Best Overall No. 1 Picks in NHL History

These No. 1 overall picks in the NHL draft started their careers with a lot of hype, and they delivered.

Scouting is an inexact science. Except in hockey. The NHL, more than any other North American professional sports league, has a history of teams making the right selection with the No. 1 overall pick.

Maybe it’s because hockey is a worldwide sport with more eyes evaluating players, or maybe it’s just that elite hockey talent is so rare that it’s easier to spot. Either way, the right player can turn around the fortunes of a franchise just as much as the wrong one could bring a franchise tumbling down.

These are the best No. 1 overall picks in NHL draft history, dating back to the draft’s first year in 1963.

25. Wendel Clark

Andy Hoekstra / AP Photo

Born: Oct. 25, 1966 (Kelvington, Saskatchewan, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1985

Position: Left wing/defense

Career: 16 seasons (1985-2000)

Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs (1985-94, 1996-98, 2000), Quebec Nordiques (1994-95), New York Islanders (1995), Tampa Bay Lightning (1998-99), Detroit Red Wings (1999), Chicago Blackhawks (1999-2000)

Career highlights: Two-time NHL All-Star (1986, 1999), NHL All-Rookie Team (1986), Ontario Sports Hall of Fame (2011)

Bottom Line: Wendel Clark

Jerry S. Mendoza / AP Photo

Few players in Toronto Maple Leafs history are as beloved as Wendel Clark. This fact is underscored by his three separate stints with the team, including part of his final season in 2000.

Clark established himself as one of the league’s best young players in his first two seasons, but a severe back injury at the start of the 1987-88 season changed the trajectory of his career. Clark played 80 games in the 1986-87 season and played just 81 games over the next three seasons.

Clark’s toughness can’t be overstated. He made his first All-Star team in 1986 and made his second and last All-Star team in 1999.

In Their Own Words: Wendel Clark

Fred Jewell / AP Photo

“After the game, we all headed out to Pat & Mario’s, a restaurant over at Church and Front Streets. One of our rituals on Saturday nights was we would all go out as a team, usually to Pat & Mario’s, Brandy’s or Scotland Yard, a block south at Church and the Esplanade. In 1986, our downtown bar options were limited. Later, there was also Earl’s Tin Palace up at Yonge and Eglinton or Peter’s Back Yard on King Street, and a few years later, The Phoenix and RPM opened up.” —Wendel Clark, Bleeding Blue

24. Rick Nash

Jay LaPrete / AP Photo

Born: June 16, 1985 (Brampton, Ontario, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2002

Position: Left wing

Career: 15 seasons (2002-04, 2005-18)

Teams: Columbus Blue Jackets (2002-04, 2005-12), New York Rangers (2012-18), Boston Bruins (2018)

Career highlights: Six-time NHL All-Star (2004, 2007-09, 2011, 2015), NHL All-Rookie Team (2003)

Bottom Line: Rick Nash

Jay LaPrete / AP Photo

Rick Nash might actually still be playing in the NHL if concussions hadn’t cut his career short in 2018. He played 15 seasons and made six All-Star teams.

He was a six-time All-Star and led the league in goals in 2004, his second season, and helped lead the New York Rangers to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

Nash cashed in during his time in the NHL. He made $55.1 million in career earnings and was in the middle of an eight-year, $62 million deal when he retired.

In Their Own Words: Rick Nash

Bill Kostroun / AP Photo

“This is the team I was drafted to, and this is where I’ve made my home for the last three years. I don’t want to switch teams. I’d rather take this team to the top.” —Rick Nash

23. Aaron Ekblad

Chris O’Meara / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 7, 1996 (Windsor, Ontario, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2014

Position: Defense

Career: 9 seasons (2014-present)

Teams: Florida Panthers (2014-present)

Career highlights: Calder Trophy (2015), two-time NHL All-Star (2015, 2016)

Bottom Line: Aaron Ekblad

Matt Slocum / AP Photo

It’s rare in the modern era for a defenseman to be picked No. 1 overall, but Aaron Ekblad was up to the task through most of his first six seasons in the NHL.

