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The Toronto Maple Leafs have run out of things to play for in a positive sense in the 2025-26 NHL season.
But as far as the 2026 NHL Draft is concerned, the Maple Leafs still have a first-round pick on the line, and the Boston Bruins are very interested.
It's the pick that moved in the Brandon Carlo trade during the 2024-25 season. The Leafs sent a first-rounder and Fraser Minten to Boston in exchange for the defenseman Carlo.
That first-round pick for 2026 had a protection on it: If it ends up being a top-five selection, the Maple Leafs keep the pick.
If if ends up anywhere from No. 6 and beyond, the Bruins get to make the pick.
Given the rough season in Toronto, losing a first-round pick in a quality draft class would add insult to injury.
Below, we'll keep track of relevant happenings as the Maple Leafs try to finish in the bottom-five to give themselves the best draft lottery odds of keeping their own pick.
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Maple Leafs draft pick live odds
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- March 28: The Blues beating the Leafs, paired with a Jets win as well, as vaulted Toronto up to the fifth-best odds. They've now got 8.5% chance of the first pick, 8.6% of the second pick, 0.3% of the third pick, 24.2% of the fifth pick and lowered to 58.4% chance of the pick conveying to Boston at either six or seven.
- March 27: Before action on March 27, the Maple Leafs remain eighth in the lottery odds. They retain a 6.0% chance of getting the first pick, a 6.2% chance of the second pick, a 0.2% chance of the third pick, and that means an 87.6% chance of the pick going to the Bruins. Just one game with relevance tonight: Blackhawks-Rangers, with both teams also playing out the string on losing campaigns.
- March 26: Before action on March 26, the Maple Leafs rank eighth in the lottery odds. They have a 6.0% chance of getting the first pick, a 6.2% chance of the second pick, a 0.2% chance of the third pick -- and an 87.6% chance of conveying the pick to Boston.
Maple Leafs draft pick live updates
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- March 28: A huge night here. Maple Leafs lose 5-1 to the Blues, while the Jets also win.
- March 27: The Rangers beat the Blackhawks, 6-1. The Maple Leafs odds remain the same.
- March 26: The Maple Leafs didn't play. Of teams with worse records than the Leafs, losses came for the Canucks, Flames, Jets, Sharks and Blackhawks. The Blues did win.
- March 25: The Maple Leafs made things worse by beating the New York Rangers, 4-3, on Tuesday night.
- March 24: The Maple Leafs hurt their cause directly on Tuesday, helping Boston's cause in the process. They played the Bruins and won, 4-2. That made it tougher for the Leafs to end up in the top-five, and easier for Boston to get the pick.
Maple Leafs' next game
The Toronto Maple Leafs are back in action on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET against the St. Louis Blues. The game will be played in St. Louis.
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