The Sweetest Place on Earth turned sour on Tuesday night when minor league hockey fans began throwing debris onto the ice after they didn’t believe a game-winning goal had been actually scored in a rivalry playoff matchup.
Hershey Bears fans “refused to leave” Giant Center in Hershey, Pa., after Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins winger Rutger McGroarty scored the deciding goal 5:03 into overtime to give his side a 4-3 win and a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-five Atlantic Division semifinal.
Hershey Bears fans were made after the loss. Jlass21/X
Some Bears fans didn’t believe the puck had gone in the net and became irate after the officials left the ice without reviewing the goal. They then began chucking trash onto the ice.
Video posted to social media showed beer cans being flung onto the playing surface after both teams left the ice, with AHL reporter Tony Androckitis describing it as a “wild scene.”
Hershey Bears fans were mad after the loss. Jlass21/X
“Totally unacceptable throwing things on the ice. I saw a group of Bears fans hit with objects sitting in the 1st row. Terrible behavior,” former TV sports anchor Andrew Kalista wrote on X.
But the replay showed that the puck did go in, despite the confusion from fans.
An overhead shot of the goal clearly showed the puck hitting the back bar of the net and deflecting out.
Ball Arena welcomed Avalanche fans (and some Wild fans) for game two of the second round series between the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild, and those supporting the home club would head to the lot happy once again.
The Avalanche scored first and last tonight, and despite Matt Boldy, Quinn Hughes, and Marcus Johansson’s best effort, Colorado’s star power and physicality won the night.
Nathan MacKinnon had three assists and a goal, Gabe Landeskog scored on the power play, and the Avalanche were the aggressors in the checking department.
Scott Wedgewood made some clutch saves on the kill and looked good in his 6th consecutive playoff start and victory.
On the other hand, Filip Gustavsson gave up two goals on his first two shots and didn’t appear all that comfortable for the Wild.
The Avs have Minnesota in a must-win situation now after snagging a 5-2 victory.
Let’s take a deeper look at the action of game number two!
The Game
I hardly get a bold prediction right on the Mile High Hockey Lab, but today I actually earned a ding as Martin Necas was indeed the first goalscorer of the evening. I mentioned on the program that I felt he’d been plenty creative and was due for a goal rather than a setup.
Nathan MacKinnon broke in and found Martin Necas on a drop pass, who broke toward the net and sent a backhand shot through traffic that beat Filip Gustavsson.
In the intermission report, Mark Messier said, “You need a save there,” when recapping the tally that would give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead.
That lead would last all of six seconds as a broken play leading to Devon Toews and Cale Makar both covering the same Wild player.
Martin Necas was left to pick up Kirill Kaprisov, but didn’t really stand a chance in that regard.
Kaprisov would break in all alone and beat Scott Wedgewood with ease. We were tied at one.
The Colorado Avalanche power play dominated the conversation throughout the regular season (not in a good way). Still, it was on point tonight, starting with the third goal of the first period logged by Gabe Landeskog.
The tape-to-tape passes from Kadri to Makar to Necas connected with Nathan MacKinnon, who one-touched a pass from the net side to Landeskog in the bumper position. Landy left no doubt with the finish. 2-1 Avalanche, and that’s how the first period would end.
The Avalanche got an early second-period goal from deadline addition Nicolas Roy on a feed from Ross Colton to give the boys in burgundy a 3-1 lead.
Good to see Rosco get on the board for the first time this playoffs, and Nic Roy now has 4 points in the six playoff games this postseason.
Colorado hasn’t lost a game all season where they’ve held the lead heading into the third, and would add another notch to that log on the back of another power play goal, this time from Nathan MacKinnon.
Nate did well to find himself some open ice and got a fortunate bounce as his one-timer went off Yakov Trenin’s shin and in. The Avalanche would extend their lead to 4-1.
We saw a little pushback from the Minnesota Wild, who got a third-period goal from Marcus Johansson. I thought Johansson was among the Wild’s best players, and so I wasn’t surprised that he finally broke through, bringing the score to 4-2.
