The NHL Draft Lottery is officially here, and while the Boston Bruins punched their ticket to the playoffs, tonight’s lottery results could still have a major impact on the team’s future. Here's everything you need to know, from the Bruins' odds to how to watch.
At the 2025 trade deadline, the Bruins made a significant move, sending defenseman Brandon Carlo to the Toronto Maple Leafs. In return, Boston landed forward Fraser Minten, a fourth-round pick (Vashek Blanar), and—most importantly—a first-round pick. That first-rounder is the one to watch tonight.
The pick comes with a top-five protection clause. That means the Bruins will only receive Toronto’s first-round pick this year if the Maple Leafs fall out of the top five in the draft order. If Toronto stays in the top five—or wins the lottery—the pick will be deferred to either 2027 or 2028, depending on future conditions.
For the second straight year, the NHL is televising the lottery ball drawing, so fans can follow along in real time. There will be two separate lotteries: one for the first overall pick, and another for the second overall pick. Teams can move up a maximum of 10 spots in the draft order.
Last season, the Bruins entered the lottery with the fifth-best odds and ended up selecting James Hagens at No. 7. This year, Boston will only pick in the first round if Toronto’s pick slides out of the top five.
So, what are the exact odds? The Bruins have a 44.0% chance of landing the sixth overall pick—that would require one team to jump ahead of the Maple Leafs in the lottery. There’s also a 14.2% chance they pick seventh for the second year in a row, which would need two teams to leapfrog Toronto.
As for the Maple Leafs themselves, they hold an 8.5% chance of winning the lottery and a 24.5% chance of keeping the fifth overall pick. If either of those scenarios plays out, the Bruins won’t get a first-rounder this year. Instead, they’ll receive an unprotected first-round pick in either 2027 or 2028—the exact year will be determined by Toronto’s performance next season.
Why the uncertainty? The Maple Leafs also traded their 2027 first-round pick (top-10 protected) to the Philadelphia Flyers in the deal that brought Scott Laughton to Toronto. That complicates the timeline, making the Bruins’ potential future pick a bit of a moving target.
Whether you’re hoping for a lottery win or just watching to see where the chips fall, tonight is a big night for the Bruins’ future. Stay tuned.