The Sharks, who have finished with the league’s worst record for two straight seasons, won the draft lottery last year. During a glitzy presentation at the NHL Draft in Las Vegas, Sharks legend Joe Thornton announced that the team was taking Boston University center Macklin Celebrini with the first overall selection.

After the Islanders, the San Jose Sharks landed the second pick while the Chicago Blackhawks will pick third. The Sharks own a top-five pick for the third straight season after selecting Macklin Celebrini with the top pick in 2024 and Will Smith with the No. 4 pick in 2023.

The NHL's annual draft lottery was held on Monday at NHL Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. For the first time, the draw was held live in-studio, allowing viewers to see the results at the same time as the 16 lottery participants.