In the end, a not-so-smart cross-check from Karpisov would tranquilize the Wild’s comeback effort, and inevitably, Val Nichushkin would loft a puck the length of the ice and into the empty net.
The Avalanche win 5-2 in a professional, workman-like effort and improve to 6-0 in the playoffs, taking a 2-0 series lead heading to Minnesota for game three.
Takeaways
The Wild have to be disappointed in a couple of things tonight, but I’ll start with the penalties they took. Ryan Hartman’s trip in the second and Kaprisov’s cross-check to Makar’s face were killers tonight.
Hartman’s didn’t end up in a goal and neither did Kaprisov’s, oddly enough, but they did kill some much-needed momentum on completely avoidable infractions.
The Avalanche pulled the uno-reverse card and outhit the Minnesota Wild with more than a few memorable and crunching hits.
Brock Nelson caught Ryan Hartman reaching, Nathan MacKinnon bowled right over Quinn Hughes, and pasted Matt Boldy to the boards. I expect a response from the Wild in this regard in game three, so it will be important for Colorado to make the most of those three days’ rest.
Minnesota went with Filip Gustavsson tonight as a surprise replacement for Jesper Wallstedt, and it seemed to backfire a bit.
A couple of Colorado’s goals, you’d like your goalie to make a save, but Gustavsson hasn’t had a start since March and was making a habit of giving up four or more back then, so I’m confused as to what sort of jolt John Hines was expecting from that move.
It’s so shockingly odd that it leads me to speculate that something was wrong with Wallstedt. It could be as simple as he just needed a night off. Speculation aside, I’d bet the Wild go with Wallstedt for the rest of the series.
Colorado’s top guns were flying around tonight, and when that’s the case, they are a tough team to beat. It felt like the Lehkonen — MacKinnon — Necas line could score on any shift, and Gabe Landeskog still seems to find another level this time of year.
Gabe Landeskog on elevating his game this time of year yet again:
“It’s playoff hockey it’s what you play for. It’s about leaving it out there really.”#GoAvsGo
Colorado did recommit defensively, and outside of that lapse that led to Kaprisov’s goal, they were back to shutting things down. What you just read may be true, but make no mistake: Scott Wedgewood did his thing yet again.
For most of the third period, it looked like the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were going to lose Game 3 of their series against the Hershey Bears.
They were down 3-2 going into the third and were trailing for most of the period until Avery Hayes scored the tying goal with just under three minutes left in the final frame. He let the puck rip from just above the right circle and was mobbed by his teammates along the boards.
Goaltender Sergei Murashov had just been pulled for the extra attacker when Hayes tied the game up.
GOAL. Avery Hayes ties Game 3 with 2:53 left in regulation.
Hershey goaltender Clay Stevenson had been making some big saves in that final frame before Hayes finally broke through.
Before the game got to that point, WBS started fast with goals from defenseman Phil Kemp and forward Mikhail Ilyin in the first period. Ilyin scored his first AHL goal in the first period, making it a 2-0 game.
After that, Hershey rallied to tie the game at the end of the first period before taking a 3-2 lead 37 seconds into the second period. WBS goaltender Sergei Murashov made some timely saves after allowing the third goal, keeping his team within striking distance so that Hayes could eventually tie the game.
Overtime was needed to decide the game, and the game-winner was scored by Rutger McGroarty. McGroarty's deflection went in and out of the net so fast that Hershey players were stunned that the game was over.
Even Hershey fans were confused because they felt the puck didn't go in, but the AHL confirmed it crossed the goal line via an overhead view.
May 4, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CANADA; Toronto Maple Leafs new senior executive advisor Mats Sundin (l) and general manager John Chayka pose for picture after an introductory news conference at Real Sports Bar and Grill. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
SECAUCUS, N.J. — The Toronto Maple Leafs won the lottery for the first pick in the NHL draft on Tuesday night, a significant victory that could change the trajectory of the storied franchise at a critical time.
