New York’s rising star simplifies the complex lottery system using a charming family connection, highlighting the long odds and rules facing the Islanders ahead of the 2026 draft.
Everything changed for the New York Islanders when they won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, selecting then 17-year-old defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick.
From living with Matt Martin and his family to breaking so many records, Schaefer has gone quickly from draft prospect to prodigy.
Schaefer has been tremendous on the ice, and when the cameras are rolling, so it's not a shock that he was back on camera ahead of Tuesday's 2026 NHL Draft Lottery.
On Monday, the NHL released a video of Schaefer Face-Timing the Martin girls, a skit to explain the draft lottery in a way that everyone can understand:
The Islanders, who won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery with just 3.5 percent odds, ended the 2025-26 season with a 2.0% chance of winning the lottery for a second straight season.
However, per the rules, teams can only move up 10 spots in the lottery, so, while the Islanders technically could win the lottery for a second straight year, winning would just mean they select third overall in Buffalo on June 26 and June 27.
You can watch the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, which takes place live from NHL Network's studio in Secaucus, New Jersey, at 7 PM ET on ESPN, Sportnets and TVA.