Number One Draft Choices

Updated September 27, 2017 | Infoplease Staff

Overall first choices in the NHL draft since the league staged its first universal amateur draft in 1969. Players are listed with team that selected them; those who became Rookie of the Year are in bold type.

Year
1969 Rejean Houle, Mon., LW
1970 Gilbert Perreault, Buf., C
1971 Guy Lafleur, Mon., RW
1972 Billy Harris, NYI, RW
1973 Denis Potvin, NYI, D
1974 Greg Joly, Wash., D
1975 Mel Bridgman, Phi., C
1976 Rick Green, Wash., D
1977 Dale McCourt, Det., C
1978 Bobby Smith, Min., C
1979 Rob Ramage, Colo., D
1980 Doug Wickenheiser, Mon., C
1981 Dale Hawerchuk, Win., C
1982 Gord Kluzak, Bos., D
1983 Brian Lawton, Min., C
1984 Mario Lemieux, Pit., C
1985 Wendel Clark, Tor., LW/D
1986 Joe Murphy, Det., C
1987 Pierre Turgeon, Buf., C
1988 Mike Modano, Min., C
1989 Mats Sundin, Que., RW
1990 Owen Nolan, Que., RW
1991 Eric Lindros, Que., C
1992 Roman Hamrlik, TB, D
1993 Alexandre Daigle, Ott., C
1994 Ed Jovanovski, Fla., D
1995 Bryan Berard, Ott., D
1996Chris Phillips, Ott., D
1997Joe Thornton, Bos., C
1998Vincent Lecavalier, TB, C
1999Patrik Stefan, Atl., C
2000Rick DiPietro, NYI, G
2001Ilya Kovalchuk, Atl., RW
2002Rick Nash, Clb., LW
2003 Marc-Andre Fleury, Pit., G
2004 Alexander Ovechkin, Wash., LW

Annual AwardsThrough The YearsWorld Hockey Association
Hockey Through The Years
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