The 20 Greatest NHL First Overall Draft Picks of All Time

By YPB Team

The first overall pick carries the weight of a franchise's hopes. From Gilbert Perreault in 1970 to Connor McDavid in 2015, these are the players taken first — some delivered dynasties, some fell short. Which No. 1 pick is the greatest ever?

Connor McDavid (2015)

Selected by Edmonton, McDavid won five Art Ross Trophies, three Hart Trophies, and a Conn Smythe by his mid-twenties — widely considered the most complete player of his generation.

1000pts

Dale Hawerchuk (1981)

Winnipeg's 1981 pick won the Calder Trophy as a teenager and accumulated over 1,400 career points as one of the most complete two-way centers of the 1980s.

681pts

Denis Potvin (1973)

New York's 1973 pick captained the Islanders to four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980-1983 and redefined what an offensive defenseman could accomplish.

680pts

Auston Matthews (2016)

Toronto's 2016 pick won the Hart Trophy, three Rocket Richard Trophies, and set the franchise record for goals, giving the Maple Leafs their most dangerous scorer in decades.

637pts

Aaron Ekblad (2014)

Florida's 2014 pick won the Calder Trophy at 18 as the youngest defenseman ever to be selected first overall, becoming the Panthers' cornerstone blue-liner and Stanley Cup champion.

636pts

Guy Lafleur (1971)

The Canadiens' 1971 pick won five Stanley Cups, three Art Ross Trophies, and two Hart Trophies as the defining player of the Montreal dynasty's most glorious decade.

631pts

Pierre Turgeon (1987)

Buffalo's soft-skilled 1987 selection accumulated 1,327 career points across six teams, including a 58-goal season in 1992-93 with the Islanders.

624pts

Alexander Ovechkin (2004)

Washington's 2004 selection broke Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record, winning nine Rocket Richard Trophies and a Stanley Cup in a career defined by pure goal-scoring brilliance.

612pts

Mario Lemieux (1984)

Pittsburgh's first overall pick overcame a career-threatening back condition and Hodgkin's lymphoma to win three Stanley Cups and 1,723 career points, second only to Gretzky.

605pts

Gilbert Perreault (1970)

Buffalo's first-ever NHL Draft pick spent his entire 17-season career with the Sabres, becoming the franchise's all-time leading scorer and a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee.

599pts

Mats Sundin (1989)

The first European player selected first overall, Sundin spent most of his career captaining the Toronto Maple Leafs and accumulated over 1,300 career points in the NHL.

599pts

Joe Thornton (1997)

Boston's 1997 pick became a 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee with over 1,500 career points, known for his elite playmaking that dominated the NHL for two decades.

572pts

Patrick Kane (2007)

Chicago's 2007 selection anchored the Blackhawks dynasty alongside Jonathan Toews, winning three Stanley Cups and a Hart Trophy during a decade of sustained excellence.

572pts

Steven Stamkos (2008)

Tampa's 2008 selection captained the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020-21 and surpassed 500 career goals as one of the purest goal-scorers of his generation.

558pts

Sidney Crosby (2005)

The Penguins' 2005 pick became a three-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Hart Trophy winner, and 1,600-point scorer who is considered the best of his era.

556pts

Gavin McKenna (2026)

Taken first overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2026 NHL Draft, McKenna was hailed as a generational playmaking center whose skill drew comparisons to Wayne Gretzky.

535pts

Mike Modano (1988)

The Minnesota/Dallas franchise cornerstone set the all-time record for goals by an American-born NHL player and won a Stanley Cup with the Stars in 1999.

525pts

Eric Lindros (1991)

The 'Big E' refused Quebec's selection and was traded to Philadelphia, where he won the Hart Trophy in 1995 and became one of hockey's most physically dominant forces.

521pts

Nathan MacKinnon (2013)

Colorado's 2013 pick won back-to-back Hart Trophies and a Conn Smythe Trophy in 2022 as the Avalanche captured their third Stanley Cup in franchise history.

519pts

Connor Bedard (2023)

Chicago's 2023 selection won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year and quickly established himself as one of the NHL's most exciting offensive talents.