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. The draft has grown, and in 2021, 223 players were selected over seven rounds.

A total of 62 different players have been selected first. Of those, 45 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. 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. Thirteen 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, Connor Bedard, and Matthew Schaefer. Ten have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame: Perreault, Potvin, Guy Lafleur, Eric Lindros, Hawerchuk, Lemieux, Pierre Turgeon, Joe Thornton, Mats Sundin and Mike Modano.

First overall picks

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

Draft Selected by Player Nationality Position Amateur/junior/former club League 1963 Montreal Canadiens Forward St. Michael's Buzzers CJBHL 1964 Detroit Red Wings ¤ Forward Comité des jeunes (Rosemont) QC Midget 1965 New York Rangers ¤ Forward Montreal Rangers Jr. B QC Jr. B 1966 Boston Bruins Defenceman Estevan Bruins SJHL 1967 Los Angeles Kings‡ ¤ Defenceman Garson Native Sons NOHA 1968 Montreal Canadiens Goaltender Drummondville Rangers QMJHL 1969 Montreal Canadiens Forward Montreal Junior Canadiens OHA 1970 Buffalo Sabres‡ # Forward Montreal Junior Canadiens OHA 1971 Montreal Canadiens * Forward Quebec Remparts QMJHL 1972 New York Islanders‡ Forward Peterborough Petes OHA 1973 New York Islanders # Defenceman Ottawa 67's OHA 1974 Washington Capitals Defenceman Regina Pats WCHL 1975 Philadelphia Flyers Forward Victoria Cougars WCHL 1976 Washington Capitals Defenceman London Knights OHA 1977 Detroit Red Wings Forward Hamilton Fincups OHA 1978 Minnesota North Stars ^ Forward Ottawa 67's OHA 1979 Colorado Rockies Defenceman London Knights OHA 1980 Montreal Canadiens Forward Regina Pats WHL 1981 Winnipeg Jets # Forward Cornwall Royals QMJHL 1982 Boston Bruins Defenceman Billings Bighorns WHL 1983 Minnesota North Stars Forward Mount Saint Charles Mounties USHS-RI 1984 Pittsburgh Penguins # Forward Laval Voisins QMJHL 1985 Toronto Maple Leafs Defenceman1 Saskatoon Blades WHL 1986 Detroit Red Wings Forward Michigan State Spartans CCHA 1987 Buffalo Sabres * Forward Granby Bisons QMJHL 1988 Minnesota North Stars * Forward Prince Albert Raiders WHL 1989 Quebec Nordiques * Forward Nacka HK Swe-2 1990 Quebec Nordiques Forward Cornwall Royals OHL 1991 Quebec Nordiques * Forward Oshawa Generals OHL 1992 Tampa Bay Lightning‡ Defenceman HC Zlin CS-1HL 1993 Ottawa Senators Forward Victoriaville Tigres QMJHL 1994 Florida Panthers Defenceman Windsor Spitfires OHL 1995 Ottawa Senators ^ Defenceman Detroit Junior Red Wings OHL 1996 Ottawa Senators Defenceman Prince Albert Raiders WHL 1997 Boston Bruins * Forward Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL 1998 Tampa Bay Lightning Forward Rimouski Oceanic QMJHL 1999 Atlanta Thrashers‡ Forward Long Beach Ice Dogs IHL 2000 New York Islanders Goaltender Boston University Terriers HEA 2001 Atlanta Thrashers Forward Spartak Moscow RUS-2 2002 Columbus Blue Jackets Forward London Knights OHL 2003 Pittsburgh Penguins Goaltender Cape Breton Screaming Eagles QMJHL 2004 Washington Capitals ^ Forward Dynamo Moscow RSL 2005 Pittsburgh Penguins Forward Rimouski Océanic QMJHL 2006 St. Louis Blues Defenceman U.S. NTDP NAHL 2007 Chicago Blackhawks ^ Forward London Knights OHL 2008 Tampa Bay Lightning Forward Sarnia Sting OHL 2009 New York Islanders Forward London Knights OHL 2010 Edmonton Oilers Forward Windsor Spitfires OHL 2011 Edmonton Oilers Forward Red Deer Rebels WHL 2012 Edmonton Oilers Forward Sarnia Sting OHL 2013 Colorado Avalanche ^ Forward Halifax Mooseheads QMJHL 2014 Florida Panthers ^ Defenceman Barrie Colts OHL 2015 Edmonton Oilers Forward Erie Otters OHL 2016 Toronto Maple Leafs ^ Forward ZSC Lions NLA 2017 New Jersey Devils Forward Halifax Mooseheads QMJHL 2018 Buffalo Sabres Defenceman Frolunda HCSHL 2019 New Jersey Devils Forward U.S. NTDP USHL 2020 New York Rangers Forward Rimouski Océanic QMJHL 2021 Buffalo Sabres Defenceman Michigan Wolverines Big Ten 2022 Montreal Canadiens Forward TPS Liiga 2023 Chicago Blackhawks ^ Forward Regina Pats WHL 2024 San Jose Sharks Forward Boston University Terriers HEA 2025 New York Islanders ^ Defenceman Erie Otters OHL 2026 Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Penn State Nittany Lions Big Ten

Notes 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

Team Last #1 overall pick Total picks awarded/made Trades/NotesMontreal Canadiens20224(6)Acquired pick from Devils (Rockies) in 1980 Acquired pick from the Golden Seals in 1971New Jersey Devils (formerly Kansas City Scouts/Colorado Rockies)20195(3)Traded pick to Bruins in 1982 Traded pick to Canadiens in 1980Florida Panthers20145(2)Traded pick to Blue Jackets in 2002 Traded pick to Penguins in 2003 Traded pick to Lightning in 1998Washington Capitals20044(3)Traded pick to Flyers in 1975Tampa Bay Lightning20084(3)Traded pick to Jets (Thrashers) in 1999Pittsburgh Penguins20053(3)Acquired pick from Panthers in 2003 Traded pick to Stars (North Stars) in 1983Boston Bruins19972(3)Acquired pick from Devils (Rockies) in 1982Winnipeg Jets (formerly Atlanta Thrashers)20011(2)Acquired pick from Lightning in 1999California Golden Seals/Cleveland Barons (defunct)19711(0)Traded pick to Canadiens in 1971Columbus Blue Jackets20020(1)Acquired pick from Panthers in 2002Philadelphia Flyers19750(1)Acquired pick from Capitals in 1975Colorado Avalanche (formerly Quebec Nordiques)20134New York Islanders20255Edmonton Oilers201544 picks were awarded between the years 2010 and 2015; 3 of them awarded in consecutive years (2010, 2011, 2012)Buffalo Sabres20214Detroit Red Wings19863Ottawa Senators19963Dallas Stars (formerly Minnesota North Stars)19882(3)Acquired pick from Penguins in 1983Toronto Maple Leafs20263New York Rangers20202Held first overall pick in the 2020 draft despite taking part in the playoffs, whose format was changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Chicago Blackhawks20232St. Louis Blues20061Arizona Coyotes (inactive) (formerly Winnipeg Jets)19811Los Angeles Kings19671San Jose Sharks20241Vancouver CanucksN/A0Anaheim DucksN/A0Calgary Flames (formerly Atlanta Flames)N/A0Vegas Golden KnightsN/A0Carolina HurricanesN/A0Seattle KrakenN/A0Nashville PredatorsN/A0Minnesota WildN/A0Utah MammothN/A0

See also WHA Amateur Draft

References General

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