After a wild weekend of the NHL playoffs, it’s time to briefly turn attention to the NHL Draft lottery.
On Monday night, the NHL will determine which team gets the lucky draw to pick first overall in this year’s draft. For teams that had a disappointing season and finished the year without making the playoffs, this is their time to look towards the future with hope.
For the second straight year, the Sharks had the worst record in the NHL, but that could lead San Jose to picking first overall again after winning the lottery in 2024. Additionally, the Blackhawks once again have the second-best odds to win the lottery two years after picking No. 1 overall and a year after picking No. 2 overall.
Last year, the lottery resulted in the same order as reverse standings, as no team moved up in the draft during the lottery. Typically, though, some team moves up in the order, so expect one franchise to get the lucky draw on Monday night.
This year’s consensus No. 1 overall pick is Canadian defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who will be in attendance during the lottery in Secaucus, New Jersey.
The Sporting News is tracking the results of the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery.
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NHL Draft lottery results 2025
*This section will be updated during the NHL draft lottery*
| Pick | Team |
| No. 1 | |
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| No. 16 |
MORE: Latest 2025 NHL mock drafts from experts
NHL Draft lottery rules
Here’s how the NHL lottery draw works: A lottery machine will have a set of 14 ping pong balls, allowing for a maximum number of 1,001 combinations of digits, . Each team will receive a number of four-digit combinations that correlates to its odds to win the lottery multiplied by 10.
So, for example, the team with the best odds to win the lottery has an 18.5% chance and 185 possible four-digit combinations. Additionally, there will be one four-digit combination that belongs to no team and will be deleted from the lottery.
The NHL teams that didn’t make the playoffs will have an opportunity to move up in the lottery. However, after a rule change in 2021, only the 11 worst teams can select first, as teams 12-16 can only jump up 10 spots in the order. Therefore, if a team ranked 12-16 wins the lottery, then they will select 2-6 and the team with the highest odds to win the lottery selects No. 1.
There will then be a second draw for the second overall pick where the same rules apply. Teams 13-16 can only jump up to picks 3-6, so if any of those teams win, the team with the next best odds will select second.
From there, the teams will slot into the rest of the open draft spots based on their final standings. The lottery only applies to the first round, as rounds 2-7 will be ordered based on reverse standings order.
This year, for the first time in NHL history, the league will show the draw live on air instead of in secret before revealing the results.
Additionally, by rule, no team can pick first in the draft more than twice in a five-year span. So, if the Sharks, Blackhawks or Sabres win the lottery, they will be ineligible to pick first next year, and for San Jose and Chicago, ineligible through 2029 and 2028, respectively.
NHL Draft lottery odds to win No. 1 pick
Each team’s odds in the 2025 draft lottery represent that team’s chances of moving up in the lottery. However, only teams with the 11-best odds can earn the No. 1 overall pick, as teams can only rise 10 spots in the lottery. The teams with the 12th-16th best odds can only pick as high as 2-6, respectively, if they “win” the lottery.
The NHL lottery odds have a reverse-standings order, as the team with the least number of points this year has the highest odds to win. On the other end, the best team to miss the playoffs this year will have the lowest odds to move up in the lottery.
Last year, the Sharks had the worst record in the NHL but won the draft lottery to draft Macklin Celebrini. San Jose is hoping life repeats itself this year, as the Sharks have the highest odds during the 2025 draft lottery on Monday night after finishing the season with a league-low 52 points in 2024-25.
| Team | Odds |
| San Jose Sharks | 18.5% |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 13.5% |
| Nashville Predators | 11.5% |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 9.5% |
| Boston Bruins | 8.5% |
| Seattle Kraken | 7.5% |
| Buffalo Sabres | 6.5% |
| Anaheim Ducks | 6.0% |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 5.0% |
| New York Islanders | 3.5% |
| New York Rangers | 3.0% |
| Detroit Red Wings | 2.5% |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 2.0% |
| Utah Hockey Club | 1.5% |
| Vancouver Canucks | 0.5% |
| Calgary Flames* | 0.5% |
*The Flames first round pick will got to the Canadiens unless Calgary lands in the top 10 of the draft.*
STREAM: Watch the 2025 NHL Draft lottery live with Fubo (free trial)
When is the NHL Draft lottery 2025?
- Date: Monday, May 5
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
This year’s draft lottery will occur on Monday at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN before the Maple Leafs and Panthers play Game 1 of their second-round series.
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