Where to watch NHL Draft Lottery: TV channel, live stream, time, odds for 2026 hockey event originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The 2026 NHL Draft order will begin to take shape during the annual NHL Draft Lottery, one of the biggest events on the league’s offseason calendar.
The lottery will be held Tuesday, May 5, in the middle of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, giving non-playoff teams a chance to land a franchise-changing pick while the postseason continues. The event determines the top selections in the 2026 NHL Draft, including which team will earn the No. 1 overall pick.
The draft lottery has helped reshape several NHL franchises in recent years. In 2025, the New York Islanders won the lottery and used the No. 1 overall pick to select defenseman Matthew Schaefer.
This year, the Canucks enter the lottery in the best position to land the No. 1 overall pick. Vancouver has an 18.5 percent chance to win the first lottery draw, but its actual odds of receiving the top pick are even better at 25.5 percent because of the NHL’s 10-spot move-up limit. Next up are the Chicago Blackhawks at 13.5 percent, the New York Rangers at 11.5. and the Calgary Flames at 9.5.
Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, including how the lottery works, which teams have the best odds and how to watch the annual event on TV and live stream.
Where to watch NHL Draft Lottery: TV channel, live stream
This year’s NHL Draft Lottery will air nationally on ESPN. Hockey fans can stream the event on fubo and the ESPN app.
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What time is the NHL Draft Lottery?
- Date: Tuesday, May 5
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will be held Tuesday beginning at 7 p.m. ET at NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, New Jersey.
NHL Draft Lottery format
The lottery is one of the most important offseason events for teams that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It determines the order for the first 16 picks in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, giving non-playoff teams — or teams that acquired those draft slots through trades — a chance to move up the board.
This year’s lottery will again feature a live drawing of the lottery balls, allowing fans to follow the process in real time as teams are eliminated and the odds shift. The event will be conducted in two phases: one drawing to determine the No. 1 overall pick and another to determine the No. 2 overall pick.
Under the NHL’s current lottery rules, teams can move up a maximum of 10 spots if they win a lottery drawing. That means only the top 11 teams in the lottery odds are eligible to land the No. 1 pick.
NHL Draft Lottery odds 2026
Initial odds for teams to receive the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft are below. The Devils, Islanders, Blue Jackets and Capitals are in the lottery but not eligible to receive the top pick. The Red Wings are also included in that group, but the Blues own their first-round pick due to a trade.
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Canucks | 25.5% |
| Blackhawks | 13.5% |
| Rangers | 11.5% |
| Flames | 9.5% |
| Maple Leafs* | 8.5% |
| Kraken | 7.5% |
| Jets | 6.5% |
| Panthers | 6% |
| Sharks | 5% |
| Predators | 3.5% |
| Blues | 3% |
* Boston acquired the rights to Toronto’s first-round pick in the 2025 Brandon Carlo trade unless the Maple Leafs’ selection is in the top five, in which case Toronto retains the pick and Boston will get the Leafs’ pick in 2027 or 2028.