The Maple Leafs got some lottery luck a little more than 48 hours after hiring John Chayka as general manager and bringing back franchise legend Mats Sundin to serve as a hockey operations adviser. Chayka and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley got some harsh questions at the introductory news conference, but it was all smiles at Toronto's facility after getting the No. 1 pick.
“I’m extremely happy for the Toronto Maple Leafs fanbase, of course," Sundin said. "Certainly this is really going to help when you’re looking into the future and try to help this team and what we’re looking for the future for the Toronto Maple Leafs, so it’s great to get the first pick.”
Penn State’s Gavin McKenna and Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg are rated as the top North American and European prospects by NHL Central Scouting. McKenna has been considered the prospective top choice for quite some time.
“I’ve kept track of him for a number of years now, and the skill level, the creativity, obviously the puck ability and then his shot and release is all pretty special,” Chayka said. “A good package, and it’ll be good to get with the scouts and talk through it all, but I know there’s a lot of passion for a lot of players, including Gavin.”
The most immediate question for the Leafs under new management is the future of captain and best player Auston Matthews after they missed the playoffs for the first time in his career. It's the first time they've won the lottery since taking Matthews with the No. 1 pick in 2016, and the draft is back in Buffalo where they made that selection.
Toronto had the fifth-highest odds of winning it at 8.5%. Vancouver had the highest at 18.5%, has never had the first pick and dropped to third. Chayka called moving up a fortuitous bounce.
“Long road ahead, of course: Lots of work to do still, but when you get a first overall pick, it’s a monumental type of opportunity,” Chayka said. “You don’t know what’s going to occur in these types of situations, but you do know you need some luck and it happened. I don’t think it changes the vision or the strategy, but certainly when these things happen it can change course and timelines, etc. But it’s not something that we’re going to change how we think about things.”
The Leafs get to keep the pick this year but lose their first-rounder in 2027 and '28 to Philadelphia and Boston. There is some uncertainty as to which order for the Flyers and Bruins, and deputy commissioner Bill Daly called it a complicated situation that would need to be worked out.
The San Jose Sharks won the lottery for the second pick. With yet another top-five pick, GM Mike Grier and his staff can augment a young group already led by Macklin Celebrini and including Will Smith and Michael Misa.
“There’s lots of options there,” Grier said. “There’s centers, there’s ‘D,’ there’s wingers, so to have the opportunity to add another very talented player to our young core is very exciting.”
Chicago has the No. 4 pick and the New York Rangers No. 5.
“We're going to get a great player,” Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said. “It's all about accumulating talent.”
This was the second live draft conducted at the NHL Network studio, after the draw in previous years was conducted in a conference room and those inside were sequestered until the results aired on television. Commissioner Gary Bettman credited president of content and events Steve Mayer for the change.
“He goes, ‘This is an exciting moment,’ when we would do it in the room before Bill would do the reveal,” Bettman said. "He said, ‘Let’s do it live.’ And I gave him 10 reasons that we should be concerned, including, what if the machine breaks. And he said, ‘No, no we’re going to be fine.’ He’s the one who figured out how to make it an interesting and compelling show.”
After the first three numbers were drawn, the Canucks had a 27.3% chance of winning and the Rangers 18.2%, while the Leafs were among six teams with 9.1%. When the No. 12 ball popped out, completing the 7-2-11-12 sequence, Toronto won, changing the entire mood around the Original Six organization that has not hoisted the Stanley Cup since 1967.
“Just really excited for the organization, for the fan base," Chayka said. "I think it's a meaningful step and just elated.”
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Jim Rutherford is stepping down as the Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations following next month’s NHL draft.
“I’m going to get away from the day-to-day operations,” he said Tuesday at an unrelated news conference. “I’m going to stay with the team as an adviser and alternate governor. But as far as the day-to-day operations, we’re going to put together a really good staff here going forward.”
The 77-year-old, three-time Stanley Cup winner said Tuesday that he’s been thinking about his future a lot recently.
“This is something I’ve thought about anyways for a couple of years,” Rutherford said. “But it’s time for me to do that. I feel bad that I have to do it at such a young age, but decided to do it anyways.”
