The Toronto Maple Leafs won the NHL draft lottery, securing the first overall pick for the first time since 2016. This victory comes as the team aims to return to the playoffs after a nine-year absence.
Key points
Toronto Maple Leafs won the NHL draft lottery
First overall pick for the first time since 2016
General manager John Chayka's contentious introduction
Team aims to return to playoffs after nine-year absence
Mentioned in this story
John Chayka
Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL draft lottery winners, losers include Maple Leafs, Canucks
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Garrett Wilson
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: San Jose Sharks goalie Laurent Brossoit
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews
WINNERS
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs can choose between Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg in June. Both have the talent to make a quick impact on the franchise and help with the scoring. And adding someone of that caliber to the team could help sway Auston Matthews' decision when he's eligible for a contract extension on July 1, 2027.
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks showed massive improvement in 2024 No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini's second season. They finished four points out of a playoff spot and now will add Stenberg or McKenna to a young team that already has Celebrini, Will Smith and Michael Misa.
Draft lottery show presentation
Last year's show was dull and reminded people why it's done offstage. But there were different touches this year. Having New York Islanders No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer and Matt Martin's kids explain how the lottery works was cute. They also didn't show each ball being loaded into the chute, as they did last year. They cut to commercial and showed it as an inset. Overall, the production values were better.
The Canucks never have chosen No. 1 overall and they won't again. Not only that, the NHL's worst team in 2025-26 dropped to third place. They'll get a very good prospect but not as good as McKenna or Stenberg.
The Blachawks, the league's second-worst team, could have had Stenberg or McKenna to play alongside Connor Bedard and Anton Frondell. But they drop to the fourth pick.
The Bruins acquired the Maple Leafs' 2026 No. 1 pick in the Brandon Carlo trade. The pick was top-five protected, so Boston won't get it in what is considered a deep 2026 draft. Instead, the first-round pick transfers to a future year and is unprotected.