The 2026 draft can be held at KeyBank Middle in Buffalo. The primary spherical can be on June 26 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS) with rounds 2-7 on June 27 (10 a.m. ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN).
The lottery, which befell on the workplaces of NHL Community, set the order of choice for the primary 16 picks for the groups that did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Solely the highest two picks have been decided by the lottery; the remaining groups have been slotted in by the order of their end within the standings. Picks 17-32 can be decided by the outcomes of the playoffs.
The Chicago Blackhawks gained the No. 4 choose, and the New York Rangers have No. 5.
Toronto (32-36-14), which completed twenty eighth within the NHL, might use the No. 1 choose to take left wing Gavin McKenna (5-foot-11, 170 kilos) of Penn State College. McKenna is No. 1 in NHL Central Scouting’s closing rating of North American skaters.
“I am extraordinarily blissful for the Toronto Maple Leafs fanbase, after all,” Toronto senior govt advisor of hockey operations Mats Sundin stated. “It is nice to get the primary choose. Nice evening, nice lottery.”
Sundin stated he hasn’t had an opportunity to debate the draft with Chayka after every was employed by the Maple Leafs on Sunday and launched on Monday.
Chayka stated he has tracked the progress of McKenna for quite a few years.
“He’s an thrilling participant,” Chayka stated. “The ability degree, the creativity, his puck skill and his shot launch is all fairly particular. It is a good package deal, so it will likely be good to get with the scouts and discuss by way of all of it.”
McKenna completed tied for fifth within the NCAA with 51 factors (15 objectives, 36 assists) and was second with 1.46 factors per sport in 35 video games this season. He was the Huge Ten Freshman of the Yr, a two-time Nationwide Rookie of the Month and four-time Huge Ten Star of the Week, and the one unanimous selection on the Huge Ten All-Freshman Staff.
McKenna was second within the Western Hockey League final season with 129 factors (41 objectives, 88 assists) in 56 video games with Medication Hat and was named participant of the yr within the WHL and the Canadian Hockey League. This was the primary season gamers from the CHL have been eligible to play within the NCAA, and McKenna was essentially the most outstanding among the many 175 gamers, in line with School Hockey Inc., who made the leap this season.
If the Maple Leafs resolve to pick McKenna, he’d be the primary males’s ice hockey participant from Penn State to be chosen within the first spherical of the NHL Draft. Ahead Charlie Cerrato, chosen by the Carolina Hurricanes within the second spherical (No. 49) final yr, is the highest-drafted participant in this system’s historical past.
The Sharks might choose within the prime 4 for the fourth straight yr. That they had a 5.5 % likelihood of profitable the second lottery draw for the No. 2 choose, which was the eighth-greatest probability among the many remaining groups eligible.
“I want there was a superb story behind (getting a prime 4 choose the previous 4 years),” San Jose GM Mike Grier stated. “We’re simply very lucky and fortunate that issues have gone our method and we have been capable of choose on the prime of the draft.”
The Sharks chosen ahead Will Smith with the No. 4 choose within the 2023 draft, ahead Macklin Celebrini with the No. 1 choose within the 2024 NHL Draft and ahead Michael Misa with the No. 2 choose within the 2025 draft.
“I am shocked, actually,” Grier stated. “You by no means know what is going on to occur and the way the balls are going to bounce. It is sort of blissful and excited. It is a good day for the group. I am positive the scouts have been doing the work. There’s numerous choices there. There’s facilities, there’s protection, there’s wingers … so to have the chance so as to add one other very proficient participant to our younger core may be very thrilling.”
Grier was requested if he’d think about buying and selling down within the draft.
“I am all the time open to listening to what’s on the market,” Grier stated. “If folks have concepts or ideas, I will pay attention. We’ll sort of go from there.”