Ekblad won NHL Rookie of the Year in 2015 and made the All-Star game in each of his first two seasons and established himself as one of the best goal-scoring defenders in the league.

He signed an eight-year, $60 million contract extension in 2016 but has been plagued by injuries the last few years. Multiple concussions and a fractured leg ended his season early in the 2020-21 season.

In Their Own Words: Aaron Ekblad

Matt Strasen / AP Photo

“In the OHL, [Aaron Ekblad] competed against players as old as 20. In the summers, he skated with NHL guys from around his hometown, and found himself mostly keeping up. He took his status as the top NHL draft pick as less of an accolade and more of a personal challenge: Making the Panthers’ roster out of training camp was his goal. It’s not an easy task for any first-year player, let alone one who plays on the blue line. But Ekblad plays with a coolness that belies his age.” —Katie Baker, Grantland

22. Eric Lindros

George Widman / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 28, 1973 (London, Ontario, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1991

Position: Center

Career: 14 seasons (1992-2004, 2005-07)

Teams: Philadelphia Flyers (1992-2000), New York Rangers (2001-04), Toronto Maple Leafs (2005-06), Dallas Stars (2006-07)

Career highlights: Hart Trophy (1995), seven-time NHL All-Star (1994, 1996, 1997-2000, 2002), NHL All-Rookie Team (1993)

Bottom Line: Eric Lindros

AP Photo

Eric Lindros is one of several players that also made our Worst No. 1 Picks list — and he was one of the more hotly debated players put on that list.

That’s because you can’t look at Lindros’ career and not see the bad without acknowledging the good as well. He won NHL Most Valuable Player honors in his third full season and was a seven-time All-Star.

It’s fair to call Lindros the most coveted No. 1 overall pick of all time, so the fact he never won a Stanley Cup can’t be overlooked. That being said, we may be hearing about another Lindros rising to hockey stardom in a few years.

In Their Own Words: Eric Lindros

Matt Slocum / AP Photo

“It’s not necessarily the amount of time you spend at practice that counts. It’s what you put into the practice.” —Eric Lindros

21. Bobby Smith

Hockey90s / Twitter

Born: Feb. 12, 1958 (North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1978

Position: Center

Career: 15 seasons (1978-93)

Teams: Minnesota North Stars (1978-83, 1990-93), Montreal Canadiens (1983-90)

Career highlights: Stanley Cup champion (1986), Calder Trophy (1979), four-time NHL All-Star (1981, 1982, 1989, 1991)

Bottom Line: Bobby Smith

Jim Mone / AP Photo

Bobby Smith was impossible to ignore as a No. 1 pick after he broke Wayne Gretzky’s OHL single-season points record in 1977-78.

Smith spent the first part of his career toiling away on some pretty bad teams with the Minnesota North Stars but still made two All-Star teams before a trade to the Montreal Canadiens in 1983.

Smith won his lone Stanley Cup with the Habs in 1986 and was traded back to Minnesota in 1990, where he played his final three seasons. After his playing career, Smith was the general manager of the Phoenix Coyotes from 1996 to 2000.

In Their Own Words: Bobby Smith

stefkiro / Twitter

“[Bobby Smith] is an excellent skater who has the agility and coordination of a smaller man … has exceptional hockey sense … is a level-headed individual with tremendous potential.” —NHL Central Scouting, 1978

20. Taylor Hall

John Ulan / AP Photo

Born: Nov. 14, 1991 (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2010

Position: Left Wing

Career: 13 seasons (2010-present)

Teams: Edmonton Oilers (2010-16), New Jersey Devils (2016-20), Arizona Coyotes (2020), Buffalo Sabres (2020-21), Boston Bruins (2021-present)

Career highlights: Hart Trophy (2018), five-time NHL All-Star (2011, 2016-19)

Bottom Line: Taylor Hall

Reed Saxon / AP Photo

Taylor Hall’s career seems like it’s at a crossroads just three seasons after he was named NHL Most Valuable Player in 2018.

