Rangers land fifth pick as Maple Leafs win NHL draft lottery

The Rangers did not get the leap they wanted, but the No. 5 pick still gives New York real leverage. Toronto won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery on May 5 in Secaucus, New Jersey, moving from fifth to first with an 8.5 percent chance, while the Rangers stayed at fifth after entering the night with the third-worst record and a wide spread of possible outcomes.

That matters because the fifth pick is not just a consolation prize. It puts the Rangers in position to add one of the best players available when the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft opens June 26-27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, or to use that selection as a centerpiece in a larger roster move. NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings put Gavin McKenna first among North American skaters and Ivar Stenberg first among international skaters, which underlines how much talent sits near the top of this draft.

The Rangers’ odds reflected how much was at stake. New York had 11.5 percent odds for No. 1, 11.2 percent for No. 2, 7.8 percent for No. 3, 39.7 percent for No. 4 and 29.8 percent for No. 5. In the end, the lottery delivered the slot that was statistically the most likely for them. That leaves management with a familiar decision: keep the pick and add a cost-controlled young player, or move it for an NHL-ready piece that fits the club’s timeline more tightly.

That choice carries added weight because the Rangers have already seen how volatile the lottery can be. In 2020, they jumped from 14th-best odds to first overall and selected Alexis Lafrenière. NHL records also show the 2017 Devils climbed from fifth to first and the 2019 Rangers moved from sixth to second, reminders that the system can reshape a franchise in a single night.

Toronto’s result adds another layer to the draft board. The Maple Leafs will pick first overall for the third time in franchise history, after Wendel Clark in 1985 and Auston Matthews in 2016. San Jose moved from ninth to second, Vancouver will pick third, and the top of the draft is suddenly crowded with teams that did not expect to be there.

For the Rangers, the value of No. 5 is not only in who might still be available. It is in the flexibility it creates. A pick that high can support a patient rebuild, or it can be used to accelerate one. In a league where the lottery can change a franchise’s direction overnight, New York still has one of the most valuable decisions left to make.