NHL draft lottery set for May 5
The 2025 NHL draft lottery is scheduled for May 5, the league announced Tuesday.
The event will take place at the NHL Network studio in New Jersey and will be broadcast on ESPN, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports.
The San Jose Sharks hold the best odds of acquiring the first overall pick for the second year in a row. They landed phenom Macklin Celebrini with the No. 1 selection in 2024.
Here are each team's odds of winning the lottery:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| San Jose Sharks | 18.5% |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 13.5% |
| Nashville Predators | 11.5% |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 9.5% |
| Boston Bruins | 8.5% |
| Seattle Kraken | 7.5% |
| Buffalo Sabres | 6.5% |
| Anaheim Ducks | 6.0% |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 5.0% |
| New York Islanders | 3.5% |
| New York Rangers | 3.0% |
| Detroit Red Wings | 2.5% |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 2.0% |
| Utah Hockey Club | 1.5% |
| Vancouver Canucks | 0.5% |
| Montreal Canadiens (via CGY) | 0.5% |
The Sharks hold a 25.5% chance of picking first, as teams can't move up more than 10 spots in the order.
The Rangers' first-round pick was dealt to the Canucks in the J.T. Miller trade and then flipped to the Penguins when Vancouver acquired Marcus Pettersson. New York has the option to provide Pittsburgh with its pick this year or in 2026.
Montreal acquired Calgary's first-round pick in the Sean Monahan trade in 2022. If the Flames earn a top-10 pick, they'll transfer the Florida Panthers' first-rounder to the Canadiens.
Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer enters the draft as central scouting's top-ranked North American skater. The 17-year-old was limited to 17 games this season but logged 22 points.