NHL Draft Lottery Set for Tuesday as Canucks Lead Odds for Gavin McKenna Selection
Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, ranked No 1 North American skater, is the primary target for the first overall selection
The 2026 NHL Draft lottery is scheduled to take place Tuesday night from the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. The event will determine the order of selection for the top 16 picks in the first round, which is set to occur June 26–27 in Buffalo.
The Vancouver Canucks, having finished the season with the fewest points in the league, hold the highest probability of winning the first overall pick at 25.5 per cent. The team finished the regular season with 58 points and are currently in the midst of a rebuild following the departure of general manager Patrik Allvin.
The presumed top selection is Canadian forward Gavin McKenna from Penn State, who is ranked No 1 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. McKenna posted a freshman season tally of 15 goals and 36 assists in 35 games and is slated to play for Team Canada at the IIHF World Championships this month.
Should the Canucks not secure the first pick, Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg is considered the next likely candidate. Stenberg, who plays for Frölunda in the SHL, helped Sweden win gold at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship and tops all international skaters according to NHL Central Scouting.
The draft lottery will be conducted in two phases, with separate drawings to determine the No 1 and No 2 picks. While the top 11 seeds are eligible to win the lottery, teams sitting Nos 12–16 can only jump as high as Nos 2–6. The Canucks have never picked first overall, though they did hold the top pick in 1999 before trading it to the Atlanta Thrashers.
In related trade news, the Toronto Maple Leafs owe a first-round pick to Boston. However, if that pick lands in the top five, Toronto will instead transfer a 2027 or 2028 first-round pick to the Bruins.