The news comes after the Canucks finished the season last in the standings with a 25-49-8 record.
Rutherford said the search for a new GM has involved more than 15 candidates, and the list has now been narrowed down to five. A final decision is expected by next week, he said.
How Vancouver’s front office is structured following the new hire remains to be seen, Rutherford added.
“I’ll help with the transition and the new person, new people, new positions, things like that,” he said. “But I’ll still be part of the organization. When someone wants to bounce something off of me, I’ll be happy to do it.”
Rutherford and Allvin orchestrated an era that saw the Canucks go from playoff outsiders to Pacific Division winners and back again.
Rutherford was initially hired as Vancouver’s president of hockey operations and interim general manager on Dec. 9, 2021, four days after then-general manager Jim Benning was fired.
A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builders’ category, he previously served as GM for the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2014 to 2021, and led the team to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and ’17.
He was also Carolina’s general manager for 20 years, and helped the Hurricanes win the Cup in 2006.
After finishing at the bottom of the standings, the Canucks had the best odds at claiming the top pick in next month’s draft, but the balls did not fall their way in Tuesday’s lottery.
Instead, the Toronto Maple Leafs will get the first overall selection. Vancouver will pick third.
“Despite the fact that the Canucks aren’t going to pick No. 1, that doesn’t mean we need to be all upset over this,” Rutherford said. “This is a real strong draft. We really don’t know how the draft is going to fall. … But whatever way it falls, we feel very strong that we’re going to get a really good player. Who that player is, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Leo Carlsson has been a huge shooting threat in the playoffs, leading a talented Anaheim lineup in shots on goal and scoring chances.
My Ducks vs. Golden Knights predictionsexpect his shooting prowess to be on full display again in Game 2.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Wednesday, May 6.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Ducks vs Golden Knights Game 2 prediction
Who will win Ducks vs Golden Knights Game 2?
Anaheim: The Ducks did a lot of good things in the series opener, generating more shots, chances, and expected goals than the Golden Knights. Carter Hart performed very well — which is not the norm — and the Ducks also missed the net on some Grade A opportunities. Look for them to capitalize and take Game 2.
Ducks vs Golden Knights best bet: Leo Carlsson Over 2.5 shots (-155)
Leo Carlsson has taken his shooting to a whole different level in the playoffs. The star center has averaged 4.6 shots on goal and 6.4 attempts through seven games, clearing 2.5 shots in six of them.
The Vegas Golden Knights had a difficult time slowing him down in Game 1, allowing seven attempts, five chances, and four shots on goal.
They were clearly outplayed during Carlsson’s 5-on-5 minutes, losing the shot attempt battle 19-7 and getting out-chanced by eight.
Look for Carlsson and the Anaheim Ducks' top line to cause Vegas problems in Game 2.
Ducks vs Golden Knights Game 2 same-game parlay
Carlsson is averaging more than a point per game in the playoffs and ranks second to Nathan MacKinnon in scoring chance contributions. It’s tough to keep him off the scoresheet once, let alone multiple times in a row.
Troy Terry is Carlsson’s partner in crime and facilitates a lot of chances for him at 5-on-5 and on the power play. Terry also had five points over three games against Vegas during the regular season, with four coming by way of assist.
Ducks vs Golden Knights SGP
Leo Carlsson Over 2.5 shots
Leo Carlsson Over 0.5 points
Troy Terry Over 0.5 assists
Ducks vs Golden Knights Game 2 goal scorer pick
Leo Carlsson (+190)
No player on either team recorded more shots, scoring chances, or high-danger looks than Leo Carlsson.
His speed was noticeable, and he generated some awesome opportunities around the net — he just didn’t finish.
Ducks vs Golden Knights odds for Game 2
Moneyline: Ducks +135 | Golden Knights -155
Puck Line: Ducks +1.5 (-180) | Golden Knights -1.5 (+155)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+115) | Under 6.5 (-135)
Ducks vs Golden Knights trend
The Anaheim Ducks have hit the game total Over in 11 of their last 20 games (+4.00 Units / 16% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Ducks vs. Golden Knights.
