Overview
- The Maple Leafs secured the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery on Thursday and the first round is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET Friday, June 26 at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center with round-one coverage on ESPN.
- Penn State winger Gavin McKenna is widely viewed as the consensus top prospect to go No. 1, but the Maple Leafs have continued heavy vetting and have not ruled out trading the pick.
- The San Jose Sharks own the second overall selection and Sweden’s Ivar Stenberg is a leading candidate for that spot, though Sharks general manager Mike Grier called specific pick speculation unconfirmed.
- Pre-draft trading has shuffled first-round ownership—12 of 32 first-round picks changed hands and the St. Louis Blues now hold four first-round selections (Nos. 11, 15, 16 and 29)—raising the chance of significant draft-day deals.
- Prospects will be on-site at KeyBank Center while clubs work remotely and broadcasters carry the event, so teams’ choices at Nos. 1–4 and any trades will have immediate effects on prospect careers and on how clubs balance long-term upside versus current roster needs.