The ping-pong balls are racked, the percentages are locked, and tonight in Secaucus, the NHL Draft Lottery will determine the final order for the top 16 picks. Going into the evening, the Devils sit in the 12th position with a 2.5% chance of winning a draw. Because of the league's 10-spot maximum jump rule, New Jersey cannot secure the first overall pick. Winning the first draw would land them the second overall pick, and winning the second draw would slot them at third.
While the mathematical odds of jumping into the top three tonight are slim, franchise history suggests that magic in the lottery machine is always a possibility. The Devils have been one of the league's most historically fortunate teams when it comes to the draft lottery, executing significant jumps up the board on four separate occasions.
Here is a look back at the franchise’s timeline of draft lottery success:
- 2011 (Moved from 8th to 4th): Before the rules were adjusted to allow teams to jump all the way to first overall, the Devils held the eighth-best odds in the 2011 lottery. They won the draw, moving up the maximum four spots allowed at the time to secure the fourth overall pick. They used that selection to draft defenseman Adam Larsson.
- 2017 (Moved from 5th to 1st): Entering the 2017 lottery with the fifth-best odds (8.5%), the Devils defied the percentages and won the first overall pick for the first time in franchise history. That monumental bounce of the ping-pong balls led to the selection of center Nico Hischier, the team's current captain and two-way cornerstone.
- 2019 (Moved from 3rd to 1st): Just two years later, the Devils entered the lottery with the third-best odds (11.5%). Once again, the cards fell in New Jersey's favor. They secured the first overall selection and drafted American center Jack Hughes, fundamentally altering the offensive trajectory of the franchise.
- 2022 (Moved from 5th to 2nd): In the 2022 lottery, the Devils held the fifth-best odds. They won a drawing to move up to the second overall spot. General Manager Tom Fitzgerald used the premium selection to draft highly touted Slovak defenseman Šimon Nemec.
Tonight, the setup is vastly different. The team is positioned further down the board, and the 10-spot rule places a hard ceiling on how high they can climb. If the 2.5% chance hits, the front office will suddenly be tasked with evaluating the elite talent at the very top of the 2026 draft class. If the percentages play out as expected, the scouting staff is fully prepared to unearth a premium prospect at 12th overall.
Tune in tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN to watch the drama unfold live.