How to watch Ducks vs Golden Knights Game 2
Location
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Puck drop
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
TNT, SN
Ducks vs Golden Knights latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Chayka now had a gift fall into his lap a day later as the team tries to get back to the playoffs quickly after the end of its nine-year run.
The Maple Leafs won the draft lottery and the right to pick No. 1 overall for the first time since selecting Auston Matthews in 2016.
The San Jose Sharks won the second drawing and will choose second.
Here are the winners and losers of Tuesday's NHL draft lottery:
WINNERS
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs can choose between Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg in June. Both have the talent to make a quick impact on the franchise and help with the scoring. And adding someone of that caliber to the team could help sway Auston Matthews' decision when he's eligible for a contract extension on July 1, 2027.
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks showed massive improvement in 2024 No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini's second season. They finished four points out of a playoff spot and now will add Stenberg or McKenna to a young team that already has Celebrini, Will Smith and Michael Misa.
Draft lottery show presentation
Last year's show was dull and reminded people why it's done offstage. But there were different touches this year. Having New York Islanders No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer and Matt Martin's kids explain how the lottery works was cute. They also didn't show each ball being loaded into the chute, as they did last year. They cut to commercial and showed it as an inset. Overall, the production values were better.
The Canucks never have chosen No. 1 overall and they won't again. Not only that, the NHL's worst team in 2025-26 dropped to third place. They'll get a very good prospect but not as good as McKenna or Stenberg.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Blachawks, the league's second-worst team, could have had Stenberg or McKenna to play alongside Connor Bedard and Anton Frondell. But they drop to the fourth pick.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins acquired the Maple Leafs' 2026 No. 1 pick in the Brandon Carlo trade. The pick was top-five protected, so Boston won't get it in what is considered a deep 2026 draft. Instead, the first-round pick transfers to a future year and is unprotected.
The lottery is over, and the Kraken will have the 7th overall pick in the 226 NHL Entry Draft. There was only a 7.5% chance of the number one pick falling to Seattle, but the hope was there, nonetheless.
Pick one will go to the Toronto Mile Leafs and pick two to the San Jose Sharks. After those first two picks, the other teams fall in line in their reverse standings order. Finishing the season dead last in the standings means the Vancouver Canucks will slot in for the 3rd pick, then Chicago, the New York Rangers, Calgary, and final the Kraken.
The first 16 picks are as follows:
Toronto Maple Leafs
San Jose Sharks
Vancouver Canucks
Chicago Blackhawks
New York Rangers
Calgary Flames
Seattle Kraken
Winnipeg Jets
Florida Panthers
Nashville Predators
St. Louis Blues
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
Columbus Blue Jackets
St. Louis Blues (via Detroit Red Wings0
Washington Capitals
The Remaining sixteen teams will be ranked based on their performance in the playoffs.
Roles are changing within the Vancouver Canucks organization. With Vancouver on the hunt for a new General Manager, and the search seeming to near its end, President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford announced that he will be taking a step back from the organization's "day-to-day" activities once the 2026 NHL Draft concludes.
"I'm going to get away from the day-to-day operations. I'm going to stay with the team as an advisor and an alternate governor," he said in a media availability after the Canucks lost the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. "As far as the day-to-day operations, we're going to put together a really good staff here going forward. This is something I've thought about anyways for a couple of years, but it's time for me to do that."
This doesn't mean that Rutherford will be stepping away from the organization full-time. In his advisor and alternate governor role, the 77-year-old noted that he will still help advise the main front-office staff.
"I'll help with the transition and with with the new person and new people in different positions and things like that, and but I'll still be part of the organization, and when somebody wants to bounce something off me, I'm happy to do it."
Whether the Canucks opt to hire a new President of Hockey Operations or not is still up in the air. The structure of Vancouver's new management group, according to Rutherford, will be clearer once a new General Manager has been selected.
"We're still working on that with the people that we have an idea that would be good at it, how, exactly, how that structure is, we'll be able to announce that when the when the GM is announced."