Shoulder and knee injuries have waylaid Hall in the last few years. For 2020-21, he signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres but was such a bust he was traded to the Boston Bruins, meaning he’s on his fourth team in the last two years.

Hall’s original promise paid off somewhat after the Oilers picked him No. 1overall in 2010, but it’s hard to say which way it goes from here.

In Their Own Words: Taylor Hall

Frank Franklin II / AP Photo

“I’m not after the points or anything like that. I just want at the end of my career to say I’m a Stanley Cup winner.” —Taylor Hall, Instagram

19. Dale Hawerchuk

Don Heiny / AP Photo

Born: April 4, 1963 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Died: Aug. 18, 2020, 57 years old (Barrie, Ontario, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1981

Position: Center

Career: 16 seasons (1981-97)

Teams: Winnipeg Jets (1981-90), Buffalo Sabres (1990-95), St. Louis Blues (1995-96), Philadelphia Flyers (1996-97)

Career highlights: Calder Trophy (1982), five-time NHL All-Star (1982, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1997)

Bottom Line: Dale Hawerchuk

Phil Sandlin / AP Photo

Dale Hawerchuk was a hockey prodigy growing up in Canada. His father said he had him on ice skates by the time he was 2 years old.

The Winnipeg Jets made Hawerchuk the No. 1 overall pick in 1981, when he was one of four Hall of Famers taken in the first round ahead of Ron Francis, Grant Fuhr and Al MacInnis.

In 16 seasons, Hawerchuk only made it past the second round once, in his final season, when the Philadelphia Flyers were swept by the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final. Hawerchuk stepped down as coach of the OHL’s Barrie Colts in 2019 and died of cancer in August 2020, at 57 years old.

In Their Own Words: Dale Hawerchuk

Nanine Hartzenbush / AP Photo

“In his first season, Hawerchuk scored 45 goals and became the youngest player in NHL history at the time to reach 100 points, with 103. (The record was broken by Sidney Crosby in 2006.) He was also named rookie of the year, the youngest to be so honored at 18 years old.” —The New York Times

18. Pierre Turgeon

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Born: Aug. 28, 1969 (Rouyn, Quebec, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1987

Position: Center

Career: 19 seasons(1987-2004, 2005-07)

Teams: Buffalo Sabres (1987-92), New York Islanders (1992-95), Montreal Canadiens (1995-97), St. Louis Blues (1997-2001), Dallas Stars (2001-04), Colorado Avalanche (2005-07)

Career highlights: Five-time NHL All-Star (1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2000), Lady Byng Trophy (1993)

Bottom Line: Pierre Turgeon

Mary Butkus / AP Photo

Wherever you put Pierre Turgeon’s name, the arc of his career may have been defined before he ever played in the NHL.

In one of the greatest fights in hockey history, the “Punch-Up in Piestany” between Canada and the Soviet Union in the 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Turgeon was the only Canadian player who refused to leave the bench and fight.

Fair or not, Turgeon carried the “coward” tag after that — even through five All-Star selections and a Lady Byng Trophy in 1993.

In Their Own Words: Pierre Turgeon

Jack Dempsey / AP Photo

“It’s with confidence that I’m going to begin this new chapter in my life. Hockey is a team sport, and I admit my teammates will be greatly missed.” —Pierre Turgeon, NHL.com

17. John Tavares

Bill Kostroun / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 20, 1990 (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2009

Position: Center

Career: 14 seasons (2009-present)

Teams: New York Islanders (2009-18), Toronto Maple Leafs (2018-present)

Career highlights: Six-time NHL All-Star (2012, 2015-19), NHL All-Rookie Team (2010), CHL Player of the Year (2007)

Bottom Line: John Tavares

Kathy Kmonicek / AP Photo

John Tavares was one of the youngest players to ever participate in junior hockey in Canada at just 13 years old. He was also the youngest player in OHL draft history. Hockey Canada gave him an “exceptional player” exemption that allowed him to be selected when he was 14 years old.

NHL teams tried to get special exemptions like the one Tavares received from the OHL to take him No. 1 overall starting in 2007, but he was forced to wait until 2009.

