Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7

2023 NHL DraftResults

2023 NHL Entry Draft | Round 1

Pick	Player Selected	NHL Totals & Entry Level Contract
1	Connor Bedard	Signed Jul 17 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $4,450,000 Length 3yrs Start 2023-24 End 2025-26 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 97 G 28 A 57 P 85
2	Leo Carlsson	Signed Jul 12 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $4,200,000 Length 3yrs Start 2023-24 End 2025-26 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 77 G 18 A 22 P 40
3	Adam Fantilli	Signed Jul 1 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $4,150,000 Length 3yrs Start 2023-24 End 2025-26 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 78 G 17 A 23 P 40
4	Will Smith	Signed May 28 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $4,150,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 24 G 5 A 6 P 11
5	David Reinbacher	Signed Jul 5 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $2,116,667 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
6	Dmitri Simashev	Position Defense
7	Matvei Michkov	Signed Jul 1 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $4,250,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 28 G 11 A 16 P 27
8	Ryan Leonard	Position Center
9	Nate Danielson	Signed Jul 13 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $1,950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
10	Dalibor Dvorský	Signed Jul 14 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $1,733,333 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
11	Tom Willander	Position Defense
12	Daniil But	Position Left Wing
13	Zach Benson	Signed Jul 28 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $1,600,000 Length 3yrs Start 2023-24 End 2025-26 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 94 G 15 A 24 P 39
14	Brayden Yager	Signed Jul 25 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $1,450,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
15	Matthew Wood	Position Left Wing
16	Samuel Honzek	Signed Jul 26 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $1,450,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 5 G 0 A 0 P 0
17	Axel Sandin Pellikka	Signed May 6 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $1,450,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
18	Colby Barlow	Signed Sep 21 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $1,200,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
19	Oliver Moore	Position Center
20	Eduard Sale	Signed Jul 15 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
21	Charlie Stramel	Position Center
22	Oliver Bonk	Signed Aug 21 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $1,200,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
23	Gabe Perreault	Position Right Wing
24	Tanner Molendyk	Signed Jul 6 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
25	Otto Stenberg	Signed May 1 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
26	Quentin Musty	Signed Oct 4 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $1,033,333 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
27	Calum Ritchie	Signed Jul 8 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $1,191,667 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 7 G 1 A 0 P 1
28	Easton Cowan	Signed Aug 11 2023 Cap Hit $935,833 AAV $935,833 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
29	Theo Lindstein	Signed Mar 20 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
30	Bradly Nadeau	Signed Apr 7 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 1 G 0 A 0 P 0
31	Mikhail Gulyayev	Position Defense
32	David Edstrom	Signed Jul 15 2023 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0

2023 NHL Entry Draft | Round 2

Pick	Player Selected	NHL Totals & Entry Level Contract
33	Nico Myatovic	Signed Mar 29 2024 Cap Hit $896,667 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
34	Gavin Brindley	Signed Apr 15 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2023-24 End 2025-26 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 1 G 0 A 0 P 0
35	Adam Gajan	Position Goaltender
36	Kasper Halttunen	Signed Jul 12 2023 Cap Hit $940,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
37	Ethan Gauthier	Signed Dec 14 2023 Cap Hit $896,667 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
38	Michael Hrabal	Position Goaltender
39	Anton Wahlberg	Signed Jul 14 2023 Cap Hit $896,667 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
40	Andrew Cristall	Signed Jul 6 2023 Cap Hit $905,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
41	Trey Augustine	Position Goaltender
42	Andrew Gibson	Signed Apr 29 2024 Cap Hit $896,667 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
43	Felix Nilsson	Position Center
44	Roman Kantserov	Position Right Wing
45	Maxim Strbak	Position Defense
46	Kalan Lind	Signed Jul 6 2023 Cap Hit $870,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
47	Brady Cleveland	Position Defense
48	Etienne Morin	Signed Jul 5 2024 Cap Hit $903,333 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
49	Danny Nelson	Position Center
50	Carson Rehkopf	Signed Apr 21 2024 Cap Hit $923,333 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
51	Carson Bjarnason	Signed Sep 26 2023 Cap Hit $913,333 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Goaltender Career NHL Totals GP 0
52	Oscar Fisker Mølgaard	Signed Jun 14 2024 Cap Hit $923,333 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
53	Rasmus Kumpulainen	Signed Mar 18 2024 Cap Hit $897,500 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
54	Jakub Dvorak	Signed Jul 14 2023 Cap Hit $900,000 AAV $900,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
55	Martin Misiak	Signed May 28 2024 Cap Hit $878,333 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
56	Beau Akey	Signed Oct 10 2023 Cap Hit $895,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
57	Lukas Dragicevic	Signed Mar 29 2024 Cap Hit $923,333 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
58	Lenni Hämeenaho	Position Right Wing
59	Carey Terrance	Position Center
60	Damian Clara	Signed Jun 3 2024 Cap Hit $878,333 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Goaltender Career NHL Totals GP 0
61	Tristan Bertucci	Signed Mar 15 2024 Cap Hit $878,333 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
62	Felix Unger Sörum	Signed Jul 15 2023 Cap Hit $860,000 AAV $860,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
63	Gracyn Sawchyn	Signed Nov 4 2024 Cap Hit $878,333 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
64	Riley Heidt	Signed Mar 24 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0

