The Vancouver Canucks have officially secured the best odds for first overall for the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. Vancouver will have a 25.5% chance at picking first overall this year after securing 32nd overall for the 2025-26 season. While the Canucks have the best odds, fans in the market should be concerned, as history has proven to go against those who finish last in the standings. If Vancouver drops out of first overall, the farthest they can fall is to third. The Canucks will have an 18.8% chance of picking second, while their odds of picking third overall sit at 55.7%. Here is a look at how the lottery has gone since 2016. 2016 Toronto Maple Leafs- Retained 1st Selection Winnipeg Jets- Moved from 6th to 2nd Columbus Blue Jackets- Moved from 4th to 3rd 2017 New Jersey Devils- Moved from 5th to 1st Philadelphia Flyers- Moved from 13th to 2nd Dallas Stars- Moved from 8th to 3rd 2018 Buffalo Sabres- Retained 1st Selection Carolina Hurricanes- Moved from 11th to 2nd Montréal Canadiens- Moved from 4th to 3rd 2019 New Jersey Devils- Moved from 3rd to 1st New York Rangers- Moved from 6th to 2nd Chicago Blackhawks- Moved from 12th to 3rd 2020 New York Rangers- Moved from (8th - 15th) to 1st Los Angeles Kings- Moved from 4th to 2nd Ottawa Senators- Retained 3rd Selection 2021 Buffalo Sabres- Retained 1st Selection Seattle Kraken- Moved from 3rd to 2nd 2022 Montréal Canadiens- Retained 1st Selection New Jersey Devils- Moved from 5th to 2nd 2023 Chicago Blackhawks- Moved from 3rd to 1st Anaheim Ducks- Moved from 1st to 2nd 2024 San Jose Sharks- Retained 1st Selection Chicago Blackhawks- Retained 2nd Selection 2025 New York Islanders- Moved from 10th to 1st Utah Mammoth- Moved from 14th to 4th The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery is scheduled for May 5, 2026. The team that wins the lottery can move up a maximum of 10 slots in the draft. The lottery will be broadcast on Sportsnet. Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Braeden Cootes is selected as the 16th overall pick to the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/8f0aba01-0bbf-4214-b5f4-6c0de6ff9e22.jpeg] Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Braeden Cootes is selected as the 16th overall pick to the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwr-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks]. Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/]: Canucks Prospect Named 2026 William Hanley Trophy Finalist [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/canucks-prospect-named-2026-william-hanley-trophy] How The Canucks Stack Up To The Rest Of The NHL: 75 Games In [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/how-the-canucks-stack-up-to-the-rest-of-the-nhl-75-games-in] Canucks Officially Secure Best Odds At Picking First-Overall In 2026 NHL Draft [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/canucks-officially-secure-best-odds-at-picking-first-overall-in-2026-nhl-draft] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription?_gl=1*if85lf*_ga*MjAzNzYwNzU2Ny4xNzczNDI1NzEw*_ga_ZET34ZFCGX*czE3NzM0MjU3MDkkbzEkZzEkdDE3NzM0MzA3MDIkajYwJGwwJGgw]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum. The Hockey News [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/203bf513-c8b8-4276-b2f7-5bccb626c89b.jpeg] The Hockey News
