The 2024 NHL Draft will be held at the Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28–29, the National Hockey League and Sphere announced during the league’s draft lottery on Tuesday night which saw the San Jose Sharks get the No. 1 overall pick.
The draft will be the first event televised live from the Sphere. The 2024 NHL Draft plans were first announced in December 2023.
“Together with the amazing team at Sphere, we plan to deliver an NHL Draft like no other, introducing the bright future of hockey in an innovative and exhilarating setting,” said Steve Mayer, NHL senior executive vice president and chief content officer.
The draft will take place over two days, with Round 1 on June 28 starting at 4 p.m. PT. Round 2–7 on June 29 will start at 8:30 a.m. PT.
“Hosting the 2024 NHL Draft at Sphere perfectly captures Las Vegas’ evolution as the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World,” said Steve Hill, president and chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “Las Vegas has been a hockey town since the puck dropped at the first Golden Knights game in 2017. As the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, we couldn’t be more thrilled that the NHL chose Las Vegas and this truly innovative venue to welcome its next generation of players.”
NHL club executives, scouts and coaches will be present on the draft floor. It will be unlike any previous draft, with Sphere’s 160,000 square foot LED screen creating an immersive visual environment.
“Sphere continues to establish itself as a premier destination for some of the most highly anticipated events in sports and entertainment,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, marquee events and operations for MSG Entertainment. “We’re pleased to welcome the NHL Draft and look forward to showcasing Sphere’s next-generation capabilities both in person and around the world via the first live television broadcast from the venue.”
This is the third straight year Upper Deck will title sponsor the NHL Draft. In 2021 the NHL and the NHLPA announced long-term extensions of their licenses with The Upper Deck Company to be the exclusive licensed manufacturer of trading cards.