You can make an argument the first decade of Tavares’ career was wasted on the New York Islanders. He didn’t play in the postseason until his fifth year and missed the playoffs seven times in nine seasons.

In 2018, Tavares turned down a seven-year, $91 million contract offer from the San Jose Sharks that would have made him the highest-paid player in NHL history and signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs for seven years and $77 million.

In Their Own Words: John Tavares

Peter Power / AP Photo

“Some may have more talent, but there is no excuse for anyone working harder than you.” —John Tavares

16. Vincent Lecavalier

Steve Nesius / AP Photo

Born: April 21, 1980 (L’ille-Blizard, Quebec, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1998

Position: Center

Career: 17 seasons (1998-2004, 2005-16)

Teams: Tampa Bay Lightning (1998-2004, 2005-13), Philadelphia Flyers (2013-15), Los Angeles Kings (2015-16

Career highlights: Stanley Cup champion (2004), King Clancy Trophy (2008), four-time NHL All-Star (2003, 2007-09)

Bottom Line: Vincent Lecavalier

Winslow Townson / AP Photo

Then-Tampa Bay Lightning owner Art Williams didn’t do Vincent Lecavalier any favors. After the team drafted Lecavalier No. 1 overall in 1998, Williams said he would be the “Michael Jordan of hockey.”

Lecavalier had an outstanding career but had to work through some bumps in the road early on. He became the youngest captain in NHL history in 1999, then had the captaincy stripped two years later by head coach John Tortorella.

Lecavalier proved to be incredibly resilient. He won back the captain position and led the Lightning to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2004.

In Their Own Words: Vincent Lecavalier

Chris O’Meara / AP Photo

“The first four years I was there, we lost a lot and people weren’t coming out to see us and people did not respect our team. Now we have turned it around. Now we are a competitive team, and we are winning every year, and we have a chance to keep it going.” —Vincent Lecavalier

15. Nathan MacKinnon

Jack Dempsey / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 1, 1995 (Springhill, Nova Scotia, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2013

Position: Center

Career: 10 seasons (2013-present)

Teams: Colorado Avalanche

Career highlights: Calder Trophy (2014), six-time NHL All-Star (2017-20, 2022, 2023), Lady Byng Trophy (2020)

Bottom Line: Nathan MacKinnon

Bill Kostroun / AP Photo

Nathan MacKinnon put the NHL on notice when he scored five goals for the Halifax Mooseheads in a 6-5 win over the Quebec Remparts in a QMJHL game. MacKinnon was the only 16-year-old playing against 18- and 19-year-olds, and Quebec was coached by his future NHL head coach Patrick Roy.

The Avalanche made MacKinnon the No. 1 overall pick in 2013, and he was named 2014 NHL Rookie of the Year.

MacKinnon seems to be in the prime of his career right now. He’s scored over 90 points in each of the last three seasons, which included just 69 games in 2019-20.

In Their Own Words: Nathan MacKinnon

John Locher / AP Photo

“I’m going into my ninth year next year and haven’t won (expletive).” —Nathan MacKinnon, AwfulAnnouncing.com

14. Mats Sundin

Duane Burleson / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 13, 1971 (Bromma, Sweden)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1989

Position: Center

Career: 18 seasons (1990-2004, 2005-09)

Teams: Quebec Nordiques (1990-95), Toronto Maple Leafs (1995-2004, 2005-08), Vancouver Canucks (2008-09)

Career highlights: Nine-time NHL All-Star (1996-2004), Hockey Hall of Fame (2012), NHL 100 Greatest Players (2017)

Bottom Line: Mats Sundin

David Duprey / AP Photo

Mats Sundin became a trailblazer when the Swedish center became the first European player selected No. 1 overall in 1989.

Sundin played one more season of pro hockey in Sweden before joining the moribund Quebec Nordiques in 1990 and quickly established himself as one of the league’s best players with 114 points in his second season.

Sundin’s career was doomed to play on teams that never lifted the Stanley Cup. In 18 seasons, he never even got to play in the finals.