Rutherford has been the Canucks' President of Hockey Operations since the 2021-22 season.
May 28, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford addresses reporters during media day before the start of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final at PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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The Winnipeg Jets have fallen to the eighth overall selection at the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft thanks to the results of Tuesday night's NHL Draft Lottery.
The stars didn't quite align for the Jets on Tuesday - or more accurately, the ping pong balls didn't exactly bounce the right way.
Photo by James Carey Lauder
In a process dictated by lawyers, mathematicians, NHL executives, general managers, and both the NHL commissioner and deputy commissioner, Tuesday's pre-draft festivities provided an outcome only a true storyteller could write.
With the Jets finishing the 2025-26 season with the seventh-best odds to land the No. 1 overall selection in this June's draft, it was the rival Toronto Maple Leafs who moved up from the fifth-best odds to land the rights to select the presumed No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna first overall in less than two months' time.
Following the Leafs' jump up the order from fifth, the San Jose Sharks ended up earning the right to select second overall - coming all the way from outside the Top-5, meaning those below pick No. 2 all moved down in the order - including Winnipeg.
The Jets will now have the luxury of selecting eighth overall - the highest ranked selection since the team took Patrik Laine at the No. 2 spot back in 2016. Both Nikolaj Ehlers and Jacob Trouba were selected at No. 9 overall, while current Jets forward Cole Perfetti was selected 10th overall.
The 2026 NHL Draft will go from Buffalo on June 26th and 27th.
On Tuesday night, the National Hockey League held its annual Draft Lottery inside the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.
The Florida Panthers entered the event holding the eighth-best chance at winning the lottery and moving up to either the first or second overall selection at next month’s NHL Draft.
While the Panthers did not win either of the draws, two other teams did, meaning two teams were lucky enough to move up in the draft order.
Those teams were the Toronto Maple Leafs, who moved from fifth to first, and the San Jose Sharks, who jumped from ninth to second.
With the Sharks moving up from behind Florida, that bumped the Panthers back one spot, from eighth to ninth.
In their history, the Panthers have only selected ninth overall once. That was in 2002, when Florida selected Czech forward Petr Taticek with the ninth selection.
The pick turned out to be a bust for the Panthers, as Taticek didn’t make his NHL debut until January of 2006 and only played a total of three games for the Panthers before taking his talents overseas the following season.
Now we’ll have to wait and see what Panthers General Manager Bill Zito chooses to do with the pick ahead of the NHL Draft, which is set for June 26 and 27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
Next season the Panthers are expected to re-join the top teams in the league competing for the Stanley Cup, and Zito may want to explore flipping the top-10 pick for a player or players who can help the team win now, as opposed to a young prospect still two or three years away from reaching the NHL.
We’ll see how things play out in the coming weeks.
Photo caption: Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; The draft board after round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. (Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images)
The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery was held on Tuesday evening, an annual event that had become a source of frustration for Detroit Red Wings fans given the staggering number of spots they've fallen back in recent years.
In 2017, they dropped back two spots. That was followed by slipping one spot in 2018 and two more in 2019. But the most egregious and jaw-dropping example came in 2020, when they fell three spots, from first to fourth, despite finishing with the NHL’s worst record by a wide margin before the COVID-19 pandemic paused the season.
Last season, the Red Wings fell back one spot from 12th to 13th.
However, Detroit traded their first-round selection in this year's NHL Draft to the St. Louis Blues along with prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov, a 2026 third-round pick, and defenseman Justin Holl in return for defenseman Justin Faulk.
The pick, which was widely projected to be in the middle of the pack, turned out to be just that. The Blues learned their position they'll be selecting with the pick they received from the Red Wings, and it will be 15th overall.
The Blues, who missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs, also picked up the 11th overall selection based on their finish in the standings this season.
Not only that, but they also hold a third first-round pick—one that originally belonged to the Colorado Avalanche and was acquired in the trade that sent captain Brayden Schenn to the New York Islanders at the trade deadline.
