Visit Buffalo will welcome guests of 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft to Buffalo

NHL Draft, held Friday and Saturday at KeyBank Center, expected to bring 10,000 people & $3.8 million in economic impact to downtown Buffalo 

Visit Buffalo press release & photo 

Visit Buffalo is preparing to welcome guests to the City of Buffalo this weekend for the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft, happening Friday and Saturday at KeyBank Center.

About 10,000 people are expected to attend the event, and many visitors from Canada are expected due to the Toronto Maple Leafs taking the first pick in round one of the draft on Friday evening.

Over two-dozen Visit Buffalo team members and street team volunteers will be on Perry Street from 4-7 p.m. Friday to help coordinate giveaways and activities. The team will be wearing special limited-edition Visit Buffalo fan jerseys and holding branded “Ask Me” signs. The Visit Buffalo mobile visitor center will also be parked on Perry Street in front of KeyBank Center from 4-7 p.m. on Friday to share information on where to eat and what to do in Buffalo. The limited-edition jerseys will be for sale in the Visitor Center at Canalside, 1 Commercial St.

The event, which encompasses round 1 through 7 of the 2026 NHL draft, is expected to bring $3.8 million in economic impact to Buffalo, according to a report by the Buffalo Sports Commission. The subsidiary of Visit Buffalo focuses on promoting the region as a premier sports tourism destination, and was instrumental in bringing the 2026 NHL Draft to Buffalo.

“We’re so proud to help bring the NHL Draft back to Buffalo,” Kaler said. “Buffalo is a hockey town and, being freshly off of the Buffalo Sabres making the Stanley Cup Playoffs, we’re excited to keep that momentum moving forward.”

Members of the commission worked with the Buffalo Sabres organization and NHL officials to bring the NHL Draft to Buffalo. KeyBank Center will be the first arena to host the NHL Draft’s new “decentralized format,” where team executives, management and scouts remain in their home cities and conduct business via live video connections. This year will mark the fourth time Buffalo has hosted the draft, previously hosting it in 2016, 1998 and 1991. 

The Buffalo Sports Commission is a nonprofit subsidiary of Visit Buffalo dedicated to promoting the region as a premier destination for amateur athletic tournaments, collegiate sporting championships and youth sports events. Visit Buffalo is the destination marketing organization for Buffalo and Erie County, promoting the region for tourism, meetings and sporting events. By showcasing the area’s culture, attractions and hospitality, Visit Buffalo drives visitor spending and supports economic growth.