In Their Own Words: Mats Sundin

Niklas Larsson / AP Photo

“Winning a Stanley Cup for Toronto, that’s the biggest dream and the biggest goal.” —Mats Sundin

13. Marc-Andre Fleury

Gene J. Puskar / AP Photo

Born: Nov. 28, 1984 (Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2003

Position: Goaltender

Career: 19 seasons (2003-04, 2005-present)

Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins (2003-04, 2005-17), Vegas Golden Knights (2017-21), Chicago Blackhawks (2021-22), Minnesota Wild (2022-present)

Career highlights: Three-time Stanley Cup champion (2009, 2016, 2017), five-time NHL All-Star (2011, 2015, 2018-20), Vezina Trophy (2021)

Bottom Line: Marc-Andre Fleury

Ryan Remoriz / AP Photo

No goaltender has been chosen No. 1 overall since the Pittsburgh Penguins picked Marc-Andre Fleury in 2003.

Fleury was one of the cornerstones for the franchise for the next decade-plus, winning three Stanley Cup championships and making five All-Star teams.

Fleury was taken by the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 expansion draft and led the team to the Stanley Cup Final in the franchise’s first seasons. The Knights awarded Fleury with a three-year, $21 million contract after the season.

In Their Own Words: Marc-Andre Fleury

John Locher / AP Photo

“Sometimes when I make a good save, I yell out, ‘Woo-Hooo!’ I’m not sure why, but it just feels good. I don’t think I scare anyone or freak anyone out when I do it. I just like to holler when I make a tough stop.” —Marc-Andre Fleury

12. Denis Potvin

Ed Bailey / AP Photo

Born: Oct. 29, 1953 (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1973

Position: Defense

Career: 15 seasons (1973-88)

Teams: New York Islanders

Career highlights: Four-time Stanley Cup champion (1980-83), three-time Norris Trophy winner (1976, 1978, 1979)

Bottom Line: Denis Potvin

AP Photo

Denis Potvin was a junior hockey league star for the Ottawa 67s before he was picked by the expansion New York Islanders with the No. 1 overall pick in 1973.

Potvin became one of the cornerstones for the Islanders as they won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983. The year before they drafted Potvin, they had the worst record in NHL history.

Potvin also won three Norris Trophies as the best defensemen in the NHL — all before the Islanders won their first Stanley Cup.

In Their Own Words: Denis Potvin

Kathy Kmonicek / AP Photo

“I’ve been here a long time with my family, and I really enjoy it down here. I don’t know if I could conceivably go into a lifestyle like that, because it would be a dramatic change.” —Denis Potvin

11. Connor McDavid

Paul Vernon / AP Photo

Born: Jan. 13, 1997 (Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2015

Position: Center

Career: 8 seasons (2015-present)

Teams: Edmonton Oilers

Career highlights: Two-time Hart Trophy (2017, 2021), six-time NHL All-Star (2017-20, 2022, 2023), five-time Ross Trophy (2017, 2018, 2021-23), NHL All-Rookie Team (2016)

Bottom Line: Connor McDavid

Alan Diaz / AP Photo

Connor McDavid is a once-in-a-generation player and one of the fastest skaters of all time — so talented he was given a rare “special exemption” by Hockey Canada to play in the OHL beginning when he was just 15 years old.

Through just five seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, McDavid has made four All-Star teams, won the NHL Fastest Skater Competition three times in a row, and won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 2017. He’s also led the league in scoring twice.

He signed an eight-year, $100 million contract with the Oilers in 2017.

