Overview
- Toronto, which had an 8.5% chance, won Tuesday’s NHL Draft Lottery to claim the top selection for the third time in franchise history.
- Gavin McKenna is widely projected as the first choice, though Ivar Stenberg remains in the conversation as Chayka calls the pick a monumental opportunity and awaits full scouting meetings.
- Analysts outline diverging offseason paths that include keeping the pick to bolster the top six, rebalancing by trading a core winger for defense, exploring an Auston Matthews deal, or using the pick in a blockbuster trade.
- Selecting McKenna would add a high-end scorer on an entry-level contract, freeing cap space to target a right-shot defense upgrade and a defensive third-line center while making some wingers more expendable.
- Reports of Matthews’ uncertainty about returning add pressure to the decision, the club’s rights to the 2026 pick are confirmed despite prior trade protections, and the draft begins June 26 in Buffalo.