How does the NHL draft lottery work? What you need to know
Which teams can move up to No. 1? What are their chances? Who are the best players available?
www.espn.comHere’s the latest I can share based on recent reporting.
- The NHL draft lottery odds are updated annually for the 16 non-playoff teams, with the bottom finishers typically holding the best chances to land the No. 1 pick, though the draw is not guaranteed. Recent summaries outline which teams have the top odds and note that the lottery determines the order for the top picks, not the entire first round.[2][4]
- For 2025 and 2026 coverage, outlets continue to list the current odds by team ahead of the lottery drawing, including notes on any format changes (such as whether two drawings or multiple drawings are used) and players available in the draft class.[4][2]
- Historical context helps: past iterations have varied the number of top picks drawn and which teams participate in the lottery, but the basic premise remains that the lowest-ranked teams have the best shot at the top pick, with the exact percentages published beforehand.[3][5]
If you’d like, I can fetch the most current odds list for this year and present a clean summary (team, odds, and any notable notes) and include a short explanation of how the draw works this season. I can also pull the official NHL odds table and a reputable analyst’s interpretation for quick context.