Injuries derailed the Panthers' season, but a silver lining emerged: they'll keep their coveted 2026 first-round pick thanks to their eighth-worst finish.
It looks like the Florida Panthers are going to keep their 2026 first round pick.
Florida’s top selection at the 2026 NHL Draft was initially traded to the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2025 Trade Deadline in the deal that brought Seth Jones to the Panthers.
At the time, the pick being top-10 protected was almost an afterthought considering the Panthers were on their way to a third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance and second consecutive championship. That, combined with the majority of the roster being locked up for years, made the idea of Florida finishing with a high lottery pick almost laughable.
As it turns out, the only one laughing was the injury bug.
Fortunately for the Panthers, adding that provision to their draft pick turned out to be the silver lining on an otherwise forgettable season.
Now, thanks to the Panthers finishing with the eighth-worst record in the NHL, Florida is guaranteed to keep their 2026 top pick.
Florida’s 25th place finish came thanks to a pair of game 82 road victories by the St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks.
Next month, the NHL will hold its annual Draft Lottery, where two separate draws are held for the first and second overall selections, giving two teams a chance at moving up to the top pick, or a maximum of 10 spots up.
With Florida finishing in the bottom eight, even if two teams behind Florida win lottery draws and bump the Panthers back, they’ll still receive the tenth overall pick.
What Panthers General Manager Bill Zito decides to do with that pick will be interesting to see play out.
Whether it’s the eighth, ninth or tenth pick, dangling that kind of asset in front of GMs looking to snag a high-end prospect could land Florida a player or players who can help the team next season and beyond.
Of course, if a ping pong ball with a Panthers logo gets picked and Florida ends up with a selection in the top two, it’s hard to pass up the idea of taking Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg.
We’ll see how things play out in the weeks to come, but considering the Panthers should get right back to Cup contending next season, being in the lottery mix is an unexpectedly fun way to enjoy a one-off season.
The NHL Draft Lottery is set for May 5.
The 2026 NHL Draft takes place in Buffalo on June 26 and 27.
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Photo caption: Jun 2, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito and head coach Paul Maurice answer questions to the press during media day in advance of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. (Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images)