As the Toronto Maple Leafs close in on the end of the 2026 NHL regular season, the team finds itself in a crucial position in the highly anticipated draft lottery. A late-season slide has seen Toronto fall out of playoff contention, but their standings still fall short of the worst teams in the league. As a result, the Maple Leafs are now locked into a crowded cluster of non-playoff teams vying for a top draft pick, a coveted prize that could potentially bring a young star to the franchise. With the NHL draft lottery determining the order of the first 16 picks, Toronto's position will be closely watched as they prepare to make a push for a top prospect.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will skate into the last day of the regular season knowing exactly where they sit in the 2026 NHL Draft lottery picture. Their late slide has pushed them into the top tier of non-playoff teams, but not into the true bottom of the table. That leaves Toronto locked into the cluster […]
