# List of first overall NHL draft picks

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 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. 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

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

### 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/Notes |
| Montreal Canadiens | 2022 | 4(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) | 2019 | 5(3) | Traded pick to Bruins in 1982 Traded pick to Canadiens in 1980 |
| Florida Panthers | 2014 | 5(2) | Traded pick to Blue Jackets in 2002 Traded pick to Penguins in 2003 Traded pick to Lightning in 1998 |
| Washington Capitals | 2004 | 4(3) | Traded pick to Flyers in 1975 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 2008 | 4(3) | Traded pick to Jets (Thrashers) in 1999 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 2005 | 3(3) | Acquired pick from Panthers in 2003 Traded pick to Stars (North Stars) in 1983 |
| Boston Bruins | 1997 | 2(3) | Acquired pick from Devils (Rockies) in 1982 |
| Winnipeg Jets (formerly Atlanta Thrashers) | 2001 | 1(2) | Acquired pick from Lightning in 1999 |
| California Golden Seals/Cleveland Barons (defunct) | 1971 | 1(0) | Traded pick to Canadiens in 1971 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 2002 | 0(1) | Acquired pick from Panthers in 2002 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 1975 | 0(1) | Acquired pick from Capitals in 1975 |
| Colorado Avalanche (formerly Quebec Nordiques) | 2013 | 4 | |
| New York Islanders | 2009 | 4 | |
| Edmonton Oilers | 2015 | 4 | 4 picks were awarded between the years 2010 and 2015; 3 of them awarded in consecutive years (2010, 2011, 2012) |
| Buffalo Sabres | 2021 | 4 | |
| Detroit Red Wings | 1986 | 3 | |
| Ottawa Senators | 1996 | 3 | |
| Dallas Stars (formerly Minnesota North Stars) | 1988 | 2(3) | Acquired pick from Penguins in 1983 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 2016 | 2 | |
| New York Rangers | 2020 | 2 | Held 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 | 2023 | 2 | |
| St. Louis Blues | 2006 | 1 | |
| Arizona Coyotes (inactive) (formerly Winnipeg Jets) | 1981 | 1 | |
| Los Angeles Kings | 1967 | 1 | |
| San Jose Sharks | 2024 | 1 | |
| Vancouver Canucks | N/A | 0 | |
| Anaheim Ducks | N/A | 0 | |
| Calgary Flames (formerly Atlanta Flames) | N/A | 0 | |
| Vegas Golden Knights | N/A | 0 | |
| Carolina Hurricanes | N/A | 0 | |
| Seattle Kraken | N/A | 0 | |
| Nashville Predators | N/A | 0 | |
| Minnesota Wild | N/A | 0 | |
| Utah Hockey Club | N/A | 0 | |