Why Red Wings don't get to keep their 2026 NHL Draft 1st-round pick

Why Red Wings don't get to keep their 2026 NHL Draft 1st-round pick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The NHL Draft lottery is on Tuesday night, and it's a chance for teams that missed the playoffs to earn a pick that can land them a potential young star.

The Detroit Red Wings missed the playoffs, but they won't have any fun during the lottery. No matter what happens, they won't have their first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

The Red Wings have the 15th-best lottery odds after just missing the playoffs.

That spot comes with a 1.1% chance of the fourth pick, a 0.1% chance of the sixth pick, a 97.9% chance of the 15th pick and a 1.1% chance of the 16th pick.

It won't be coming to Detroit, though.

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Why don't the Red Wings have their 2026 1st-round pick?

The Red Wings traded this pick away as they chased a playoff spot.

They sent it to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Justin Faulk.