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 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 17 years of age 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 2017, 217 players were selected over seven rounds.
A total of 54 different players have been selected first. Of those, 39 have been Canadian, eight American, three Russian, two Czech, two Swedish and one Swiss. Every first overall pick taken between 1968 and 2010 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 five players first between 1963 and 1980. 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
;Key| 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 | 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 | Defenceman 1 | 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 Oceanic | 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 HC | SHL | |
| 2019 | New Jersey Devils | ' | Forward | U.S. NTDP | USHL |
;Notes
- Wendel Clark was drafted as a defenceman