2023 NHL Entry Draft | Round 3

Pick	Player Selected	NHL Totals & Entry Level Contract
65	Coulson Pitre	Signed Apr 3 2024 Cap Hit $858,333 AAV $858,333 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
66	William Whitelaw	Position Center
67	Nick Lardis	Signed Apr 4 2024 Cap Hit $896,667 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
68	Jesse Kiiskinen	Position Right Wing
69	Jacob Fowler	Position Goaltender
70	Jonathan Castagna	Position Center
71	Brandon Svoboda	Position Center
72	Noel Nordh	Signed May 5 2024 Cap Hit $865,000 AAV $900,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
73	Noah Dower Nilsson	Position Center
74	Quinton Burns	Signed Aug 23 2024 Cap Hit $870,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
75	Hunter Brzustewicz	Signed Mar 14 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
76	Juraj Pekarcik	Signed May 29 2024 Cap Hit $870,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
77	Mathieu Cataford	Signed Jan 1 2024 Cap Hit $855,000 AAV $855,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
78	Koehn Ziemmer	Signed Nov 17 2023 Cap Hit $875,000 AAV $875,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
79	Brad Gardiner	Position Center
80	Aydar Suniev	Position Left Wing
81	Tanner Ludtke	Position Center
82	Zachary Nehring	Position Right Wing
83	Dylan MacKinnon	Position Defense
84	Caden Price	Signed Apr 24 2024 Cap Hit $865,833 AAV $908,333 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
85	Yegor Sidorov	Signed Apr 3 2024 Cap Hit $865,000 AAV $900,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
86	Gavin McCarthy	Position Defense
87	Yegor Zavragin	Position Goaltender
88	Vadim Moroz	Position Left Wing
89	Sawyer Mynio	Signed Sep 24 2023 Cap Hit $870,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
90	Drew Fortescue	Position Defense
91	Emil Pieniniemi	Signed Jul 14 2023 Cap Hit $870,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
92	Christopher Pelosi	Position Center
93	Jiri Felcman	Position Center
94	Jayden Perron	Position Right Wing
95	Denver Barkey	Signed Mar 4 2024 Cap Hit $895,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
96	Arttu Kärki	Position Defense

2023 NHL Entry Draft | Round 4

Pick	Player Selected	NHL Totals & Entry Level Contract
97	Konnor Smith	Position Defense
98	Andrew Strathmann	Position Defense
99	Alex Pharand	Position Center
100	Alexander Rykov	Position Right Wing
101	Florian Xhekaj	Signed Apr 9 2024 Cap Hit $866,667 AAV $920,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
102	Terrell Goldsmith	Signed Oct 18 2024 Cap Hit $866,667 AAV $920,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
103	Cole Knuble	Position Center
104	Patrick Thomas	Position Center
105	Ty Mueller	Signed Mar 31 2024 Cap Hit $870,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
106	Jakub Stancl	Signed Jun 1 2024 Cap Hit $866,667 AAV $916,667 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
107	Vilmer Alriksson	Signed Sep 29 2024 Cap Hit $860,000 AAV $860,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
108	Hoyt Stanley	Position Defense
109	Ethan Miedema	Position Left Wing
110	Bogdan Konyushkov	Position Defense
111	Joseph Willis	Position Center
112	Jaden Lipinski	Position Center
113	Jesse Nurmi	Signed Jun 10 2024 Cap Hit $870,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Left Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
114	Luca Pinelli	Signed Apr 23 2024 Cap Hit $878,333 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
115	Jayson Shaugabay	Position Center
116	Andrei Loshko	Position Right Wing
117	Larry Keenan	Position Defense
118	Hampton Slukynsky	Position Goaltender
119	Matthew Perkins	Position Center
120	Alex Ciernik	Position Left Wing
121	Juha Jatkola	Position Goaltender
122	Cam Squires	Signed Jul 19 2024 Cap Hit $870,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
123	Luca Cagnoni	Signed May 22 2024 Cap Hit $895,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
124	Beckett Hendrickson	Position Center
125	Aram Minnetian	Position Defense
126	Stanislav Yarovoy	Position Right Wing
127	Albert Wikman	Position Defense
128	Quentin Miller	Position Goaltender

