The last bit of league preparation ahead of the draft will take place later this month.
As teams slowly get eliminated from the postseason, more and more eyes will shift towards the future, and being able to select their next big star at the draft.
With that, the 2026 QMJHL draft lottery will take place on Tuesday, April 21, the league announced this morning.
The results will air live on RDS at 6:30 p.m. EDT as part of the 5 à 7 show, and fans will be able to tune in to see who will have the chance to select first overall at the draft in Halifax this summer.
The stage at the 2025 QMJHL draft. (Photo: Vincent Ethier)The bottom five teams by regular season record are all entered into the lottery, but this year, each of the bottom three are not in possession of their own first-round pick. So, some other fanbases will be tuning in to cheer for their team's traded-for acquisition.
The odds are as follows:
Rouyn-Noranda (via Baie-Comeau): 42.9%
Halifax (via Rimouski): 28.6%
Shawinigan (via Gatineau): 14.3%
Victoriaville: 9.5%
Saint John: 4.8%
Of these five teams, just two have had a first-overall selection in the 21st century. Halifax's most recent one was Benoit-Olivier Groulx in 2016, while Saint John of course took Alexis Joseph at the top of last year's draft.
The other three organizations are looking at the chance to select at the top of the podium for the first time in at least three decades.
The draft will be held in Halifax's Scotiabank Centre from June 5-6, with the complete order still to be set following both the lottery and the playoffs.
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