The Vancouver Canucks are eagerly anticipating the NHL draft lottery set to take place on Tuesday, hoping for a favorable outcome this time around. Following a challenging season where they finished at the bottom of the league with a 25-49-8 record, Vancouver holds a 25.5% chance of securing the coveted first overall pick in the upcoming draft. The lottery draw will occur at the NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, N.J., where four ping pong balls will be randomly selected from a machine. The team holding the corresponding four-number combination will have the privilege of making the first selection when the draft commences in Buffalo, N.Y., on June 26.
All 16 teams that did not make it to the playoffs are in the running, with the least successful teams receiving more combinations for the draw. As per the rules, only the lowest 11 teams have a shot at obtaining the first pick, as no team can move up more than 10 positions in the draft order. Chicago holds the second-best odds at 13.5% to clinch the first pick, followed by the New York Rangers at 11.5%.
Among the other Canadian teams vying for the top spot are the Calgary Flames (9.5%), Toronto Maple Leafs (8.5%), and Winnipeg Jets (6.5%). Notably, the Canucks, Flames, and Jets have never had the opportunity to choose first overall, while the Maple Leafs have had that privilege twice in the past, selecting Auston Matthews in 2016 and Wendel Clark in 1985.
The projected top picks for this year’s draft class are forwards Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg. McKenna, hailing from Whitehorse, Yukon, has showcased an impressive performance with 15 goals and 51 points in 35 games for Penn State, in addition to contributing 14 points during Canada’s bronze-medal win at the 2026 world junior championship. Stenberg, on the other hand, played for Frolunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League last season, accumulating 33 points across 43 games and aiding Sweden in securing gold at the world juniors with 10 points.
The most recent Canadian team to win the draft lottery was the Montreal Canadiens, who selected Juraj Slafkovsky in 2022. In the previous year’s lottery, the New York Islanders made a significant leap to secure the first overall pick, choosing Matthew Schaefer, who excelled with 59 points as a rookie defenseman.