2023 NHL Entry Draft | Round 5

Pick	Player Selected	NHL Totals & Entry Level Contract
129	Rodwin Dionicio	Signed May 18 2024 Cap Hit $950,000 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
130	Axel Landén	Position Defense
131	Marcel Marcel	Position Left Wing
132	Eric Pohlkamp	Position Defense
133	Sam Harris	Position Left Wing
134	Melker Thelin	Position Goaltender
135	Carter Sotheran	Position Defense
136	Cam Allen	Signed Jul 6 2024 Cap Hit $886,667 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
137	Jack Phelan	Position Defense
138	Paul Fischer	Position Defense
139	Charles-Alexis Legault	Signed May 6 2024 Cap Hit $915,833 AAV $950,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
140	Matthew Andonovski	Signed Jul 3 2024 Cap Hit $863,333 AAV $863,333 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
141	Scott Ratzlaff	Signed Oct 18 2024 Cap Hit $865,000 AAV $900,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Goaltender Career NHL Totals GP 0
142	Mikhail Ye. Ilyin	Position Left Wing
143	Sutter Muzzatti	Position Center
144	Yevgeni Volokhin	Position Goaltender
145	Justin Gill	Position Center
146	Jacob Julien	Position Center
147	Kevin Bicker	Position Left Wing
148	Kaden Hammell	Position Defense
149	Aaron Pionk	Position Defense
150	Matthew Mania	Position Defense
151	Thomas Milic	Signed May 4 2024 Cap Hit $841,667 AAV $841,667 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Goaltender Career NHL Totals GP 0
152	Rasmus Larsson	Position Defense
153	Hudson Malinoski	Position Center
154	Chase Cheslock	Position Defense
155	Nikita Ishimnikov	Position Defense
156	Melvin Strahl	Position Goaltender
157	Arno Tiefensee	Position Goaltender
158	Ruslan Khazheyev	Signed May 1 2024 Cap Hit $845,000 AAV $845,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Goaltender Career NHL Totals GP 0
159	Olof Glifford	Position Goaltender
160	Justin Kipkie	Position Defense

2023 NHL Entry Draft | Round 6

Pick	Player Selected	NHL Totals & Entry Level Contract
161	Vojtech Port	Position Defense
162	Samu Bau	Position Center
163	Timur Mukhanov	Position Left Wing
164	Cole Brown	Position Right Wing
165	Filip Eriksson	Position Center
166	Carsen Musser	Position Goaltender
167	Milton Oscarson	Position Center
168	Visa Vedenpää	Position Goaltender
169	Rudy Guimond	Position Goaltender
170	Matthew Mayich	Position Defense
171	Aiden Celebrini	Position Defense
172	Ryan MacPherson	Position Center
173	Sean Keohane	Position Defense
174	Cooper Foster	Position Center
175	Austin Roest	Signed Mar 2 2024 Cap Hit $845,000 AAV $845,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Right Wing Career NHL Totals GP 0
176	Yegor Yegorov	Position Goaltender
177	Zach Schulz	Position Defense
178	Dylan Roobroeck	Signed May 20 2024 Cap Hit $850,000 AAV $850,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
179	Warren Clark	Position Defense
180	Zeb Forsfjäll	Position Center
181	Kalem Parker	Position Defense
182	Ryan Conmy	Position Right Wing
183	Ty Henricks	Position Left Wing
184	Nathaniel Day	Position Goaltender
185	Noah Chadwick	Signed Dec 22 2023 Cap Hit $851,667 AAV $851,667 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Slide 23/24 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
186	Daniil Karpovich	Position Defense
187	Jeremy Hanzel	Signed Mar 7 2024 Cap Hit $851,667 AAV $851,667 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Defense Career NHL Totals GP 0
188	Ryan Walsh	Position Center
189	Angus MacDonell	Position Center
190	Michael Emerson	Position Right Wing
191	Luke Coughlin	Position Defense
192	Tuomas Uronen	Position Center

