Harry Lichtman
The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery was held Tuesday night, as the Washington Capitals will select 16th overall in the draft. The team didn’t even move from their original spot in the order.
At the same time, the Capitals also own the Anaheim Ducks’ first-round pick after the John Carlson trade. As a result, the team will have two selections in the opening round of the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Capitals entered the lottery with just a 0.5 percent chance of moving up, with the furthest being 10 spots. The team was eliminated on both draws early on.
The Capitals just missed out on the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and ended up in the middle of the pack.
The Toronto Maple Leafs ended up with the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft. They will most likely select Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, the top prospect in this year’s class.
The San Jose Sharks moved up to the second-overall pick, while the Vancouver Canucks will pick third. Vancouver entered the draft with the worst record in the NHL and the best odds (18.5 percent) to pick first or second.
The Capitals have picked 16th overall only one other time in their franchise history, back in 2012. At the time, the team selected Tom Wilson, who turned out very well in D.C.
The 2026 NHL Draft will take place from June 26-27 in Buffalo, New York.
