The Toronto Maple Leafs have won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, meaning the Boston Bruins will not receive the top-seven pick they had hoped for as part of the Brandon Carlo trade.

It was a rollercoaster season for the Bruins, who initially looked like they had pulled off a savvy move when they sent defenseman Brandon Carlo to Toronto in exchange for forward Fraser Minten and a first-round pick. The real prize, however, was the potential for a high lottery pick—but it came with a catch: top-five protection.

Bruins fans tuned into Tuesday night's nationally televised draft lottery with cautious optimism. They didn't have to wait long for their hopes to be dashed. The very first ball drawn awarded the Maple Leafs the first overall selection, immediately ending Boston's chances of landing that coveted pick.

Before the lottery, Boston had a better than 58% chance—roughly 5 in 8—that Toronto's pick would fall between fifth and seventh overall. The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, had just a 9% chance of securing the top spot, with only one ball in the hopper. Sometimes, hockey luck just isn't on your side.

There is a silver lining, though. The Bruins will still receive either Toronto's 2027 or 2028 first-round pick as part of the deal. However, it's unlikely that pick will carry the same potential for a top-seven selection. Boston still holds seven picks in this year's draft, including their own first-rounder, a second-round pick, a third-round pick, three fourth-round picks, and a seventh-round pick—so there's plenty of opportunity to build for the future.

For now, Bruins fans will have to watch the draft from a different vantage point, but with the right moves, the team can still come out ahead.