The Toronto Maple Leafs could have the primary overall pick in next month’s NHL entry draft after winning tonight’s draft lottery.
The victory comes at a critical time for Toronto within the aftermath of hiring John Chayka as general manager and bringing back franchise legend Mats Sundin to function a hockey operations adviser.
The long run of captain and best player Auston Matthews is the largest query after missing the playoffs for the primary time in his profession. It’s the primary time the Maple Leafs have won the lottery since choosing Matthews with the No. 1 pick in 2016.
The Leafs also had the highest pick in 1985, once they took Wendel Clark, who was traded to the Quebec Nordiques for Sundin in 1994.
“I’m extremely joyful for the Toronto Maple Leafs fan base, after all,” Sundin said during Tuesday’s draft lottery broadcast. “It’s great to get the primary pick. Great night, great lottery.”
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Asked if he’d had a likelihood to debate the draft yet, Sundin said: “Probably not. We’re just starting … a number of evaluation occurring. Actually this is actually going to assist if you’re looking into the longer term.”
The Leafs had the fifth-highest odds of winning it at 8.5 per cent. Vancouver, which finished last within the NHL with a 25-49-8 record, had the very best at 18.5 per cent and has never had the primary pick within the draft.
The San Jose Sharks won the lottery for the second pick, while the Canucks fell to 3rd.
Toronto would have needed to transfer its pick to Boston to finish a trade last 12 months for Brandon Carlo had it not been in the highest five. The Bruins and Philadelphia, consequently, will get the Leafs’ first-rounders in 2027 and ’28.
For this draft, Penn State forward Gavin McKenna and Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg are rated as the highest North American and European prospects by NHL Central Scouting.
McKenna, from Whitehorse, Yukon, tied for fifth in NCAA scoring with 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 games this season. He was named Big Ten freshman of the 12 months.
Stenberg, 18, had 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 43 games with Frölunda HC in Sweden’s top pro league, the SHL, probably the most by an 18-year-old there since Daniel and Henrik Sedin in 1998-99. He also helped Sweden win world junior gold with 10 points in seven games.
The 2026 draft will probably be held at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on June 26-27.
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