List of first overall NHL draft picks

Last updated

Aaron Ekblad, the first player taken in the 2014 NHL entry draft. Aaron Ekblad - 2014 Top Prospect.jpg
Aaron Ekblad, the first player taken in the 2014 NHL entry draft.

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]

Contents

A total of 61 different players have been selected first. Of those, 44 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, 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. Twelve 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, Auston Matthews and Connor Bedard . Nine have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame: Perreault, Potvin, Guy Lafleur, Eric Lindros, Hawerchuk, Lemieux, Pierre Turgeon, Mats Sundin and Mike Modano.

First overall picks

Key
boldActive 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]
DraftSelected byPlayerNationalityPositionAmateur/junior/former clubLeague
1963 Montreal Canadiens Garry Monahan Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965).svg  Canada Forward St. Michael's Buzzers CJBHL
1964 Detroit Red Wings Claude Gauthier ¤Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965).svg  Canada Forward Comité des jeunes (Rosemont)QC Midget
1965 New York Rangers Andre Veilleux ¤Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Montreal Rangers Jr. BQC Jr. B
1966 Boston Bruins Barry Gibbs Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman Estevan Bruins SJHL
1967 Los Angeles Kings Rick Pagnutti ¤Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman Garson Native Sons NOHA
1968 Montreal Canadiens Michel Plasse Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Goaltender Drummondville Rangers QMJHL
1969 Montreal Canadiens Rejean Houle Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Montreal Junior Canadiens OHA
1970 Buffalo Sabres Gilbert Perreault #Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Montreal Junior CanadiensOHA
1971 Montreal Canadiens Guy Lafleur *Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Quebec Remparts QMJHL
1972 New York Islanders Billy Harris Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Peterborough Petes OHA
1973 New York Islanders Denis Potvin #Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman Ottawa 67's OHA
1974 Washington Capitals Greg Joly Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman Regina Pats WCHL
1975 Philadelphia Flyers Mel Bridgman Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Victoria Cougars WCHL
1976 Washington Capitals Rick Green Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman London Knights OHA
1977 Detroit Red Wings Dale McCourt Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Hamilton Fincups OHA
1978 Minnesota North Stars Bobby Smith ^Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Ottawa 67'sOHA
1979 Colorado Rockies Rob Ramage Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman London KnightsOHA
1980 Montreal Canadiens Doug Wickenheiser Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Regina Pats WHL
1981 Winnipeg Jets Dale Hawerchuk #Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Cornwall Royals QMJHL
1982 Boston Bruins Gord Kluzak Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman Billings Bighorns WHL
1983 Minnesota North Stars Brian Lawton Flag of the United States.svg  United States Forward Mount Saint Charles Mounties USHS-RI
1984 Pittsburgh Penguins Mario Lemieux #Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Laval Voisins QMJHL
1985 Toronto Maple Leafs Wendel Clark Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman 1 Saskatoon Blades WHL
1986 Detroit Red Wings Joe Murphy Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Michigan State Spartans CCHA
1987 Buffalo Sabres Pierre Turgeon *Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Granby Bisons QMJHL
1988 Minnesota North Stars Mike Modano *Flag of the United States.svg  United States Forward Prince Albert Raiders WHL
1989 Quebec Nordiques Mats Sundin *Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Forward Nacka HK Swe-2
1990 Quebec Nordiques Owen Nolan Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Cornwall Royals OHL
1991 Quebec Nordiques Eric Lindros *Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Oshawa Generals OHL
1992 Tampa Bay Lightning Roman Hamrlik Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia Defenceman HC Zlin CS-1HL
1993 Ottawa Senators Alexandre Daigle Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Victoriaville Tigres QMJHL
1994 Florida Panthers Ed Jovanovski Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman Windsor Spitfires OHL
1995 Ottawa Senators Bryan Berard ^Flag of the United States.svg  United States Defenceman Detroit Junior Red Wings OHL
1996 Ottawa Senators Chris Phillips Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman Prince Albert RaidersWHL
1997 Boston Bruins Joe Thornton Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL
1998 Tampa Bay Lightning Vincent Lecavalier Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Rimouski Oceanic QMJHL
1999 Atlanta Thrashers Patrik Stefan Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic Forward Long Beach Ice Dogs IHL
2000 New York Islanders Rick DiPietro Flag of the United States.svg  United States Goaltender Boston University Terriers HEA
2001 Atlanta Thrashers Ilya Kovalchuk Flag of Russia.svg  Russia Forward Spartak Moscow RUS-2
2002 Columbus Blue Jackets Rick Nash Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward London Knights OHL
2003 Pittsburgh Penguins Marc-Andre Fleury Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Goaltender Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL
2004 Washington Capitals Alexander Ovechkin ^Flag of Russia.svg  Russia Forward Dynamo Moscow RSL
2005 Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Rimouski Océanic QMJHL
2006 St. Louis Blues Erik Johnson Flag of the United States.svg  United States Defenceman U.S. NTDP NAHL
2007 Chicago Blackhawks Patrick Kane ^Flag of the United States.svg  United States Forward London KnightsOHL
2008 Tampa Bay Lightning Steven Stamkos Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Sarnia Sting OHL
2009 New York Islanders John Tavares Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward London KnightsOHL
2010 Edmonton Oilers Taylor Hall Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Windsor SpitfiresOHL
2011 Edmonton Oilers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Red Deer Rebels WHL
2012 Edmonton Oilers Nail Yakupov Flag of Russia.svg  Russia Forward Sarnia StingOHL
2013 Colorado Avalanche Nathan MacKinnon ^Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Halifax Mooseheads QMJHL
2014 Florida Panthers Aaron Ekblad ^Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman Barrie Colts OHL
2015 Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Erie Otters OHL
2016 Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews ^Flag of the United States.svg  United States Forward ZSC Lions NLA
2017 New Jersey Devils Nico Hischier Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland Forward Halifax MooseheadsQMJHL
2018 Buffalo Sabres Rasmus Dahlin Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Defenceman Frolunda HC SHL
2019 New Jersey Devils Jack Hughes Flag of the United States.svg  United States Forward U.S. NTDP USHL
2020 New York Rangers Alexis Lafreniere Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Rimouski Océanic QMJHL
2021 Buffalo Sabres Owen Power Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman Michigan Wolverines Big Ten
2022 Montreal Canadiens Juraj Slafkovsky Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia Forward TPS Liiga
2023 Chicago Blackhawks Connor Bedard ^Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Regina Pats WHL
2024 San Jose Sharks Macklin Celebrini Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Forward Boston University Terriers Hockey East
2025 New York Islanders Matthew Schaefer Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Defenceman Erie Otters OHL
Notes
  1. Wendel Clark was drafted as a defenceman

