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This composite image shows Canada's Gavin McKenna, left, and Sweden's Ivar Stenberg, right, at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, in St. Paul, Minn., on Monday, Jan. 5, and Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov, AP-Matt Krohn
By The Canadian Press

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

May 5, 2026 | 8:16 AM

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.

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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.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

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