Meanwhile, one of Detroit's top divisional rivals landed the first overall pick - the Toronto Maple Leafs, a club that had made the playoffs nine straight years but finished in 28th place with 78 points this season.
The first 16 selections in the 2026 NHL Draft are as follows:
Toronto Maple Leafs
San Jose Sharks
Vancouver Canucks
Chicago Blackhawks
New York Rangers
Calgary Flames
Seattle Kraken
Winnipeg Jets
Florida Panthers
Nashville Predators
St. Louis Blues
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
Columbus Blue Jackets
St. Louis Blues (from Detroit)
Washington Capitals
Following his acquisition by the Red Wings, Faulk skated in 17 games, scoring five goals while adding three assists. He's under contract for one more season with a $6.5 million salary cap hit.
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The NHL held its draft lottery on Tuesday night in New Jersey, and the Blues will remain in their two lottery picks when the process started, No. 11 with their pick and No. 15 as a result of getting the Detroit Red Wings' pick from the March 6 trade that sent Justin Faulk to Motown.
The chances were slim, and as process was unveiled for the top overall pick, which went to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were fifth in the process, the Blues moved up from three percent to 6.1 percent but ultimately fell out of the running.
The best the Blues could do with the pick from the Red Wings was move up to No. 5.
The 2026 NHL Draft will be held June 26-27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
Coming out of the Olympic break, the Blues had the second-worst record in the NHL, which meant they had the second-best odds at winning the lottery selection, but even the Vancouver Canucks, who finished with the worst record in the league this season and had the best overall odds, slipped down to No. 3, behind the Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks, who took Macklin Celebrini with the No. 1 pick in 2024.
The Blues also hold the pick of the Colorado Avalanche and that will be determined when the Avalanche are done in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and at this time, looks like it will be at the back end of the first round. That pick came in a trade with the New York Islanders on March 6 for Brayden Schenn.
Blues general manager Doug Armstrong was asked about finishing 17-5-3 in the final 25 games and went from second-worst in the league standings to 11th, where they will currently pick.
"Once the season’s over, you wish you had the high pick," Armstrong said on April 18. "It’s the pain of going through that to get it. I did talk to the players after the trade deadline and I told them, our mandate (was) we’re going to bring up younger players and we’re going to put them in positions that reflect what we want to see them. Theo [Lindstein] came up, he never played an NHL game and he was a top four defenseman. It’s not like we hid him as a seven. [Dalibor] Dvorsky against the other teams’ top players a lot of nights with Robert [Thomas]. [Otto] Stenberg came up, [Logan] Mailloux, what was his ice time pre- and post-Olympics? I said to the players, ‘We have a plan. Your job is to disrupt the plan. You’re professionals. This is how you make your living. I expect you to disrupt our plan, and they did and I give them full marks. Could we have picked (No.) 2 or 3 this year? It would have ... I think there would be less belief in our group. In the players that you have asked about, that you have talked about, there would be a lot less belief in that if we just had rolled over and just got door-matted for the last seven weeks of the season."
What will the Blues do now? They know they have options, including trade their picks in order to try and move up, use them in a NHL trade or simply keep one, two or all and select players they feel can benefit them in the future. Or they could accumulate more picks and move down if there's a benefit to do that. So lots of options.
"We’ll get our list together and the way that I’ve done it in the past is OK, give me lines, blocks of players. Where’s a block? So if there’s a block of four guys and we want to get into that block, then yeah," Armstrong said. "Yes we would, I guess that’s the long answer. We would move up if we can. We’ll also move back if we don’t like what we see. We can use the picks, we can use prospects, we can use players, but every team is the same in that fashion. If there’s somebody there that we believe is in a block outside of our pick and we can acquire him, we’ll give it our best chance. You also have to have someone that wants to move out of that pick too."
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ALBANY, NEW YORK - MARCH 27: Gavin McKenna #72 of the Penn State Nittany Lions skates against the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in the first period during the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Regional Championship Semifinal at the MVP Arena on March 27, 2026 in Albany, New York. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Stanley Cup Playoffs roll on, but on Tuesday night the league conducted the 2026 NHL Draft lottery with the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the No. 1 pick, and the right to draft either Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg in a class with more parity at the top than originally expected.
