While the Philadelphia Flyers are looking to find any way they can to rebound from going down 0-2 in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to the Carolina Hurricanes, they've gotten a bit of news that should make fans and management smile.
In the midst of teams making playoff runs and thinking about the here and now, there are a lot of other teams that have already shifted their focus to the future. For non-playoff teams, tonight was the night of the draft lottery, which saw teams waiting with bated breath to see if their ping pong ball was the one fated to deliver them the ever-coveted #1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
While the Flyers are thinking about retooling their roster for their next game, some teams are thinking about who they are planning to take as their new franchise cornerstone, or what player fills their greatest position of need and helps set them up for the future. One such team is the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs entered the night with an 8.5% chance of drawing the first overall pick, but gosh dang it, they did. They are now the odds-on favorites to select Gavin McKenna, a consensus #1 overall pick widely viewed as a can't-miss prospect who is going to be a superstar in the league one day.
This has happened twice before for the Leafs, allowing them to take franchise legend Wendell Clarke and current superstar Auston Matthews. Now they have a chance again, right as they need it, after floundering and finishing last in the Atlantic Division, missing the playoffs, and being one of the worst teams in the league.
What does this have to do with the Flyers? Why should we care about good things happening for the Leafs right after they make a widely unpopular GM move, only to magically be awarded the first pick, because why would Canada's most popular franchise ever be forced to struggle and rebuild like a normal one?
The answer is Scott Laughton, and a 2027 1st round pick. Now we've outlined previously what might have happened, but now that the status of the draft is cemented, here's what is going on. Thanks to the Maple Leafs securing a top 5 pick, their next two draft picks are likely going away.
Further to this: It sounds like there's a good chance the NHL would rule in Philadelphia's favor if this scenario plays out.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 5, 2026
Meaning, if Toronto retains its 2026 1st after tonight's lottery, expect 2027 1st to go to Flyers and 2028 1st to Bruins ... both unprotected. https://t.co/Iyq5Fq0CM5
Basically, Toronto was going to have some choice in which pick went to what team, Philadelphia or Boston, based on the trades previously made with both franchises. The rub is that now that they've won the draft lottery, the NHL and their previous agreements are being altered.
Philadelphia will now likely own the 2027 first of Toronto outright, with no restrictions, and Boston will be awarded the 2028 first.
This is great news for the Flyers, because who doesn't want an extra first in a deep draft? Also, the Maple Leafs might be imploding as a franchise, so the pick might just be a really good one. Despite being down, the Flyers are still managing to come up.
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