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Maple Leafs history with No. 1 overall pick
TL;DR
The Toronto Maple Leafs won the NHL Draft lottery, securing the No. 1 overall pick for the 2026 NHL Draft. This marks the third time the team has held the first pick in franchise history.
Key points
- Toronto Maple Leafs won the NHL Draft lottery
- They secured the No. 1 overall pick for the 2026 NHL Draft
- This is the third time in franchise history they have the first pick
Toronto Maple LeafsNHL DraftNHL Draft lottery
Maple Leafs history with No. 1 overall pick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been here before, although not all that often.
The Leafs won the NHL Draft lottery on Tuesday night to earn the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. It'll be the third time they have the first pick in the draft.
Both of the first two instances worked out quite nicely, so the Leafs will be hoping that's the case again.
The expectation is that Gavin McKenna will be the favorite for that slot, but the pre-draft process could always shift that by the time the Maple Leafs are officially on the clock.
This is a quick look at how that slot has worked out for them before.
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Maple Leafs history with No. 1 overall pick
The Maple Leafs have had the first overall pick twice before.
The first time was in 1985, when they took the winger Wendel Clark from the WHL's Saskatoon Blades.
Clark went on to play 13 of his 15 NHL seasons for the Maple Leafs.
He scored 260 of his 330 goals and had 181 of his 234 assists with the Leafs while also spending short stints with Tampa Bay, Quebec, , and the Islanders.
Q&A
When was the last time the Maple Leafs had the No. 1 overall pick?
The last time the Maple Leafs had the No. 1 overall pick was in 2026, making it their third instance in franchise history.
What are the previous outcomes of the Maple Leafs' No. 1 overall picks?
Both previous instances of the Maple Leafs holding the No. 1 overall pick resulted in successful outcomes for the team.
How does winning the NHL Draft lottery impact the Maple Leafs?
Winning the NHL Draft lottery allows the Maple Leafs to select the top prospect in the upcoming draft, which could significantly enhance their roster.