McKenna was viewed as the grand prize for much of the 2025-26 season. The rangy left wing already has good height, great playmaking, and a knack for driving the pace from the wing — making him a low-risk top overall pick. At times he’s been compared to Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, though personally, I don’t think he has quite the same ceiling as either phenom. Still, he’s a franchise cornerstone player, and it will be interesting to see whether a team chooses to keep him at his natural LW, or tries to convert him into a center.
The choice at No. 1 will be between McKenna and Sweden’s Ivar Stenberg, who has been racing up the boards as scouts take a deeper look into his run in the SHL. It’s unusual for a true 18-year-old to have any modicum of success in a pro league, but Stenberg more than held his own with his hockey IQ, and a shot volume that routinely made him one of the biggest threats on the ice for Frölunda HC. That pro-readiness is appealing for a team looking for an immediate impact, and his polish could cause him to be the top overall pick.
We’ll take a deeper dive into this year’s class as the draft approaches, but for now here’s a rapid-fire mock draft involving the teams in the lottery for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Pick
Team
Player
Position
Current Team
League
1
Toronto Maple Leafs
Gavin McKenna
LW
Penn State
NCAA
2
San Jose Sharks
Ivar Stenberg
LW/RW
Frölunda HC
SHL
3
Vancouver Canucks
Keaton Verhoeff
D
North Dakota
NCAA
4
Chicago Blackhawks
Chase Reid
D
Soo Greyhounds
OHL
5
New York Rangers
Tynan Lawrence
C
Boston University
NCAA
6
Calgary Flames
Caleb Malhotra
C
Brantford Bulldogs
OHL
7
Seattle Kraken
Viggo Björck
C/RW
Djurgårdens IF
SHL
8
Winnipeg Jets
Ethan Belchetz
LW
Windsor Spitfires
OHL
9
Florida Panthers
Carson Carels
D
Prince George Cougars
WHL
10
Nashville Predators
Daxon Rudolph
D
Prince Albert Raiders
WHL
11
St. Louis Blues
Adam Novotny
LW/RW
Petersborough Petes
OHL
12
New Jersey Devils
Ryan Lin
D
Vancouver Giants
WHL
13
New York Islanders
Mathis Preston
C
Spokane Chiefs
WHL
14
Columbus Blue Jackets
Oliver Suvanto
C
Tappara
Liiga
15
St. Louis Blues (from Detroit)
Albert Smits
D
Jukurit
Liiga
16
Washington Capitals
Xavier Villeneuve
D
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
QMHL
As a reminder, these were the lottery odds for winning the first draw entering Tuesday night.
Vancouver Canucks — 18.5% Chicago Blackhawks — 13.5% New York Rangers — 11.5% Calgary Flames — 9.5% Toronto Maple Leafs (Top 5 protected to Bruins) — 8.5% Seattle Kraken — 7.5% Winnipeg Jets — 6.5% Florida Panthers — 6.0% San Jose Sharks — 5.0% Nashville Predators — 3.5% St. Louis Blues — 3.0% New Jersey Devils — 2.5% New York Islanders — 2.0% Columbus Blue Jackets — 1.5% St. Louis Blues (from Red Wings) — 0.5% Washington Capitals — 0.5%
Montreal Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov has officially been named a finalist for the 2025-26 Calder Memorial Trophy.
New York Islanders defenseman Matther Schaefer and Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke are also finalists for this year's Calder.
When noting that Demidov had a very good rookie season for the Canadiens this campaign, it is easy to understand why he is a finalist for the Calder. The 20-year-old rookie has immediately cemented himself as a legitimate top-six NHL forward and a huge part of the Canadiens' roster because of it.
In 82 games this campaign with the Canadiens, Demidov scored 19 goals and led all NHL rookies with 43 assists and 62 points. With numbers like these, the young forward thrived this campaign for the Habs and should only get better as he continues to gain more experience.
