NHL announces 2026 Draft Lottery date, Washington Capitals have worst odds to move up

Key Points:

• The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will take place on Tuesday, May 5, at NHL Network’s New Jersey studio, with the live broadcast on ESPN, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports; the exact time is yet to be announced.
• The lottery will determine the order of the first 16 picks in the draft, featuring a live drawing of lottery balls where team odds update in real time as balls are drawn and teams are eliminated.
• The Vancouver Canucks hold the best odds to win the first overall pick at 18.5%, while the Washington Capitals have the lowest odds at 0.5%; the top prospect is likely Penn State forward Gavin McKenna.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs, holding the fifth-best odds, face a conditional trade where if their pick falls outside the top five, it will be transferred to the Boston Bruins as part of a prior trade involving defenseman Brandon Carlo.
• The 2026 NHL Draft will be held on June 26-27 at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center, with the event decentralized and teams making selections from their home locations.