The Boston Bruins (45-27-10, 100 pts) head toward the 2026 NHL Draft with one of the more interesting situations in the league, because part of their first-round outlook is tied to another team. The NHL Draft Lottery is on May 5 during the NHL Playoffs,

The Bruins have laid out the blueprint for a one-year 180-degree reboot, going from No. 28 in the NHL standings to No. 8.

Swayman may be the biggest key if the Bruins are going to get past the Buffalo Sabres in their first-round matchup, which starts Sunday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, NESN, MSG-B, SN1, SN360, TVAS). And it’s a role he welcomes.

Sidney Crosby is seen by his peers as the NHL player most likely to become a head coach, according to the National Hockey League Players’ Association’s annual player poll.

Will the ping-pong balls bounce the Bruins way in regards to the 2026 Maple Leafs first-round pick in the 2026 NHL draft lottery?

Playing hockey 4,500 miles away from home, Marat Khusnutdinov has connected with a city and Bruins team bracing for playoff hockey.

The Bruins believe they have the blueprint in place that can tilt postseason bouts in their favor — hit 'em hard, and often.

The Maple Leafs' losing finish did put them into the fifth-best lottery odds. That's 8.5% chance of picking first, 8.6% for second, 0.3% for third and 24.5% for fifth. That leaves it at 56.2% of conveying their pick to the Bruins.