The NHL's annual draft lottery was held on Monday at NHL Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. For the first time, the draw was held live in-studio, allowing viewers to see the results at the same time as the 16 lottery participants.

The Islanders won the No. 1 pick with long-shot odds. With the full benefit of hindsight, some very specific games had their say.

After the Islanders, the San Jose Sharks landed the second pick while the Chicago Blackhawks will pick third. The Sharks own a top-five pick for the third straight season after selecting Macklin Celebrini with the top pick in 2024 and Will Smith with the No. 4 pick in 2023.