Nhl Draft Lottery: Panthers Officially Have 6% Chance At Landing Top Pick

The NHL has official announced the date, time and odds for the 2026 Draft Lottery.

This is relevant for the Florida Panthers due to them finishing as the eighth-worst team in the league this season thanks to an injury-filled campaign unlike any the franchise had seen before.

According to the league, the Draft Lottery is set for Tuesday, May 5. A start time has not been announced, but these are generally broadcast prior to the start of that evening’s Stanley Cup Playoff slate.

Once things get going, fans watching the broadcast will see the lottery balls drawn in real time.

There will be two draws held, one for the first overall pick and one for the second overall pick.

Teams can only move up 10 spots in the lottery, so only the eleven-worst teams in the standings have a chance at picking first.

Officially, the Panthers have a 6.0% chance at obtaining the first overall pick.

Depending how the ping pong balls land, Florida will either move up for the first or second overall pick, keep the eighth pick, or get bumped back to ninth or tenth overall. 

The consensus number one prospect this year is forward Gavin McKenna, and whoever wins the lottery will be landing a dynamic, NHL-ready star in the making.

For Florida, simply having a first-round pick, let alone one in the top 10, is a massive asset to work with.

Whether they use the pick to select a high-end prospect or entertain trade offers for players who can help at the NHL level immediately, it’s an unexpectedly positive potential boost for a team already expected to be among those competing for a Stanley Cup next season.

Remember, Florida initially traded this pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 Trade Deadline deal that brought Seth Jones to the Panthers, but the pick came with a provision of being protected if it ended up being in the top 10.

The 2026 NHL Draft is set for June 26 and 27 from KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.

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