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Mats Sundin’s immediate reaction to winning 2026 NHL Draft Lottery
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- Mats Sundin’s immediate reaction to winning 2026 NHL Draft Lottery
Mats Sundin's immediate reaction to winning 2026 NHL Draft Lottery appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Toronto Maple Leafs won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery in a stunning result. Toronto finished with the fifth-highest odds of winning the lottery. It's a massive boon for Mats Sundin and John Chayka, who took over the Maple Leafs front office only a couple days ago.
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The Maple Leafs will kick off the NHL Draft for the third time in their history. In 1985, the pick was Wendel Clark, a team icon and fan favorite. In 2016, it was Auston Matthews, the current captain and already one of the greatest players to wear a Leafs sweater.
After the NHL Draft Lottery, Sundin took some time to provide his immediate reaction to the result.
"I'm extremely happy for the Toronto Maple Leafs fanbase. It's great to get the first pick. Great night, great lottery," the Toronto executive said in a clip posted by Sportsnet on social media.
It's been a whirlwind for Sundin, a former Toronto captain in his own right. As mentioned, he only became part of the leadership structure a couple days ago. And this is his first time back in the league in nearly 20 years. The NHL Draft hasn't been at the forefront of his mind, but he's more than excited with this result.
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"We're just starting. (John Chayka) and me, first day yesterday. There's a lot of evaluation going on. But this is certainly going to help when looking into the future and trying to help this team," Sundin said.
The 2026 NHL Draft will begin on June 26th at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. As of now, though, the Toronto Maple Leafs are unofficially on the clock.
Related: Maple Leafs win 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, earn coveted No. 1 pick
Related: How Flyers, Bruins are impacted by Maple Leafs NHL Draft Lottery result
