The Toronto Maple Leafs emerged victorious in the 2026 NHL Draft lottery, earning the right to select first overall. The Florida Panthers, who missed the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2019, will draft ninth overall after falling one spot from their original eighth position. The Panthers had a 6% chance to win the lottery, which they did not achieve. Historically, Florida has won the lottery three times, in 2002, 2003, and 2014. Notably, the Panthers traded away their first overall picks in 2002 and 2003, which were used by the Columbus Blue Jackets for Rick Nash and the Pittsburgh Penguins for Marc-Andre Fleury, respectively. Florida's most successful first overall pick came in 2014 when they selected defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who has since set franchise records for defensemen in goals, assists, and points. The upcoming NHL Draft is scheduled for June 26-27, 2026, in Buffalo, New York, where the Panthers will also have additional picks in the second, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds.