This week marks a significant moment in the world of American sports as both the NBA and NHL hold their much-anticipated draft lotteries. While the NBA’s lottery event is set for Sunday, our focus today turns to the NHL, whose lottery takes place tonight at the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. The event’s big draw is Canadian forward Gavin McKenna, currently playing at Penn State, who is widely viewed as the top prospect.
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FanDuel NHL Draft lottery odds
- Canucks +270
- Blackhawks +550
- Rangers +650
- Flames +850
- Maple Leafs +950
- Kraken +1100
- Jets +1200
- Panthers +1400
- Sharks +1600
- Predators +1800
- Blues +2700
The NHL draft lottery will determine the selection order for the first 16 picks in the opening round, scheduled for June 26-27 in Buffalo. The process unfolds in two stages: one drawing decides the first overall pick, and a second drawing determines the second overall pick. Teams cannot move up more than 10 spots, meaning only the top 11 seeds are eligible for the No. 1 position, while teams ranked 12-16 can only ascend as high as the No. 2 to No. 6 spots.
The Vancouver Canucks, who ended the season with the league’s lowest point total at 58, are in the throes of a rebuild following the dismissal of general manager Patrik Allvin after a four-year tenure. Although they have yet to appoint a successor, it is anticipated they will do so before the draft commences.
Currently, the Canucks have a 25.5% probability of securing the lottery win and are listed at +270 odds at FanDuel, translating to a 27% chance. Historically, the Canucks have never secured the first overall pick. In a notable instance from the 1999 draft, then-GM Brian Burke traded away the top pick to the Atlanta Thrashers to ensure both Sedin brothers could be selected together by Vancouver. Daniel Sedin was chosen second overall, donning jersey No. 22, while Henrik Sedin was picked third, wearing jersey No. 33. Both players are celebrated as franchise legends and inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and they will represent the Canucks at tonight’s event in New Jersey.
Daniel Sedin went second to Vancouver (and wore jersey No. 22 because of it) and Henrik third (and wore jersey No. 33), and they are two of the best players in franchise history, both in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Both will represent the team in New Jersey tonight.
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My Blackhawks finished with the second-fewest points in the league – it’s about time to start contending again, fellas – and have a 13.5% shot at the lottery and are priced +550 (equates to 15.4%) to win it. The Hawks won the lottery most recently in 2023 when they had the third-best chance (11.5%) and took Connor Bedard at No. 1.
In 2024, San Jose won the lottery with the highest 25.5% shot and selected Macklin Celebrini (great player), while last year the New York Islanders jumped all the way from the 10th-best chance (3.5%) to first and hit a grand slam with the choice of defenseman Matthew Schaefer. That’s why you saw some teams tanking hard at the end of the regular season, to try to get at least to the 11th-worst record and still have a chance to leap to No. 1. New Jersey finished 12th in the overall standings so is the unlucky loser.
FanDuel prices McKenna at -430 to be the No. 1 overall pick with the field at +300. He is ranked as the No. 1 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting after a terrific freshman season at Penn State in which the winger had 15 goals and 36 assists in 35 games. I have seen some NHL comparisons to Utah’s Clayton Keller. McKenna is slated to play in the IIHF World Championships for Team Canada this month. He will be the first Nittany Lion to compete at the World Championships.
If it’s not McKenna at No. 1, it likely will be Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg, who tops all international skaters via NHL Central Scouting. He scored 11 goals with 22 assists in in 43 games with Frolunda of the SHL and helped Sweden capture gold at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. He has been compared to Toronto’s William Nylander.
Speaking of the Maple Leafs … as part of a March 2025 trade, they owe a first-round pick to Boston. But if that pick in this year’s draft lands in the top five, Toronto will instead transfer its 2027 or 2028 first-rounder to the Bruins. FanDuel actually offers odds on the Leafs getting a top-five pick with Yes at +135 and No at -140.
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