Canucks clinch last place in NHL to secure top lottery odds

The Vancouver Canucks have clinched last place in the NHL standings this season after losing 5-2 to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.

The Canucks are now guaranteed to have the best odds of securing the No. 1 pick during the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, which will be held May 5. They have a 25.5% chance of selecting first overall. Third overall is the lowest they could drop.

It's been a steep fall for the Canucks, who won the Pacific Division with 109 points in 2023-24 and finished six points out of a playoff spot last year.

Vancouver has never picked first overall since entering the league in 1970-71. It hasn't chosen in the top three since taking Daniel and Henrik Sedin with the Nos. 2 and 3 picks, respectively, in the 1999 draft.

Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, Frolunda forward Ivar Stenberg, and North Dakota defenseman Keaton Verhoeff are considered to be among the top players in this year's draft.