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Colin Cowherd Explains Why He's Glad Celtics' Season Is Over
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NHL
Lottery Bust: Maple Leafs Get Lucky, Keep Draft Pick
TL;DR
The Toronto Maple Leafs won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, keeping their first-round pick. The Boston Bruins will not acquire this pick, which is now expected to be a top-five selection.
Key points
- Toronto Maple Leafs won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery
- Maple Leafs' first-round pick is now a top-five selection
- Boston Bruins will not acquire the Maple Leafs' pick
- Bruins will have their own first-round pick
- Gavin McKenna is a likely first overall selection
Gavin McKennaToronto Maple LeafsBoston Bruins
The Boston Bruins will not acquire the Toronto Maple Leafs' 2026 first-round pick following Tuesday's NHL Draft Lottery.
The Toronto Maple Leafs' first-round pick has landed in the top five and will not be transferred to the Bruins, denying them an incredibly valuable draft pick.
The Maple Leafs won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery and hold the right to select Gavin McKenna first overall come late June.
That leaves the Bruins with their own first-round pick, which will either be 23rd, 22nd, or 21st overall.
That pick is currently 23rd, but if one or both of the Philadelphia Flyers and Anaheim Ducks move on to the third round, it slides Boston ahead in the draft order.
Philadelphia trails Carolina 2-0, while Anaheim trails Vegas 1-0 in their respective series'.
Entering tonight, the Maple Leafs held a 41.9% chance of retaining their pick, with over a 16% chance of selecting 1st or 2nd.
The 2025 Trade Deadline deal of Brandon Carlo remains incomplete, and it will remain that way for some time.
The Bruins landed Fraser Minten, the 6th/7th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft, which was used to select Vashek Blanar.
The trade likely will not be complete until 2028, when the Maple Leafs' 2028 first-round pick will transfer to the Bruins unprotected.
The Flyers own Toronto's 2027 first-round pick, and there's almost no world where Boston ends up the owner of the pick.
Q&A
Why did the Boston Bruins not get the Maple Leafs' 2026 first-round pick?
The Bruins will not acquire the Maple Leafs' 2026 first-round pick because it landed in the top five during the NHL Draft Lottery.
Who will the Toronto Maple Leafs likely select with their first overall pick?
The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to select Gavin McKenna with their first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
What is the expected draft position for the Boston Bruins' own first-round pick?
The Boston Bruins' own first-round pick is expected to be either 21st, 22nd, or 23rd overall.