List of first overall NHL draft picks
The
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
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
-
1972. -
1984. -
1989, the first European player to be picked first overall. -
2004. -
2005. -
2009. -
2015. -
2020. -
2023.
- 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
- WHA Amateur Draft
References
- General
- "Entry Draft Historic First selections". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- "NHL Entry Draft–All-time first-overall picks". )
- "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
- ^ "NHL Draft History". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2001-01-28. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "NHL Draft History–2021 Stats". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
- ^ Kreiser, John (2011-06-24). "Inside the Draft numbers". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- ^ "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.
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