In Their Own Words: Connor McDavid

Nick Didlick / AP Photo

“I don’t look at it like I’m in a class of my own. There are 40 great players here at the Top Prospects game, and it’s going to be a tough test and a great game. You look at the World Junior Championship and there were so many great players playing there, so I’m not in a class by myself. That’s a tremendous compliment, and if NHL scouts are saying that, it means the world. But at the end of the day, you just have to keep doing what you’re doing. There are great prospects out there. People are saying that this draft can be one of the best, and there are some really good players that will be drafted this year.” —Connor McDavid

10. Gilbert Perreault

Ray Stubblebine / AP Photo

Born: Nov. 13, 1950 (Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1970

Position: Center

Career: 17 seasons (1970-87)

Teams: Buffalo Sabres

Career highlights: Calder Trophy (1971), Lady Byng Trophy (1973), eight-time NHL All-Star (1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1984)

Bottom Line: Gilbert Perreault

Fred Jewell / AP Photo

Gilbert Perreault left home at age 16 to play junior hockey and wound up the No. 1 overall pick in the 1973 NHL draft at 23 years old — also the first pick in Buffalo Sabres franchise history.

Perreault played his entire career with the Sabres and was the center of the famed “French Connection” line alongside Rene Robert and Richard Martin.

The trio helped lead the Sabres to the Stanley Cup Final in 1975, and Perreault still holds franchise records for games (1,191), goals (512), assists (814) and points (1,326).

In Their Own Words: Gilbert Perreault

Terry Pegula, Rick Martin, Gilbert Perreault, Rene Robert

David Duprey / AP Photo

“The three important elements in hockey are: the forecheck, the backcheck and the paycheck.” —Gilbert Perreault

9. Steven Stamkos

Steve Nesius / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 7, 1990 (Markham, Ontario, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2008

Position: Center

Career: 15 seasons (2008-present)

Teams: Tampa Bay Lightning

Career highlights: Two-time Stanley Cup champion (2020, 2021), seven-time NHL All-Star (2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022), NHL YoungStars Game (2009)

Bottom Line: Steven Stamkos

Chris O’Meara / AP Photo

The Tampa Bay Lightning hit the ball out of the park by picking Toronto native Steven Stamkos No. 1 overall in 2008.

Stamkos became a star for the Lightning almost immediately, no matter how much former head coach Barry Melrose tried to hold him back early on.

Stamkos has led the NHL in goals twice, is a six-time All-Star and put the final feather in his cap when he helped lead Tampa Bay to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020, 2021.

In Their Own Words: Steven Stamkos

Chris O’Meara / AP Photo

“(The puck) is so fast off his stick and so heavy, that even though the goalie knows where he has to get to, the shot literally beats the goalie.” —NHL scout Craig Button on Steven Stamkos

8. Joe Thornton

Steven Senne / AP Photo

Born: July 2, 1979 (St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1997

Position: Center

Career: 24 seasons (1997-2004, 2005-22)

Teams: Boston Bruins (1997-2004, 2005), San Jose Sharks (2005-2020), Toronto Maple Leafs (2020-21), Florida Panthers (2021-22)

Career highlights: Six-time NHL All-Star (2002-04, 2007-09), Hart Trophy (2006), Art Ross Trophy (2006)

Bottom Line: Joe Thornton

Elise Amendola / AP Photo

Joe Thornton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NHL draft, was beloved in Boston, and his trade is generally looked at as one of the low moments in the history of the franchise.

Thornton is the only player to switch teams midseason and win the NHL Most Valuable Player award, which he did in 2005-06 when he was traded from the Bruins to the San Jose Sharks.

Few players in NHL history have had the passing ability of Thornton, who played in four decades after making his NHL debut at the age of 18.

In Their Own Words: Joe Thornton

Peter Power / AP Photo

“With them being the last team we played against, we don’t have too many good feelings for them, and they probably don’t have too many good feelings towards us. They’re our number-one rival; it’s a good way to start the year off.” —Joe Thornton

7. Auston Matthews

Chris O’Meara / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 17, 1997 (San Ramon, California)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2016

Position: Center

Career: 7 seasons (2016-present)

Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs

Career highlights: Six-time NHL All-Star (2017-20, 2022, 2023), Calder Memorial Trophy (2017), NHL All-Rookie Team (2017), Hart Trophy (2022)

Bottom Line: Auston Matthews

Rick Scuteri / AP Photo

In 2016, the Toronto Maple Leafs made Auston Matthews the first American-born No.1 overall pick since Patrick Kane in 2007.

