05/05/26 07:53:00
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05/05 19:51 CDT Toronto Maple Leafs win the lottery for the No. 1 pick in the
2026 NHL draft
Toronto Maple Leafs win the lottery for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL draft
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer
SECAUCUS, N.J. (AP) --- The Toronto Maple Leafs won the lottery for the first
pick in the NHL draft on Tuesday night, a significant victory that could change
the trajectory of the storied franchise at a critical time.
The Maple Leafs got some lottery luck a little more than 48 hours after hiring
John Chayka as general manager and bringing back franchise legend Mats Sundin
to serve as a hockey operations adviser. Chayka and Maple Leaf Sports &
Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley got some harsh questions at the
introductory news conference, but it was all smiles at Toronto's facility after
getting the No. 1 pick.
"I'm extremely happy for the Toronto Maple Leafs fanbase, of course," Sundin
said. "Certainly this is really going to help when you're looking into the
future and try to help this team and what we're looking for the future for the
Toronto Maple Leafs, so it's great to get the first pick."
Penn State's Gavin McKenna and Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg are rated as the
top North American and European prospects by NHL Central Scouting. McKenna has
been considered the prospective top choice for quite some time.
"I've kept track of him for a number of years now, and the skill level, the
creativity, obviously the puck ability and then his shot and release is all
pretty special," Chayka said. "A good package, and it'll be good to get with
the scouts and talk through it all, but I know there's a lot of passion for a
lot of players, including Gavin."
The most immediate question for the Leafs under new management is the future of
captain and best player Auston Matthews after they missed the playoffs for the
first time in his career. It's the first time they've won the lottery since
taking Matthews with the No. 1 pick in 2016, and the draft is back in Buffalo
where they made that selection.
Toronto had the fifth-highest odds of winning it at 8.5%. Vancouver had the
highest at 18.5%, has never had the first pick and dropped to third. Chayka
called moving up a fortuitous bounce.
"Long road ahead, of course: Lots of work to do still, but when you get a first
overall pick, it's a monumental type of opportunity," Chayka said. "You don't
know what's going to occur in these types of situations, but you do know you
need some luck and it happened. I don't think it changes the vision or the
strategy, but certainly when these things happen it can change course and
timelines, etc. But it's not something that we're going to change how we think
about things."
The Leafs get to keep the pick this year but lose their first-rounder in 2027
and '28 to Philadelphia and Boston. There is some uncertainty as to which order
for the Flyers and Bruins, and deputy commissioner Bill Daly called it a
complicated situation that would need to be worked out.
The San Jose Sharks won the lottery for the second pick. With yet another
top-five pick, GM Mike Grier and his staff can augment a young group already
led by Macklin Celebrini and including Will Smith and Michael Misa.
"There's lots of options there," Grier said. "There's centers, there's ?D,'
there's wingers, so to have the opportunity to add another very talented player
to our young core is very exciting."
Chicago has the No. 4 pick and the New York Rangers No. 5.
"We're going to get a great player," Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said. "It's
all about accumulating talent."
This was the second live draft conducted at the NHL Network studio, after the
draw in previous years was conducted in a conference room and those inside were
sequestered until the results aired on television. Commissioner Gary Bettman
credited president of content and events Steve Mayer for the change.
"He goes, ?This is an exciting moment,' when we would do it in the room before
Bill would do the reveal," Bettman said. "He said, ?Let's do it live.' And I
gave him 10 reasons that we should be concerned, including, what if the machine
breaks. And he said, ?No, no we're going to be fine.' He's the one who figured
out how to make it an interesting and compelling show."
After the first three numbers were drawn, the Canucks had a 27.3% chance of
winning and the Rangers 18.2%, while the Leafs were among six teams with 9.1%.
When the No. 12 ball popped out, completing the 7-2-11-12 sequence, Toronto
won, changing the entire mood around the Original Six organization that has not
hoisted the Stanley Cup since 1967.
"Just really excited for the organization, for the fan base," Chayka said. "I
think it's a meaningful step and just elated."
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AP Sports Writer Jay Cohen in Chicago contributed to this report.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
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