How Sunday’s win over Penguins impacts Bruins’ NHL Draft position (2025)

The Bruins‘ final game against the Devils could still impact their pre-lottery draft position.

If Boston had lost to Pittsburgh on Sunday, it would have been locked into their No. 4 spot (fourth fewest overall points) going into the lottery, but Sunday’s win means they could finish anywhere from fourth to sixth.

Boston started the day with the fourth fewest points (75) and will end the day there too, but their win made things closer. If they lost to the Devils on Tuesday, they’d stay in the spot and would enter the lottery with the fourth-best odds of picking first (9.5 percent). If they stay in that spot, the worst they could pick is No. 6 overall.

The Bruins are a point behind the Flyers, who picked up one point Sunday with an overtime loss to Ottawa. Philadelphia has two games left (vs. Columbus, at Buffalo).

If Boston and Philly end the season tied, the Flyers would get more lottery ping-pong balls because the Bruins have more regulation wins.

Seattle has 76 points too. The Kraken, who have more regulation wins than the Bruins, host the Kings on Tuesday. If they win or force overtime, Boston would have more ping pong balls, not matter what happens in the Bruins’ game vs. New Jersey.

Here’s where the Bruins sit:

Games left: 1 — Tuesday vs. New Jersey

After Sunday’s games: The Bruins have the fourth fewest points in the NHL.

Highest pre-lottery draft spot Bruins can reach: Fourth.

Lowest pre-lottery draft spot Bruins can reach: Sixth

Outlook: At 33-39-9, the Bruins have 75 points. The most they can get to is 77 if they win their last game. There are 25 teams who already have 78 or more points. The Sabres, who had 77, have more regulation wins, so they’d finish ahead of Boston.

The Sabres have an evening game on Sunday.

Only the Sharks, Blackhawks and Predators can’t reach 75.

Here are the bottom seven teams in the NHL who have the best chance to finish with the No. 1 draft pick. It shows each team’s record, their points and the most points they could possibly reach if they won the rest of their games. Below them is their remaining schedule.

.....................GP—W—L—OT—Pts—MOST PTS

Buffalo.........80—35-38-7—77—81

vs. Toronto, vs. Philadelphia

Philadelphia.80—33-37-10-76—80

vs. Columbus, at Buffalo

Seattle.........81—35-40-6—76—78

vs. Los Angeles

Boston.........80—32-39-9—75—77

vs. New Jersey

Nashville......80—29-43-8—66—70

vs. Utah, vs. Dallas

Chicago......80—23-46-11—57—61

at Montreal, at Ottawa

San Jose......80—20-49-11-51—55

at Vancouver, vs. Edmonton

Here’s how the lottery works:

NHL Draft Lottery rules

All non-playoff teams are in the lottery.

There will be two drawings, one for the No. 1 pick and one for the No. 2 pick. Once the top two picks have been determined, clubs will be slotted in reverse order of their finish in the regular season. A team can only move up 10 selections if it wins one of the lottery draws, a change announced by the NHL on March 23, 2021. Only the top 11 teams in the lottery are eligible to receive the No. 1 selection.

If a team outside of the top 11 wins the first draw, the team with the worst record would get the No. 1 pick, while the winner would move up 10 spots.