The Boston Bruins are sitting pretty when it comes to the Toronto Maple Leafs' first-round draft pick—and here's the kicker: they won't walk away empty-handed, even if Toronto hangs onto it in Tuesday night's NHL Draft lottery.

It all traces back to last year's Brandon Carlo trade, where the Maple Leafs shipped their 2026 first-round pick to Boston. But there's a catch: the pick comes with top-five protection. That means if the lottery gods smile on Toronto and the pick lands in the 1-5 range, the Leafs keep it. If it falls to No. 6 or No. 7—a roughly 58% combined probability—the Bruins snag that pick in the 2026 draft instead.

So, what happens if the Leafs hold onto their pick? It's actually great news for Boston. No matter what, the Bruins get a first-rounder from Toronto. The only question is which year it arrives.

If the pick lands outside the top five in 2026, it goes straight to the Bruins, wrapping up the final piece of the Carlo deal. But if it's inside the top five, Toronto keeps its 2026 first-rounder. In that case, the Leafs will convey their 2027 first-round pick to Boston—and this time, it's completely unprotected. That means it could be anywhere on the board, including a potential top pick if Toronto stumbles again.

Imagine this scenario: the Leafs pick fifth in 2026, but the Bruins end up with an even higher pick in 2027 if the Maple Leafs have a rough season. Either way, Boston's front office can breathe easy knowing they'll make a first-round selection thanks to that trade. They're just waiting to see which draft class will add a new young talent to the pipeline.