With the NHL regular season concluded, 16 teams are now focused on the Stanley Cup Playoffs. For the other 16 teams, attention turns to the draft lottery, scheduled for May.
The San Jose Sharks, finishing with the league`s worst record, have the highest probability (25.5 percent) of winning the top pick in the upcoming lottery. Notably, the Sharks also had the first pick last year, selecting Macklin Celebrini from Boston University.
The lottery will determine the top two picks. Odds for the remaining teams to win the second pick will be adjusted after the first draw.
Only the bottom 11 teams are eligible to win the No. 1 pick through the lottery. Teams can only move up a maximum of 10 spots if their number is drawn.
Here are the lottery odds for 2025:
| Team | Record | Pct | Odds at No. 1 (%) | Odds of Winning Lottery (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose Sharks | 20-50-12 | .317 | 25.5 | 18.5 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 25-46-11 | .372 | 13.5 | 13.5 |
| Nashville Predators | 30-44-8 | .415 | 11.5 | 11.5 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 33-39-10 | .463 | 9.5 | 9.5 |
| Boston Bruins | 33-39-10 | .463 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Seattle Kraken | 35-41-6 | .463 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 36-39-7 | .482 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 35-37-10 | .488 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 34-36-12 | .488 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| New York Islanders | 35-35-12 | .500 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| New York Rangers* | 39-36-7 | .518 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 39-36-8 | .524 | 0.0 | 2.5 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 40-33-9 | .543 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| Utah Hockey Club | 38-31-13 | .543 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 38-30-14 | .549 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| Montreal Canadiens (Via CGY)^ | 41-27-14 | .585 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
*The Rangers` pick is top-13 protected through the J.T. Miller trade and was traded to the Penguins by the Canucks. New York can give the pick to Pittsburgh if it`s in the top 13, otherwise, their 2026 first-rounder goes to Pittsburgh unprotected.
^ The Montreal Canadiens acquired a top-10 protected pick from Calgary in the Sean Monahan trade in 2022. If it lands in the top 10, Calgary picks 6th.
Last year’s draft lottery saw no team change positions in the drawing.
Unlike recent years, there`s no clear consensus for the No. 1 pick. However, Matthew Schaefer (defenceman), Michael Misa, Caleb Desnoyers, and James Hagens (centres) are projected to be top selections.