It’s scary how good Matthews already is, at just 25 years old, and scary to think of how good he will continue to get as he comes into his prime.

Matthews spent his childhood in Arizona as a fan of the Phoenix Coyotes and played professionally in Switzerland before making the leap to the NHL in 2016. He’s been an NHL All-Star in six of his seven seasons through 2023 and won his first NHL MVP honor in 2022.

In Their Own Words: Auston Matthews

Peter Power / AP Photo

“I was put on Earth to play hockey.” —Auston Matthews

6. Mike Modano

Bill Janscha / AP Photo

Born: June 7, 1970 (Livonia, Michigan)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1988

Position: Center

Career: 23 seasons (1988-2011)

Teams: Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars (1988-2010), Detroit Red Wings (2010-11)

Career highlights: Stanley Cup champion (1999), eight-time NHL All-Star (1993, 1998-2000, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009), Hockey Hall of Fame (2014)

Bottom Line: Mike Modano

Tony Gutierrez / AP Photo

Mike Modano was just the second American to be taken No. 1 overall when the Minnesota North Stars picked him four days after his 18th birthday.

Modano didn’t join the North Stars for another year because of a pay dispute. He played there for 22 seasons, including the move to Dallas. Modano’s skating form was pretty much perfect, and he had a big slapshot to go with it. The nine-time All-Star won his lone Stanley Cup with the Stars in 1999.

No American-born player in NHL history had more of a role in expanding the game’s popularity in the U.S. than Modano.

In Their Own Words: Mike Modano

Tony Gutierrez / AP Photo

“I want to be out there on the ice when the game is on the line. I want to be the one who decides games.” —Mike Modano

5. Mario Lemieux

John Swart / AP Photo

Born: Oct. 5, 1965 (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1984

Position: Center

Career: 19 seasons (1984-97, 2000-06)

Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins

Career highlights: Two-time Stanley Cup champion (1991, 1992), three-time Hart Trophy winner (1988, 1993, 1996), two-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner (1991, 1992), 12-time NHL All-Star (1985, 1986, 1988-90, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2001-03), three-time NHL All-Star Game MVP (1985, 1988, 1990), Calder Trophy (1985)

Bottom Line: Mario Lemieux

Ron Frehmn / AP Photo

It was terrifying to face Mario Lemieux in his prime. At 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, he was the perfect combination of speed and size.

Lemieux became one of the greatest players of all time after the Penguins drafted him in 1984, winning two Stanley Cup titles and two NHL Most Valuable Player trophies despite battling chronic injuries his entire career.

Lemieux has owned the Penguins since 1999, when he bought the franchise and its AHL affiliate, the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins, for $107 million. In 2020, the franchise’s value was estimated at $650 million.

In Their Own Words: Mario Lemieux

Raoul Gatchalian / AP Photo

“Since the beginning, I always loved the game. When you grow up in Montreal, one day you want to be a professional hockey player. When I was six or seven, I knew that was what I wanted.” —Mario Lemieux

4. Alexander Ovechkin

Lawrence Jackson / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 17, 1985 (Moscow, Russia)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2004

Position: Left wing

Career: 18 seasons (2005-present)

Teams: Washington Capitals

Career highlights: Stanley Cup champion (2018), 13-time NHL All-Star (2007-09, 2011, 2012, 2015-20, 2022, 2023), three-time Hart Trophy (2008, 2009, 2013), Conn Smythe Trophy (2018), Calder Trophy (2006)

Bottom Line: Alexander Ovechkin

Alex Brandon / AP Photo

Few players in NHL history have been as revered by their contemporaries as Alexander Ovechkin, a three-time NHL Most Valuable Player.

Ovechkin was projected as the No. 1 overall pick by the time he was 15 years old. His birthday was just two days past the date that would have made him eligible for the 2003 draft, and the Florida Panthers attempted to take him in the ninth round, contending leap years had actually made him eligible.

Ovechkin also had one of the all-time NHL beefs with Evgeni Malkin, who was picked No. 2 overall in 2004.

