How does the NHL draft lottery work? What you need to know

The 2025 NHL DRAFT CLASS INCLUDES A NUMBER OF GREAT PLAYERSIncluding Erie otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Saginaw Spirit Center Michael Misa and Boston College Center James hagens.

But the no. 1 Pick Doesn Simply Go To The Team With The Those worst Regular-Season Record. Instead, a lottery will determine the final order of the first 16 picks of the first round.

Tune in To Watch The Proceedings Monday (7. And, ESPN), And read on for more intel on how all work, along with which tims have the best shot at the no. 1 Pick.

Where is there a draft lotery?

A Lottery Provides Multiple Non-PlayOff Teams With Chance at Getting The First Overall Pick–An Important Consideration Given the Premium Value of Early first-round picks. In theory, this also reduces any sense that is not their best to ice a commentary lineup (to put it charitably), since there is no guarantee of getting that no. 1 picky by the most games.

Plus, it additions some excitement for half of the league’s fan bases in the time bet the end of the regular season and the draft lottery.

How does the Actual Lottery Work?

A set of 14 ping pong balls are Placed in a Lottery Machinewhich allows for 1,001 combinations. Each Team in the Lottery is assigned a set of random four-name combinations. The worse a team’s record, the more combinations they are assigned; So the step with the worst record this past season, the San jose sharksGets 185, Representing an 18.5% chance of winning the first lottery draw.

An accounting firm runs the process for the league, and it kepts tabs on which tims are lined up with each other combination; There is also one combination that is deleted from the process (to make it an even 1,000 Instead of 1,001).

The first draw of ping Pong balls determines the no. 1 Pick, Based on the Assigned Combinations. However, Since a set of rule changes in 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots in the order; Therefore, if a team in spot nos. 12-16 Wins the first draw, they move up accordingly, and the step lowest in the standings (in this year’s case, the sharks) slots in no. 1.

There is then a second draw, to determine the next position spot, using similar rules as the first. Similarly, a team in spot nos. 13-16 Can Still Move Up Only 10 slots, so they would move up accordingly and the next lowest available team in the standings would get pick no. 2.

Regardless of which tims win the draft lottery draws, picks in rounds 2-7 are in reverse orders of the final standings following the playoffs.

A Special Wrinkle for 2025: For the first time every, the Draws Will Occur Live on the Broadcastmeaning fans can watch out to experience all of the drama in real time.

Which team has the best chance at winning the dream this year?

Here is the full list of each club’s draft lottery chances:

1. San jose sharks: 18.5%
2. Chicago Blackhawks: 13.5%
3. Nashville predators: 11.5%
4. Philadelphia Flyers: 9.5%
5. Boston Bruins: 8.5%
6. Seattle kraken: 7.5%
7. Buffalo sabres: 6.5%
8. Anahim ducks: 6.0%
9. Pittsburgh Penguins: 5.0%
10. New York Islanders: 3.5%
11. New York Rangers: 3.0%
12. Detroit red wings: 2.5%
13. Columbus Blue Jackets: 2.0%
14. UTAH HOCKKY CLUB: 1.5%
15. Vancouver canucks: 0.5%
16. Calgary flames*: 0.5%

* Not that the flames’ first-round pick in this draft or the 2025 draft belongs to the Montreal Canadiens As part of a trade in 2022 for Sean Monahan. The pick is top-10 protected, so if the flames win the lotery, and move up to no. 6, they would be Instead Transfer the Florida panthers‘First-round picture.

Any Other Rules I need to know?

As part of the 2021 Lottery Rule Changes, the Nhl Also Decreed That A Team Cannot Win The Lottery More Than Twice In A Five-Year Span (Starting With The 2022 Lottery).

The sharks Won the Lottery Last Year, so if they do it again this year, they will be ineligible to do so until 2029.