These teams have the best 2025 NHL Draft Lottery odds
The San Jose Sharks must be hoping a little misery goes a long way when it comes to the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery.
The Sharks, who finished with an NHL-worst 52 points by way of a 1-8-3 record down the stretch to close out the 2024-25 regular season, will have the best odds at the no. 1 pick via the NHL Draft Lottery.
The lottery involves clubs that did not qualify for the playoffs, as well as those teams who hold the rights to the first-round picks of non-qualifying squads.
Teams finishing last, 32nd overall, in the NHL at the conclusion of the regular season have a 25.5% chance of earning. The no. 1 pick in the 2025 draft. The team sitting at 31st holds a 13.5% chance at the top pick. Third-last, 30th overall, has an 11.5% shot at the pick.
A team can only move up a maximum of 10 spots from their finishing position, meaning only the bottom 11 teams have a shot at the no. 1 overall pick. Additionally, teams can only win the NHL Draft Lottery twice in a five-year span.
In the past six lotteries, from 2019 to 2024, only 50% of the teams with the highest draft lottery odds retained the no. 1 pick.
The Sharks, who selected Macklin Celebrini with the no. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, could return to the position to have first crack at the likes of Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, or James Hagens — the top candidates to go first overall in 2025 with the best odds at 25.5%. The Chicago Blackhawks have the second-best odds of the top pick at 13.5%, and the Nashville Predators rank third at 11.5%.
The Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Utah Hockey Club, Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames can still win the NHL Draft Lottery but cannot move up high enough to win the rights to the no. 1 pick.
Here’s a look at who has the best odds to win the NHL Draft Lottery:
| PICK | TEAM | POINTS | RECORD | POINTS% | RW | ROW | ODDS | NO. 1 ODDS |
| 1 | San Jose Sharks | 52 | 20-50-12 | 0.317 | 14 | 18 | 18.50% | 25.50% |
| 2 | Chicago Blackhawks | 61 | 25-46-11 | 0.372 | 20 | 23 | 13.50% | 13.50% |
| 3 | Nashville Predators | 68 | 30-44-8 | 0.415 | 24 | 28 | 11.50% | 11.50% |
| 4 | Philadelphia Flyers | 76 | 33-39-10 | 0.463 | 21 | 27 | 9.50% | 9.50% |
| 5 | Boston Bruins | 76 | 33-39-10 | 0.463 | 26 | 33 | 8.50% | 8.50% |
| 6 | Seattle Kraken | 76 | 35-41-6 | 0.463 | 28 | 33 | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| 7 | Buffalo Sabres | 79 | 36-39-7 | 0.482 | 29 | 32 | 6.50% | 6.50% |
| 8 | Anaheim Ducks | 80 | 35-37-10 | 0.488 | 24 | 31 | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| 9 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 80 | 34-36-12 | 0.488 | 24 | 33 | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| 10 | New York Islanders | 82 | 35-35-12 | 0.500 | 28 | 33 | 3.50% | 3.50% |
| 11 | New York Rangers | 85 | 39-36-7 | 0.518 | 35 | 38 | 3.00% | 3.00% |
| 12 | Detroit Red Wings | 86 | 39-35-8 | 0.524 | 30 | 36 | 2.50% | 0.00% |
| 13 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 89 | 40-33-9 | 0.543 | 30 | 34 | 2.00% | 0.00% |
| 14 | Utah Hockey Club | 89 | 38-31-13 | 0.543 | 30 | 37 | 1.50% | 0.00% |
| 15 | Vancouver Canucks | 90 | 38-30-14 | 0.549 | 28 | 35 | 0.50% | 0.00% |
| 16 | Calgary Flames | 96 | 41-27-14 | 0.585 | 31 | 36 | 0.50% | 0.00% |
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