How NHL Draft Lottery Impacted the Bruins: What Toronto’s Pick Means for Boston
The Maple Leafs won in the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, meaning they will have the the No. 1 overall selection. Here's what it means for the Bruins.
How NHL Draft Lottery Impacted the Bruins: What Toronto’s Pick Means for Boston originally appeared on NESN . Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery delivered the result Bruins fans were hoping to avoid.
By winning the lottery and securing the No. 1 overall pick, the Toronto Maple Leafs successfully triggered the top-five protection clause on the pick owed to Boston. The ping-pong balls falling in Toronto's favor means the Maple Leafs will keep their selection to draft Penn State superstar Gavin McKenna.
For the Bruins, the outcome means their wait for a first-round return from the March 2025 trade for Brendan Carlo continues. Because the pick landed inside the top five, the terms of the deal dictate that the asset now shifts to the future. Toronto will retain its 2026 selection, and Boston is now slated to receive a first-round pick in either 2027 or 2028 instead.
With the ping-pong balls finally at rest, here is the complete 2026 NHL Draft order and a closer look at how tonight's results affected the Bruins How the NHL Draft Lottery odds work The lottery determined the order for the first 16 picks of the first round, including teams that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as well as teams that acquired those first-round draft slots through trades. The Canucks had the best chance to win the first lottery draw at 18. 5 percent , but their actual odds of receiving the No.