Maple Leafs Win NHL Draft Lottery, First Selection in 2026 NHL Draft; Sharks Secure Second Overall Pick
The Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks made moves up the order of selection for the First Round of the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft as a result of the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, conducted this evening at NHL Network’s Secaucus, N.J., studio.
The Maple Leafs were selected in the first of two drawings to climb from the No. 5 position to No. 1. The Sharks were selected in the second drawing, moving up from the No. 9 position to No. 2.
Participants in the Draft Lottery included all teams that did not qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs (or the teams that have acquired the first-round drafting positions of those non-playoff teams).
The two draws were conducted to determine the order of selection for the first 16 picks in the First Round of the Draft. Among the changes to the Draft Lottery format announced on March 23, 2021, there was a limit on the total number of selections (10) a team participating in the Draft Lottery could “move up” in the event it won one of the Lottery Draws.
The broadcast of the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery again featured a live drawing of the lottery balls. Viewers were able to follow along and learn the results at the same time as the Draft Lottery participants. As each lottery ball was drawn, odds changed and teams were eliminated. The viewing audience learned which clubs were still in the running in real time.
The order of selection for the first 16 picks of the First Round, only, of the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft is as follows:
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- San Jose Sharks
- Vancouver Canucks
- Chicago Blackhawks
- New York Rangers
- Calgary Flames
- Seattle Kraken
- Winnipeg Jets
- Florida Panthers
- Nashville Predators
- St. Louis Blues
- New Jersey Devils
- New York Islanders
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- St. Louis Blues (from Detroit)
- Washington Capitals
The remaining positions are determined by the results of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.