The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery’s live format, explained

TL;DR

The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will feature a live in-studio ball drawing on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET, returning to a format that allows fans to see the process unfold in real-time. This change eliminates previous leaks and showcases the lottery's transparency.

Key points

2026 NHL Draft Lottery will be live on television
Lottery takes place on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET
16 non-playoff teams enter the lottery
Odds based on reverse order of standings
Previous leaks eliminated with new format

Editor's note: This post was originally published in 2025 and has since been updated for 2026.

The NHL is officially bringing back the live in-studio lottery ball drawing for the 2026 Draft Lottery.

The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery is set to take place on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. ET and the controversial format is returning once more. Like last year, the lottery balls will be drawn live on television for everyone to see. Gone are the days when ESPN accidentally leaked the draft order ahead of time, back when the lottery was previously drawn a few hours ahead of the broadcast before being shown off in dramatic fashion to fans.

Yep, that's right, no more cards showcasing the draft order either. Just a bunch of NHL general managers and a lottery ball machine to decide the No. 1 overall pick for this summer's draft. But, how is this all going to work, you ask? Well, it's pretty similar to how the draft lottery usually works. The 16 teams that didn't make the Stanley Cup Playoffs are entered into a lottery with odds based on the reverse order of their standings.

2026 NHL DRAFT LOTTERY: Which team has the best shot at the No. 1 pick?

And much like in previous years, teams can only jump up to 10 spots, so only 11 teams have a chance at the No. 1 overall pick. According to the NHL, 14 lottery balls — numbered 1 through 14 — will be added to the machine and four balls will be drawn. There are 1,001 possible combinations and NHL teams have been randomly assigned their numbers based on their lottery odds, which you can look at in this handy PDF chart!

From there, it's pretty simple. Two drawings will occur, one for the No. 1 overall pick and then one for the No. 2 overall pick. After each lottery ball is drawn, teams will be eliminated based on their combinations until one team remains after the final draw. Then, the drawing for the No. 2 overall pick will occur and if the same team that won the first pick is drawn, another drawing will take place until a second team is pulled.

Overall, it's a fascinating process! Hopefully it adds more drama to the mix, especially because the drawing is happening live.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: How will the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery's live drawing work?

Q&A

What time is the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery?

The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery is scheduled to take place on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.

How does the NHL Draft Lottery format work?

The lottery involves 16 teams that did not make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with their odds determined by the reverse order of their standings.

What changes were made to the NHL Draft Lottery format for 2026?

The 2026 format reintroduces a live drawing of lottery balls, eliminating pre-broadcast leaks and showcasing the selection process on television.