The league will establish the first 16 picks in the 2025 NHL Draft this Monday
On May 5, the NHL will hold its annual Draft Lottery and establish the first 16 picks of the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft. For the first time ever, the league will hold a live drawing from the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, New Jersey.
The 16 teams who did not qualify for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs are eligible for the Draft Lottery. Although there are 16 teams involved in the lottery, no club can move up more than 10 spots. As a result, only 11 teams are in the running for first-overall pick.
Sitting at the 14th best odds due to the final regular season standings, Utah is not eligible for the first-overall pick. Utah’s highest possible pick is fourth-overall. After the first and second overall picks are assigned, the NHL will complete the draft order in inverse order of regular-season points.
For more information on the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery and how teams are selected, the NHL created this video to explain the process.
ESPN, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports will broadcast the Draft Lottery Monday night at 7 p.m., ET. The 2025 NHL Draft will be held in Los Angeles on June 27th and June 28th with the 1st Round on Friday and Rounds 2-7 on Saturday.
