Brandon Carlo lol.

Well that is a potential risk. But don't you think the old "Bird In The Hand is worth more" adage calls for keeping it this year? It sure looks like they won't be much better next year, but it seems that for years their D-Corps has been their biggest weak area and with so many good D prospects this year, I think they go for one of those if they are still in Top 5. As we have seen, a lot can happen particularly at the end of the season where teams whom were looking for quite awhile to end up around the first 3 in draft order suddenly are down around 11 or so.

Oh I seriously doubt if Toronto stays in the top-5 that they would voluntarily hand over the pick to the Bruins just in case next year’s is an even better pick. I was more referring to if the Bruins do end up getting the Leafs 2027 1st that there’s a lot of risk there. And with it being Toronto and the quagmire that is their media there, it’s going to be a huge story if they have that hanging over their heads all next season.

Got it.

[BleedingBleu]

Get those guesses in…

The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery takes place on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET (broadcast on ESPN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports)

[roadkillIL]

What is the rationale behind teams not in the bottom quarter (25%) of the league even getting a chance to be anointed with the 1st overall draft pick?? I understand the "eliminate tanking" thing for the 1st pick guaranteed is the original thought process vs doing a full inverse order of actual record [u know, like that upstart NFL league] to align draft order. It seems quite generous to allow teams NOT in the bottom 8 (or the bottom 6) to luck into the #1 overall selection via the lottery. That goes for the non playoff teams being able to jump up in the draft order via the lottery method. Just stop! and go with the inverse record order after the mini-lottery [for the bottom 4 or 6 or 8] and quit the shenanigans krap with a thousand ping pong balls or whatever the NHL czars dreamed up that resulted in and fomented suspicions/tampering complaints of a rigged system in recent years gone past.

[TAFKAP]

Holy Poopballs, Scatman! I didn’t realize just how much movement there’s been with such small percentaged chances, and I absolutely hate conspiracy theories. Sure does look fishy tho.

Chaos Theory, 4D Chess, Black Magic

Allright, at the risk of sounding like an out of touch goober, what are them three thangs you speak of?

It's a joke really. Chaos Theory is from Jurassic Park, 4D Chess I'd get banned trying to explain, and Black Magic is just that. It was trying to explain how it wasn't collusion with the league.