McKenna vs. Stenberg: A look at potential No. 1 picks ahead of draft lottery

Penn State forward Gavin McKenna (72) leaps in the air during an NCAA hockey regional game against Minnesota Duluth, Friday, March 27, 2026 in Albany, N.Y. Minnesota Duluth won 3-1. (AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis)

Tuesday’s NHL draft lottery is another step closer to figuring out who may go No. 1 when the draft begins on June 26.

Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg?

The choice between the two has been debated for months.

While McKenna was once the consensus to go No. 1, Stenberg made his case throughout the season between the Swedish Hockey League and the world junior championship.

McKenna, meanwhile, made the jump to the NCAA’s Penn State Nittany Lions after a monster season with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League in 2024-25.

The Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks have the highest chances of winning the lottery.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2026.