‘We haven’t had scouting meetings’: GM Chayka doesn’t know whom Leafs will pick at No. 1 yet
While many in The Six are rejoicing, the Toronto Maple Leafs brass is getting to work.
On Tuesday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, earning the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NHL Draft. The team entered the event with the fifth-best odds (8.5%) to obtain the top spot, but few believed they would leapfrog the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Calgary Flames.
Now, the team has a chance to go out and get a player who could help quickly turn the franchise’s fortunes around after a disappointing 2025-26 season. However, one of the new guys on campus hasn’t decided whom he will use that No. 1 pick on.
ghGeneral manager John Chayka was announced as the team’s new general manager, while former captain Mats Sundin was also hired as senior executive advisor of hockey operations.
When speaking to the media after the draft lottery, Chayka noted that his staff hasn’t settled on who the team will take with the first-overall pick next month.
“The nice part is…we haven’t had scouting meetings yet,” Chayka said. “Second day on the job. We’ll get together and we’ll go through everything as we should, and be super diligent and make sure we know everything…always a lot of diligence when you’re picking No. 1 overall and making sure you nail it.”
“Exciting player. I’ve tracked him for a number of years now…the skill level, the creativity…his shot and release is all pretty special. It will be good to get with the scouts and go through it all, but I know there’s a lot of passion for a lot of players, including Gavin.”
Sundin, a first overall pick of the Quebec Nordiques back in 1989, recognizes that there are a number of talented players heading into this year’s draft, including fellow Swede and Frolunda star Ivar Stenberg.
“I think it’s a strong draft,” Sundin explained. “First round is really strong, and Ivar has had a strong season, obviously, from the World Junior Championships. So, it’s gonna be really great…strong draft, so it’s gonna be interesting and a lot of looking at these different players now and knowing it’s a first-overall pick, so we got a lot of work ahead for us.”
This is the first time that the Leafs have won the draft lottery since 2016. Coincidentally, the last time the draft was held in Buffalo. Toronto ended up taking now-captain Austin Matthews with the No. 1 selection.f The first round is scheduled for June 26, with the remaining six rounds being held on June 27.