The NHL Draft Lottery delivered plenty of drama on Tuesday, but for the Detroit Red Wings, it was a case of "what you see is what you get." The first-round pick they traded to the St. Louis Blues in the Justin Faulk deal landed exactly where it was slotted—at No. 15 overall—denying fans any hope of lottery luck.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were the big winners of the evening, vaulting from the No. 5 spot to claim the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, set for June 26-27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. Toronto entered the lottery with just an 8.5% chance of winning the top selection, but they needed that good fortune to avoid sending their pick to the Boston Bruins as part of a 2025 trade for defenseman Brandon Carlo.

The San Jose Sharks secured the second overall pick in a separate drawing, while the Vancouver Canucks—who finished with the league's worst record and the best odds at 18.5%—saw their hopes dashed. The Chicago Blackhawks (13.5% odds) and New York Rangers (11.5%) also came up short in the lottery.

For Red Wings fans, the lottery was a reminder of March's trade deadline deal that sent their first-rounder to St. Louis for veteran defenseman Justin Faulk. With the pick staying at No. 15, the Blues now hold two first-round selections: their own at No. 10 and Detroit's at No. 15.

All eyes are now on Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, projected as the top overall pick, with Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg expected to go second. As the draft approaches, teams will be fine-tuning their boards—and their gear—for what promises to be a pivotal night in Buffalo.