Seattle Kraken will pick 7th in 2026 NHL Draft
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - MAY 05: Detailed view of the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery set at the NHL Network Studio on May 5, 2026 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Jared Silber / NHLI / Getty Images)
The Seattle Kraken did not get lucky when it came to the NHL Draft Lottery.
The Kraken will pick seventh overall in the 2026 NHL Draft as the Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks won the top two selections in the draft lottery on Tuesday night.
The NHL made the lottery a live production for the first time last year with the selection of ping-pong balls made in front of the camera, which has added drama to the process.
After the first two balls were selected, the Kraken actually became the team with the highest odds of the No. 1 overall pick at 18.2 percent. However, the third ball dropped Seattle's odds down to 9.1 percent as only one of the remaining 11 balls – No. 4 – would yield the No. 1 pick. Vancouver became the heavy favorite at 27.3 percent with three balls giving them the top choice.
The Rangers were the only other team with multiple balls as they had an 18. 2 percent chance.
However, the Kraken missed out on the top pick as the No. 12 was drawn last, which gave the No. 1 overall pick to the Maple Leafs. It's the first time since 2016 that Toronto holds the top pick in the draft, which they used to select All-Star Auston Matthews.
The second draw also didn't go in Seattle's favor. Like with the top pick, the Kraken needed one ball – No. 14 – to come out last to get the No. 2 pick. Instead, the No. 7 was drawn, which gave yet another top pick to the Sharks.
The Kraken picked eighth overall in each of the prior two seasons. Seattle had the eighth-worst record in 2023-24 and didn't move anywhere in the order, and had the sixth-worst record last year and moved down two spots as the New York Islanders and Utah Mammoth both leaped over them in the order.
This year, the Sharks jumped Seattle in the order to push them down to the seventh overall pick.
Dig deeper:
Unlike the NBA, which has the top three selections all determined by the lottery, the NHL only has the top two picks go through the lottery. However, no team can move up more than 10 spots in the draft order.
Seattle had a 34.1 percent chance of staying at No. 6, a 41.4 percent chance of being bumped one spot to No. 7, and a 9.1 percent chance of bumping down two spots to No. 8 overall. The chance at the third pick was microscopic for the Kraken and required a very specific outcome.
Overall, the Kraken had a 15.4 percent chance to move up, a 34.1 percent chance to stay at No. 6 overall, and a 50.5 percent chance to drop in the order.
Penn State winger Gavin McKenna remains the heavy favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft class.
Who comes next is a bit more based upon preference and what a team is looking for, but generally includes Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg (Frolunda HC), Prince George defenseman Carson Carels (WHL), Sault St. Marie defenseman Chase Reid (OHL), Brantford center Caleb Malhotra (OHL), North Dakota defenseman Keaton Verhoeff (NCAA), and Prince Albert defenseman Daxon Rudolph (WHL).
Rudolph will be playing for Prince Albert against the Everett Silvertips in the upcoming WHL Championship set to begin in Everett on Friday.
Seattle has drafted a center in four of their five drafts as Jake O'Brien joined Matty Beniers, Shane Wright and Berkly Catton with his selection in last year's draft. The Kraken drafted left wing Eduard Šalé in 2023. They have yet to use a first-round pick on a defenseman.
NHL Draft Lottery Order:
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. New York Rangers
6. Calgary Flames
7. Seattle Kraken
8. Winnipeg Jets
9. Florida Panthers
10. Nashville Predators
11. St. Louis Blues
12. New Jersey Devils
13. New York Islanders
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
15. St. Louis Blues (from Detroit)
16. Washington Capitals
The Source: Information in this story came from the NHL and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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