For the first time in league history, the NHL will broadcast the full drawing of the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery live on television. The event is scheduled for Monday, May 5, at 7 p.m. ET, and will be aired from the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. Fans across North America will be able to tune in on ESPN in the United States and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada.
This marks a major shift in how the NHL conducts its annual lottery, a pivotal event that determines the draft order for the teams that did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In previous years, only the results were revealed live, with the actual ball drawing occurring behind closed doors. This year, the league is aiming to increase transparency and fan engagement by allowing viewers to witness the full process of drawing the ping pong balls in real-time.
The live drawing will determine the teams that secure the first and second overall picks in the 2025 NHL Draft. Each of the 16 non-playoff teams (or teams that own the first-round picks of non-playoff teams) will have odds weighted by their position in the standings. The San Jose Sharks enter the draft lottery with the highest odds at 18.5%, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks at 13.5% and the Nashville Predators at 11.5%.
Fourteen numbered balls will be used in the drawing, and two separate draws will be conducted—one for the first pick and another for the second. Each possible four-number combination is assigned in advance to the participating teams, and those combinations are made public so that fans can follow the process as it unfolds.
Top prospects eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft include standout defenseman Matthew Schaefer, dynamic forward Michael Misa, and center James Hagens. These young talents are projected to be early selections in what is expected to be a deep and competitive draft class.
The 2025 NHL Draft will take place at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with the first round scheduled for June 27 and rounds two through seven taking place the following day, June 28. Hockey fans and franchises alike will be watching closely as the future of the league begins to take shape.
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