GOAL has everything to know about the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, including how to watch and the draft order. The NHL's non-playoff teams are set to discover their draft fate live on Monday night — and this time, fans will get a front-row seat to the action. In a major shift from past years, the league is ditching its behind-the-scenes approach.
Traditionally, the draft lottery was conducted off-camera, with deputy commissioner Bill Daly revealing the results one by one via logo cards. That process will now be fully transparent, as the actual drawing of the lottery balls will unfold live on-air from Secaucus, New Jersey. For the first time, viewers will witness the suspense in real time as the lottery decides who gets the coveted first and second overall picks in this year’s draft.
Curious how it all works and who the top prospects are? Here's everything you need to know about how to tune in and what’s at stake for the league's rebuilding clubs. How to watch NHL Draft Lottery: TV channel, live stream TV Channel: ESPN ESPN Livestream: Fubo (Try for free!)
Hockey fans in the U.S. can catch all the drama of the NHL Draft Lottery live on ESPN, broadcasting straight from the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. If you're looking to stream the event, it'll also be available on ESPN+ and through platforms that offer ESPN — like Fubo, which currently has a free 7-day trial for new users. When and where is the 2025 NHL Draft lottery?
Date & Time: Monday, May 5, 2025 (7:00 pm ET or 4:00 pm PT) Monday, May 5, 2025 (7:00 pm ET or 4:00 pm PT) Venue: NHL Network studios NHL Network studios Location: Secaucus, New Jersey The puck drops on the NHL Draft Lottery at 7 pm ET, live from the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. The fate of the league's non-playoff teams will unfold in real time as fans eagerly await to see who lands the top picks in this year's draft. How the NHL Draft Lottery Works Here's how the league's version of bingo determines who snags the top young talent: there are two separate draws—the first to decide who gets the No.
1 overall pick, and the second to settle the No. 2 selection. A team can only jump up to 10 spots, meaning only the bottom 11 clubs have a shot at landing the first overall.
And if you're stuck at the bottom of the standings like the San Jose Sharks, fear not—they can’t fall any further than third. Here’s the nitty-gritty: 14 balls, numbered 1 through 14, are thrown into the lottery machine. Each franchise is given a chunk of four-digit combinations, with worse records earning more entries.
There are 1,000 total combinations, and the team that holds the winning string of numbers lands the pick. For example, the cellar-dwelling Sharks hold a hefty 185 combinations, giving them the best shot at striking gold. Oh, and one more wrinkle—since 2022, a team is capped at two lottery wins every five years, to keep things from getting too lopsided.
When is the 2025 NHL Draft? Mark your calendars: the 2025 NHL Draft hits Los Angeles on June 27–28, with the first round unfolding Friday night at L.A. Live's Peacock Theater. Rounds 2 through 7 will follow on Saturday.
While the NHL’s future stars will be in the building, team officials will be calling the shots virtually, keeping the spotlight firmly on the prospects. Exact times are still TBD, but hockey’s next wave is gearing up to make their mark under the L.A. lights.
