The Toronto Maple Leafs won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday, giving them the first selection when the event kicks off June 26 in Buffalo.
Toronto entered the lottery with an 8.5% chance of landing in the top spot.
The San Jose Sharks won the second lottery to move up to No. 2.
The Maple Leafs have picked first twice before, taking Wendel Clark in 1985 and Auston Matthews in 2016.
The team finished fifth-last in the NHL this season with a 32-36-14 record, plummeting down the standings after winning the Atlantic Division in 2024-25. Toronto's selection would've gone to the Boston Bruins to complete the Brandon Carlo trade had it landed outside the top five.
Instead, the Leafs will now transfer unprotected first-round picks to the Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers in 2027 and 2028. Toronto will pick who gets the selection in 2027.
On Monday, the Leafs introduced John Chayka as general manager and Mats Sundin as senior executive adviser.
"Well, you need some luck, and we got it tonight," Chayka said Tuesday, according to TSN's Chris Johnston. "It's a monumental opportunity."
Chayka added that he doesn't yet know whom Toronto will take because he hasn't had scouting meetings with his staff.
The Sharks will pick in the top two for the third straight draft. San Jose selected Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick in 2024 and Michael Misa at No. 2 last year.
Gavin McKenna is NHL Central Scouting's top-ranked North American prospect. The left-winger racked up 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games as a freshman at Penn State, and he notched 14 points in seven contests at the world juniors with Canada.
Winger Ivar Stenberg, center Caleb Malhotra, and defensemen Keaton Verhoeff, Chase Reid, and Carson Carels are other contenders to go in the top five.