In Their Own Words: Alexander Ovechkin

Karl DeBlaker / AP Photo

“My weapon isn’t my shot. It’s me. I’m the weapon.” —Alexander Ovechkin

3. Patrick Kane

Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo

Born: Nov. 19, 1988 (Buffalo, New York)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2007

Position: Right wing

Career: 14 seasons (2007-23), New York Rangers (2023-present)

Teams: Chicago Blackhawks

Career highlights: Three-time Stanley Cup champion (2010, 2013, 2015), Hart Trophy (2016), nine-time NHL All-Star (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015-present), Calder Memorial Trophy (2008), NHL All-Rookie Team (2008), Conn Smythe Trophy (2013)

Bottom Line: Patrick Kane

Brian Kersey / AP Photo

Patrick Kane is arguably the greatest American-born NHL player of all time and the first American-born player to win NHL Most Valuable Player honors, which he did in 2016.

The 2007 No. 1 overall pick is also a three-time Stanley Cup champion and nine-time NHL All-Star. Kane has played his entire career with the Chicago Blackhawks and seems like a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

When his current contract runs out in 2023, he will have surpassed $130 million in career earnings.

In Their Own Words: Patrick Kane

Mark Humphrey / AP Photo

“I went from junior hockey to the World Junior Championships to the combine and the draft, to the Blackhawks camp, and then a full NHL season and then the World Championships. At nineteen, that’s exhausting.” —Patrick Kane

2. Sidney Crosby

Kathy Willens / AP Photo

Born: Aug. 7, 1987 (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 2005

Position: Center

Career: 18 seasons (2005-present)

Teams: Pittsburgh Penguins

Career highlights: Three-time Stanley Cup champion (2009, 2016, 2017), nine-time NHL All-Star (2007-09, 2011, 2015, 2017-19, 2023), Hart Trophy (2007), two-time Conn Smythe Trophy (2016, 2017), NHL All-Star Game MVP (2019), NHL All-Rookie Team (2006)

Bottom Line: Sidney Crosby

Gene J. Puskar / AP Photo

Sidney Crosby’s hockey talent was evident at a young age. He did his first interview when he was just 7 years old. By the time Crosby was 16 years old, it was obvious he was going to be the No. 1 overall pick whenever he was eligible to enter the draft in 2005.

Because there was no season in 2004-05 because of the lockout, teams were entered into a lottery based on playoff appearances and past draft lottery results — a lso known as “The Sidney Crosby Lottery.”

Crosby became the youngest player to lead a North American sports league in scoring and was the youngest captain in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup.

In Their Own Words: Sidney Crosby

Gene J. Puskar / AP Photo

“Whether you’re trying to learn in hockey or trying to learn in life, I’ve always tried to be observant and tried to learn more, tried to evolve, whether it’s as a hockey player or as a person. With each year, I try to do that.” —Sidney Crosby

1. Guy Lafleur

Doug Ball / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 20, 1951 (Thurso, Quebec, Canada)

Drafted No. 1 overall: 1971

Position: Right Wing

Career: 17 seasons (1971-85, 1988-91)

Teams: Montreal Canadiens (1971-85), New York Rangers (1988-89), Quebec Nordiques (1989-91)

Career highlights: Five-time Stanley Cup champion (1973, 1976-79), three-time Art Ross Trophy winner (1976-78), two-time Hart Trophy winner (1977, 1978), Conn Smythe Trophy (1977)

Bottom Line: Guy Lafleur

Bill Kostroun / AP Photo

There have been some great “Who goes No. 1?” debates in sports history, and in the NHL perhaps the toughest was in 1971.

Montreal Canadiens general manager Sam Pollock had his choice between what he thought were two generational talents — Guy Lafleur or Marcell Dionne — after maneuvering for months to get the No.1 pick.

Pollock chose Lafleur, who won five Stanley Cup titles in the 1970s with Montreal and was a two-timen NHL Most Valuable Player. He’s still the franchise leader with 1,246 points.

In Their Own Words: Guy Lafleur

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

“When trouble comes, it’s your family that supports you.” —Guy Lafleur