First overall picks by team


Color key
  Has never been awarded a first overall pick
  Franchise is defunct
TeamLast #1 overall pickTotal picks awarded/madeTrades/Notes
Montreal Canadiens 20224(6)Acquired pick from Devils (Rockies) in 1980
Acquired pick from the Golden Seals in 1971
New Jersey Devils
(formerly Kansas City Scouts/Colorado Rockies)
20195(3)Traded pick to Bruins in 1982

Traded pick to Canadiens in 1980

Florida Panthers 20145(2)Traded pick to Blue Jackets in 2002
Traded pick to Penguins in 2003
Traded pick to Lightning in 1998
Washington Capitals 20044(3)Traded pick to Flyers in 1975
Tampa Bay Lightning 20084(3)Traded pick to Jets (Thrashers) in 1999
Pittsburgh Penguins 20053(3)Acquired pick from Panthers in 2003

Traded pick to Stars (North Stars) in 1983

Boston Bruins 19972(3)Acquired pick from Devils (Rockies) in 1982
Winnipeg Jets
(formerly Atlanta Thrashers)
20011(2)Acquired pick from Lightning in 1999
California Golden Seals/Cleveland Barons (defunct)19711(0)Traded pick to Canadiens in 1971
Columbus Blue Jackets 20020(1)Acquired pick from Panthers in 2002
Philadelphia Flyers 19750(1)Acquired pick from Capitals in 1975
Colorado Avalanche
(formerly Quebec Nordiques)
20134
New York Islanders 20255
Edmonton Oilers 201544 picks were awarded between the years 2010 and 2015; 3 of them awarded in consecutive years (2010, 2011, 2012)
Buffalo Sabres 20214
Detroit Red Wings 19863
Ottawa Senators 19963
Dallas Stars
(formerly Minnesota North Stars)
19882(3)Acquired pick from Penguins in 1983
Toronto Maple Leafs 20162
New York Rangers 20202Held first overall pick in the 2020 draft despite taking part in the playoffs, whose format was changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chicago Blackhawks 20232
St. Louis Blues 20061
Arizona Coyotes (inactive)
(formerly Winnipeg Jets)
19811
Los Angeles Kings 19671
San Jose Sharks 20241
Vancouver Canucks N/A0
Anaheim Ducks N/A0
Calgary Flames
(formerly Atlanta Flames)
N/A0
Vegas Golden Knights N/A0
Carolina Hurricanes N/A0
Seattle Kraken N/A0
Nashville Predators N/A0
Minnesota Wild N/A0
Utah Mammoth N/A0

See also

References

General
Specific
  1. "NHL Draft History". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2001-01-28. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
  2. "NHL Draft History–2021 Stats". National Hockey League . Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  3. Kreiser, John (2011-06-24). "Inside the Draft numbers". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
  4. "HHOF Time Capsure–The 1960s–10 High Draft Picks That Failed To Pan Out". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2003-08-23. Retrieved 2008-06-20.