The San Jose Sharks are heading to Buffalo with some serious lottery luck—again. For the second consecutive year, the Sharks will pick second overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, set for June 26. This marks a significant moment for the franchise, which entered the lottery night projected to select ninth overall but jumped up after drawing winning numbers 11, 4, 3, and 7.

It’s a historic move: the Sharks are the first team in NHL history to climb from the ninth-best odds to secure a top-two pick. San Jose has picked second overall four times before, including last summer when they selected Michael Misa. Other notable second-overall picks in franchise history include Pat Falloon (1991), Andrei Zyuzin (1996), and the legendary “Mr. Shark” Patrick Marleau (1997).

The Sharks were just one number away from landing the first overall pick, which went to the Toronto Maple Leafs (numbers 7, 2, 11, 12). Toronto is expected to select Penn State University winger Gavin McKenna at the top of the draft. Still, San Jose’s consolation prize is a deep pool of talent to choose from, and they also hold Edmonton’s first-round pick this summer, giving General Manager Mike Grier plenty of options to shape the team’s future.

For Sharks fans, the rebuild is gaining serious momentum. With two top-two picks in as many years, the franchise is stockpiling elite young talent that could soon make San Jose a force in the Pacific Division. Now, the waiting game begins—but the possibilities are electrifying.