The NHL Entry Draft, originally known as the NHL Amateur Draft, is a collective meeting in which the franchises of the National Hockey League (NHL) systematically select the exclusive rights to available amateur players who meet the eligibility requirements to play professional hockey in the NHL. First held in 1963, the draft prior to 1969 was a shorter affair. Any amateur player who was aged 17 years and older and was not already sponsored by an NHL club was eligible to be drafted. In 1969 the rules were changed so that any amateur player between the ages of 17 and 20 was eligible to be drafted.[1] The draft has grown, and in 2021, 223 players were selected over seven rounds.[2]
A total of 60 different players have been selected first. Of those, 43 have been Canadian, eight American, three Russian, two Czech, two Swedish, one Slovak and one Swiss. Every first overall pick taken between 1968 and 2016 has played in at least 299 NHL games.[3] Three players retired without having played an NHL game.
The Montreal Canadiens have had the most first overall picks of any other team, selecting six players first overall since 1963. The Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights have never selected first overall. Five players have come from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, more than any other team. Eleven players have won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year: Gilbert Perreault, Denis Potvin, Bobby Smith, Dale Hawerchuk, Mario Lemieux, Bryan Berard, Alexander Ovechkin, Patrick Kane, Nathan MacKinnon, Aaron Ekblad and Auston Matthews. Eight have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame: Perreault, Potvin, Guy Lafleur, Eric Lindros, Hawerchuk, Lemieux, Mats Sundin and Mike Modano.
First overall picks
Mats Sundin, drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in 1989, the first European player to be picked first overall.
- Key
| bold | Active in the NHL |
| ‡ | Expansion team |
| ^ | Calder Memorial Trophy winner |
| * | Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame |
| # | Calder Memorial Trophy winner and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame |
| ¤ | No games played in the NHL[4] |
- Notes
- Wendel Clark was drafted as a defenceman
First Overall Picks by Team
Key
| Names are formatted as: Current Team Name (Original Team Name) |
| Has never been awarded a 1st overall pick |
| Team | Last 1st Overall Pick Year | Number of #1 picks all time # Picks awarded(# Picks made) | Trades/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadiens | 2022 | 4(6) | Acquired pick from Devils (Rockies) in 1980 Acquired pick from Golden Seals (Defunct) in 1971 |
| Devils (Rockies) | 2019 | 5(3) | Traded pick to Bruins in 1982 Traded pick to Canadiens in 1980 |
| Panthers | 2014 | 5(2) | Traded pick to Blue Jackets in 2002 Traded pick to Penguins in 2003 Traded pick to Lightning in 1998 |
| Capitals | 2004 | 4(3) | Traded pick to Flyers in 1975 |
| Lightning | 2008 | 4(3) | Traded pick to Jets (Thrashers) in 1999 |
| Penguins | 2005 | 3(3) | Acquired pick from Panthers in 2003 Traded pick to Stars (North Stars) in 1983 |
| Bruins | 1997 | 2(3) | Acquired pick from Devils (Rockies) in 1982 |
| Jets (Thrashers) | 2001 | 1(2) | Acquired pick from Lightning in 1999 |
| Golden Seals (Defunct) | 1971 | 1(0) | Traded pick to Canadiens in 1971 |
| Blue Jackets | 2002 | 0(1) | Acquired pick from Panthers in 2002 |
| Flyers | 1975 | 0(1) | Acquired pick from Capitals in 1975 |
| Avalanche (Nordiques) | 2013 | 4 | |
| Islanders | 2009 | 4 | |
| Oilers | 2015 | 4 | 4 picks were awarded between the years 2010 and 2015. 3 of them awarded in consecutive years (2010, 2011, 2012) |
| Sabres | 2021 | 4 | |
| Red Wings | 1986 | 3 | |
| Senators | 1996 | 3 | |
| Stars (North Stars) | 1988 | 3 | |
| Maple Leafs | 2016 | 2 | |
| Rangers | 2020 | 2 | |
| Blackhawks | 2023 | 2 | |
| Blues | 2006 | 1 | |
| Coyotes (Jets) | 1981 | 1 | |
| Kings | 1967 | 1 | |
| Canucks | N/A | 0 | |
| Ducks | N/A | 0 | |
| Flames | N/A | 0 | |
| Golden Knights | N/A | 0 | |
| Hurricanes | N/A | 0 | |
| Kraken | N/A | 0 | |
| Predators | N/A | 0 | |
| Sharks | N/A | 0 | |
| Wild | N/A | 0 |
See also
References
- General
- "Entry Draft Historic First selections". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- "NHL Entry Draft–All-time first-overall picks". Slam! Sports. Archived from the original on 2013-01-10. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - "All-time No. 1 draft picks". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- "Calder Memorial Trophy". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2006-04-23. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- "List of honored Players". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- "50 Years of the 1st pick". The Sports Network. Archived from the original on 2012-06-18. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
- Specific