The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery is tonight at 6 p.m. CST and the Nashville Predators occupy the 10th overall pick heading into it.
Odds can change in a second, so it's best to be prepared before we tune into our television sets tonight. Let's quickly break down what all the odds mean and how the Predators can still manage to land the first overall selection in the draft.
Predators at 10th isn't guarenteed, but likely
According to the NHL's official draft lottery odds, the Predators hold a 73.3% chance to secure the 10th overall pick, the highest in the lottery. If Nashville falls back in the draft, it'll most likely be to 11th with 18.4%. 12th overall is just under 1% odds, so it'll be pretty unlikely we'll end up there.
If the Preds launch ahead, the next pick they can land is third overall at 0.1%. The odds to land the second overall pick is 37 times greater than third with 3.7%. If the Predators somehow manage to secure the first overall pick, they'll have a 3.5% chance to do so. Nashville has the second lowest odds among lottery teams to potentially land the first pick being just 0.5% ahead of the St. Louis Blues.
Even though 10th overall is the most likely option, that doesn't mean it's impossible to enter the top three. We saw last lottery that the New York Islanders managed to jump from 10 to one, so it is technically possible and still on the table. However, the Preds will need some insane luck to do so, as shown by the odds.
In simpler words, here's what the odds look like for the Preds:
Top 3: 7.3%
Stay at 10: 73.3%
Drop to 11 or 12: 19.3%
If you were to simulate the draft, statistically the Preds would stay still three out of four times. Fans shouldn't be scared to drop to 12th as it's less likely than getting the first or second pick.
How will the lottery determine who they will pick?
This year's draft class is loaded. Using Tankathon's NHL Mock Draft with Lottery simulation, they predict the Predators would select Alberts Smits. Smits is a marked by many as a speedy, offensive-style defenseman. With Nashville looking to shift more towards offense, as seen by their recent youth group, Smits would be the ideal pick.
If the Preds fell to 11th, its has them selecting forward Oscar Hemming, an NCAA offensive machine. At 12, it looks to be Malte Gustafsson, another left defenseman. At third, Caleb Malhorta. At second, Ivar Stenburg. And at first overall, Gavin McKenna.
Considering this is one of the deepest draft classes in a while, as long as management doesn't make a screw up, Nashville could land one of their best prospects in a long time.
Fans should be excited regardless of the draft result. Even if we somehow drop back, we'll still be guarenteed to select a promising young gun who could shape this franchise.
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