NHL Draft Odds & Predictions: 2026 NHL Draft Best Bets for the First Round

Wake up honey, the 2026 NHL Entry Draft is tomorrow. While the Toronto Maple Leafs are all but locked into taking generational phenom Gavin McKenna at No. 1 overall, the real fun begins the second the San Jose Sharks are on the clock at No. 2. Let's dive into the best NHL Draft odds and predictions and exploit the market before the first round kicks off in Buffalo, shall we?

🔢 NHL draft odds and predictions 2026

With Gavin McKenna likely going No. 1 overall, we'll begin our NHL Draft odds coverage with the No. 2 overall pick. All odds via FanDuel.

No. 2 overall pick odds and predictions (Sharks)

Note: Sharks are reportedly getting calls for their second overall pick, and I wouldn't be surprised if they make another move after grabbing the ninth overall pick from the Senators in a recent trade centering around William Eklund.

The Sharks sit at No. 2 for the second consecutive year, and the betting market is heavily signaling a two-horse race. Swedish dynamic winger Stenberg (-700) is the rightful favorite here; his mature neutral-zone play and lethal shooting make him a safer bet for a rebuilding Sharks squad. His odds have moved quite drastically over the past couple of days, jumping from -140 to -700, all but securing the pick for San Jose.

However, don't sleep on Chase Reid (+120) here. The OHL standout defenseman has rocketed up draft boards. He registered 48 points in 45 games this year with the Soo Greyhounds, and if San Jose decides they want a franchise anchor on the blueline rather than another winger to pair with Michael Misa, Reid offers incredible value at plus-money.    

No. 2 overall prediction: Ivar Stenberg (-700)  

No. 3 overall pick odds and predictions (Canucks)

With Stenberg expected to be off the board, the Canucks are firmly tracking Caleb Malhotra (-195). The hard-nosed OHL center has the bloodlines and the heavy, pro-ready 200-foot game that NHL front offices covet in the top six. The value play here is Chase Reid (+290). If Reid falls to No. 3, Vancouver will sprint to the podium. There is a legitimate chance the Canucks look to shore up their blue line instead of plucking the centreman out of Brantford.

No. 3 overall prediction: Caleb Malhotra (-195)  

No. 4 overall pick odds and predictions (Sabres)

Note: The Buffalo Sabres acquired this pick from the Chicago Blackhawks on June 23 in the Bowen Byram/Jordan Greenway trade.

Barring an absolute shocker, the draft order before Buffalo picks is virtually set. Generational talent Gavin McKenna is locked in at No. 1 to Toronto. San Jose is heavily tipped to take elite Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg at No. 2, and Caleb Malhotra is expected to go No. 3 to Vancouver to join his father's squad. This leaves Chase Reid - the consensus No. 1 defenseman in the entire draft class - sitting right there on the board for Buffalo at No. 4.    

Following Tuesday night’s blockbuster trade that sent Bowen Byram to Chicago, the Sabres are overwhelmingly locked into selecting Reid at +100. I'm betting this one at a full unit, and will play it to -120.

No. 4 overall prediction: Chase Reid (+100)

No. 5 overall pick odds and predictions (Rangers)

Carson Carels (+200) sits at the top of the board for a reason. The left-shot Prince George defenseman is coming off a monster 73-point WHL campaign and was trusted as one of the few draft-eligible players on Canada's World Junior squad. He's got an absolute bomb of a shot, elite two-way mobility, and a physical edge to him that can't easily be replicated in this draft class. If San Jose, Vancouver, or Buffalo passes on him, the Rangers will run to the stage.    

If you're looking for a sharp pick, Albert Smits (+380) is a highly attractive target. The 6-foot-3 Latvian powerhouse has a professional resume that no one else in this tier can touch. He spent the season logging major minutes against grown men in Finland's Liiga and Germany's DEL, and even anchored Latvia's top pairing at the Winter Olympics, registering two assists. For a Rangers team built to win right now, Smits provides a polished, NHL-ready presence that can make an impact far sooner than a typical prospect.  

No. 5 overall prediction: Carson Carels (+200)  

🤔 NHL draft predictions, best first-round bets

Caleb Malhotra to get selected third overall (-195)

Typically, laying juice on a specific slot selection is risky due to draft-night trades. However, the connection between the Canucks and Malhotra at No. 3 is the worst-kept secret in hockey.

• The fit: Vancouver is completely starved for a young, elite, play-driving center who plays a heavy, 200-foot game. Malhotra tore up the OHL playoffs with 26 points in 15 games and possesses a highly mature game that translates perfectly to a Rick Tocchet system.

• The narrative factor: His father, Manny Malhotra, was just hired as the Canucks' head coach on June 1. While front offices pride themselves on objective talent evaluation, Caleb is arguably the top true center available in this draft pool anyway. He satisfies a critical organizational need and provides a cultural alignment front offices - and coaches - dream of. While we're laying significant juice here, let's start off our night with a bang.

I'll be playing this one at 2u - it's my best play of the night. At -195 betting odds, this might creep toward -250 come draft night on Friday, so we're still seeing some value here.

Our 2026 NHL Draft long shot pick: Viggo Bjorck to Rangers (+2000) or top-five pick (+230)

If you want to allocate a fraction or a half-unit to a heavy plus-money flyer, Bjorck at No. 5 overall is screaming for your wager.

• The mispricing: Bjorck has been heavily overlooked because he doesn't possess the traditional size of a modern top-five pick. However, his statistical profile is absurd. He centered Sweden's gold-medal-winning line at the World Juniors (registering nine points in seven games) alongside Stenberg and logged massive, highly productive minutes in the SHL.
• The Rangers profile: New York loves dynamic, cerebral, highly skilled European forwards who can play a high-end transition game. If Buffalo snaps up a defenseman at No. 4 (like Reid or Carels), the Rangers' front office will be left choosing between Smits and Bjorck. While Smits (+380) is the more conservative, pro-ready pick, Bjorck possesses the absolute superstar ceiling that Chris Drury loves to swing for. At +2000, the implied probability is vastly understating his actual draft stock.

📋 2026 NHL Draft order 

❓ NHL Draft 2026 FAQs

What time does the 2026 NHL Draft start on Friday?

Round 1 of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft will begin on Friday, June 26, at 7:00 PM ET (4:00 PM PT). The event is taking place live at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. For fans looking to watch the draft live on TV or online, the broadcast schedule is split across multiple networks:

• United States Television: ESPN and ESPN+    
• Canadian Television: Sportsnet and TVA Sports (French broadcast)   

The remaining six rounds (Rounds 2–7) will resume the following morning on Saturday, June 27, starting at 11:00 AM ET on NHL Network and ESPN+.  

Who has the number 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft?

The Toronto Maple Leafs hold the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NHL Draft after securing the winning combination during the NHL Draft Lottery drawing back in May. This marks the first time since 2016 - when Toronto famously drafted franchise icon Auston Matthews - that the Maple Leafs have held the top overall pick. Coincidentally, that 2016 draft was also hosted in Buffalo. Consensus draft rankings overwhelmingly slate WHL superstar forward Gavin McKenna to be taken by Toronto with the number one pick.   

What are the best NHL Draft prop bets to wager on?

Outside of predicting specific player slots, the most profitable way to bet the first round is through head-to-head draft matchups and position over/under totals.