The 2026 NHL Entry Draft will begin on Friday night at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, and conclude on Saturday. This is a big draft for the Boston Bruins with eight picks going into the draft, but it remains to be seen if it ends up that way if general manager Don Sweeney decides to swing a deal or two that includes draft picks.
Going into the NHL Draft Lottery back in May, there were a lot of eyes on it as far as the Bruins were concerned. In March of 2025, Sweeney swung a deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs that sent Brandon Carlo to Boston's division rival for prospect Fraser Minten, a fourth-round draft pick in last June's draft and this year's first-round draft pick, top 5 protected.
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As has been the Black and Gold's Draft Lottery luck, the Maple Leafs ended up winning the first overall pick in Friday night's draft, which means that pick likely rolls over until 2028. Last season, the Bruins ended up with the seventh pick, the lowest spot they could have fallen, but had some draft night luck with James Hagens falling to them.
As for what happens this weekend, anything is possible when it comes to Sweeney. With that said, here is a Boston Bruins fan NHL Draft Guide for the next couple of days.
How to Watch 2026 NHL Entry Draft
The first round is Friday night, beginning at 7 p.m. on ESPN, and the second round can be seen on the NHL Network. Both days, the draft will be streamed on ESPN+.
Boston Bruins 2026 Picks
- First Round: No. 23
- Second Round: No. 56
- Third Round: No. 88
- Fourth Round: 104 (from San Jose), 111 (from Detroit), 122 (from Tampa Bay)
- Fifth Round: No. 157 (from San Jose via Montreal)
- Seventh Round: No. 216
What will the Boston Bruins do?
So this is the big question. Do the Bruins end up keeping the pick, or does Sweeney make a pre-draft trade, a potential blockbuster, that includes the 23rd pick? Does Sweeney move Pavel Zacha, which could fetch a first-round pick or two? Maybe not both this season, but you get the idea. Anything is possible.
If Boston keeps the pick, do they go for the best player available? Do they draft at a position of need? Last year, they clearly drafted the best player available after Hagens fell to them. There is an organizational need for defensemen and centers. That feels like something that is written about year after year. Time will tell what happens, but keep an eye out for any deals leading into the draft on Friday night.
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