2023 NHL Entry Draft | Round 7

Pick	Player Selected	NHL Totals & Entry Level Contract
193	Jack Harvey	Position Center
194	Oiva Keskinen	Position Center
195	Janne Peltonen	Position Defense
196	David Klee	Position Center
197	Luke Mittelstadt	Position Defense
198	Stepan Zvyagin	Position Right Wing
199	Matteo Mann	Position Defense
200	Brett Hyland	Position Left Wing
201	Emmitt Finnie	Signed Mar 27 2024 Cap Hit $845,000 AAV $845,000 Length 3yrs Start 2024-25 End 2026-27 Position Center Career NHL Totals GP 0
202	Nikita Susuyev	Position Left Wing
203	Yegor Rimashevsky	Position Right Wing
204	Owen Beckner	Position Center
205	Norwin Panocha	Position Defense
206	Antoine Keller	Position Goaltender
207	Vladimir Nikitin	Position Goaltender
208	Axel Hurtig	Position Defense
209	Dennis Good Bogg	Position Defense
210	Connor Levis	Position Center
211	Ethan Hay	Position Center
212	Zaccharya Wisdom	Position Right Wing
213	Jimmy Clark	Position Left Wing
214	Casper Nässén	Position Left Wing
215	Nicholas VanTassell	Position Center
216	Matt Copponi	Position Center
217	Emil Järventie	Position Left Wing
218	Aiden Fink	Position Right Wing
219	Maros Jedlicka	Position Center
220	Kristian Kostadinski	Position Defense
221	Sebastian Bradshaw	Position Left Wing
222	Yegor Velmakin	Position Goaltender
223	Kalle Kangas	Position Defense
224	Tyler Peddle	Position Center

Insights and Insiders

Dec 12

PuckPedia

Despite #NHLBruins waiving Alec Regula & #LetsGoOilers claiming him, he has not yet been activated off IR. Since he was injured prior to season, is on a 2-way contract & did not have any NHL days last year, he carries $0 cap hit until activated. t.co/OasFtk3UnZ

Dec 12

PuckPedia

RT @NHL_Rosters: A bunch of extra stats have been added to the depth chart option! t.co/VbNRelXFIH t.co/2EDVbZbdlk

Dec 13

Calgary Hockey Now

3 Competitive Advantages the Calgary Flames Will Get With the New Arena

Dec 13

The Hockey News - Leafs

Explained: Why Alex Nylander and Dakota Mermis Were Waived by the Maple Leafs

The Only Source You Need for NHL Draft Results & NHL Draft History

PuckPedia is your reliable online source for NHL draft results, providing complete and accurate information on which players were picked by what team, at any given draft. Access results for all the Entry drafts held throughout NHL draft history, including Amateur Drafts and Expansion Drafts. Read through your favorite player’s draft class, review all the hits and misses from your favorite team, and check out the latest draft. Everything you need to know about NHL Drafts is here, at PuckPedia, your Ultimate Source for Hockey Info.

About The NHL Draft

The NHL Entry Draft is an assembly of NHL franchises, during which teams take turns selecting the rights to amateur ice hockey players. Players are selected from junior or collegiate leagues, as well as professional European league players who meet the draft requirements two to three months after the previous season has concluded. For North American players to be eligible, they should have reached the age of 18 on or before September 15 of the draft year, and should be below 20 years of age before December 31st. For European and international players, the age range is between 18 and 21 years of age.

NHL Draft History

The first NHL Draft was held on June 5, 1963 in Montreal. During this time, the conference was called the NHL Amateur Draft, because only players between 18 and 20 years of age from non-professional leagues were eligible. The title was eventually changed to NHL Entry Draft in 1980, when professional players (from age 18 to 20) from the defunct World Hockey Association (WHA) joined the league through the draft, with the exception of Wayne Gretzky, who came to the NHL undrafted as part of an agreement for WHA teams to bring over a limited number of players.

NHL Draft Lottery

Throughout NHL draft history, there have been many changes in the draft lottery format. From 1963 up to 1994, draft order was determined in reverse order of the team standings, so the team that finished last during the previous season was allowed to make the first pick. In 1995, the NHL changed the way the draft selections were awarded. All non-playoff teams would be entered in a lottery, and the winner would move up by as many as 4 picks. The chances of winning the lottery weighed heavily on the teams at the bottom of the regular season standings. In 2013, the NHL made another alteration to the draft lottery process. Instead of allowing the lottery winner to move up by 4 draft spots, the winner would now move all the way up to the number one spot. Recently, in 2016, the NHL draft lottery format was modified once again. This time, the top 3 picks were all drawn through the lottery, instead of simply holding a lottery for the first overall pick.

NHL Expansion Draft

Occasionally, whenever the NHL expanded, they would need to stock the new team with players through an expansion draft. During an NHL Expansion Draft, existing teams would submit a list of 'protected' players, who are not to be included in the draft, and the expansion teams would instead choose players who are not on the lists.

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