For the first time in a decade and a half Sabres fans won’t give a hoot about ping pong balls bouncing around
NHL Draft Lottery
The NHL Entry Draft Lottery will be held tonight (Tuesday) to determine the order of picks 1-16 for the draft which will be held at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on June 26-27. With the Buffalo Sabres winning the Atlantic Division and still in the playoffs, they will find out their draft position later.
Instead of watching a countdown from 16 to 1 after the lottery balls have been drawn behind the scenes, like last year the fans will watch on live TV as the lottery balls are drawn at NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, New Jersey, on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS).
NHL Awards Nominees
It has been a good year for the Sabres and it has seen a couple of people from the Buffalo organization nominated for awards, with all the nominees still being named in different categories.
Ted Lindsay Award
Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks
Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
The award goes to the league’s most outstanding player of the season, voted on by the NHLPA, and was won last year by Kucherov.
Vezina Trophy
Ilya Sorokin, G, New York Islanders
Jeremy Swayman, G, Boston Bruins
Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, Tampa Bay Lightning
The award goes to the league’s top goaltender of the season, with the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck winning the award in 2025. The general managers of the NHL’s 32 teams submit ballots for the Vezina Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists.
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
Cole Caufield, RW, Montreal Canadiens
Anze Kopitar, C, Los Angeles Kings
Jake Sanderson, D, Ottawa Senators
This award is given for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct and voted on by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. Last year, Anze Kopitar of the Kings won the honor ahead of his last NHL season.
Jack Adams Award
Jon Cooper, head coach, Tampa Bay Lightning
Dan Muse, head coach, Pittsburgh Penguins
Lindy Ruff, head coach, Buffalo Sabres
The award honors the coach who has “contributed the most to his team’s success,” with Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery taking home the award last season. Members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association submit ballots for the award at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists.
Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy
Rasmus Dahlin, D, Sabres
Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Avalanche
Jonathan Toews, C, Jets
This award goes to the player who most embodied perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication, as voted for by the local chapters of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Calder Memorial Trophy
Ivan Demidov, RW, Montreal
Matthew Schaefer, D, NY Islanders
Beckett Sennecke, RW, Anaheim D
The award goes to the best rookie of the 2025-26 NHL season, with Lane Hutson, the Montreal Canadiens’ defenseman, winning last year. The Calder is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
James Norris Memorial Trophy
Rasmus Dahlin, D, Buffalo Sabres
Cole Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche
Zach Werenski, D, Columbus Blue Jackets
The award is given to the top “defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-around ability” over the course of a given season, voted for by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Makar took home the prize in 2025, his second career Norris Trophy.
Hart Memorial Trophy
Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche
Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
The award is given to the NHL’s most valuable player, voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Connor Hellebuyck won this award in 2025, the first of his career.