Cards
NHL DRAFT: Rookie cards for No. 1 picks Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid, top picks since 1963
Being drafted first overall by an NHL team is an honor, but it also comes with high expectations.
First-overall picks are usually considered the best player in the draft and are usually selected by the previous year’s worst team. With that comes hope—nay, expectation—that the player will turn things around for the team. And sometimes, such a player can change a bad team into a Stanley Cup champion.
Many of them even win the Calder Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the Year and later get inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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But most do not. Here is a look at every No. 1 pick since the NHL implemented its draft in 1963, along with some of their rookie cards.
NHL NO. 1 DRAFT PICKS
1963 Garry Monahan, C, Montreal Canadiens
RC: 1967-68 Topps #8
The first overall pick in the first-ever NHL Draft had an admirable career, playing in 748 regular-season and 22 playoff games over 12 seasons. Unfortunately for the first-ever first overall pick, his first name is misspelled “Gary” on his rookie card.
1964 Claude Gauthier, F, Detroit Red Wings
RC: None
Gautier never played in the NHL.
1965 Andre Veilleux, F, New York Rangers
RC: None
Veilleux never played in the NHL.
1966 Barry Gibbs, D, Boston Bruins
RCs: 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee #101; Topps #169
Gibbs was the first defenseman selected first overall in the NHL Draft. He appeared in 796 regular-season games from 1967-80, plus an additional 34 playoff games.
1967 Rick Pagnutti, D, L.A. Kings
RC: None
The Kings were one of six expansion teams that joined the NHL in 1967 and got the first-overall pick. But Pagnutti never made it to the NHL.
1968 Michel Plasse, G, Montreal Canadiens
RC: 1973-74 O-Pee-Chee #252
Plasse, the first goalie to be taken first overall in the NHL draft, played 298 games over 11 NHL seasons.
1969 Réjean Houle, RW, Montreal Canadiens
RC: 1970-71 O-Pee-Chee #174
Houle played 11 seasons in the NHL with the Canadiens and another three seasons with the Quebec Nordiques of the World Hockey Association, a rival professional league.
1970 Gilbert Perreault, C, Buffalo Sabres
RCs: 1970-71 O-Pee-Chee #131; Topps #131
Awards: Calder Trophy (1971); Lady Byng (1973) HHOF (1990)
Perreault had a stellar 17-year NHL career entirely with Buffalo. He scored 1,326 points in 1,191 regular-season games and won the Lady Byng Trophy for “sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct” in 1973.
1971 Guy Lafleur, RW, Montreal Canadiens
RC: 1971-72 O-Pee-Chee #148
Awards: Stanley Cup (1973; 1976-79); Art Ross (1976-78); Hart Trophy (1977-78); HHOF (1988)
“The Flower” won the Art Ross trophy three times as the league’s leading scorer, five Stanley Cup championships with the Canadiens, and the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP in 1977. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy twice as the league’s regular-season MVP, and the Lester B. Pearson trophy three times as the league’s most outstanding player as voted by his peers. Lafleur retired during the 1984-85 season, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, then made a comeback later that year and played three more seasons.
1972 Billy Harris, RW, New York Islanders
RCs: 1973-74 O-Pee-Chee #130; Topps #130
Harris played for 12 years in the NHL with the Islanders, Kings, and Maple Leafs.
1973 Denis Potvin, D, New York Islanders
RCs: 1974-75 O-Pee-Chee #195; Topps #195
Awards: Calder Trophy (1974); Norris (1976, ’78, ’79) HHOF (1991)
Potvin patrolled the blue line for the Islanders for 15 seasons and was a big part of the Islanders’ four straight Stanley Cup championships. He also won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman three times.
1974 Greg Joly, D, Washington Capitals
RC: 1974-75 O-Pee-Chee #294
Joly was the first-ever draft pick by the Capitals, who joined the league in 1974. Unfortunately for the Caps, Joly was a bust and was traded away two years later.
1975 Mel Bridgman, C, Philadelphia Flyers
RCs: 1976-77 O-Pee-Chee #26; Topps #26
Bridgman spent 14 seasons in the NHL with five different teams.
1976 Rick Green, D, Washington Capitals
RCs: 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee #245; Topps #245
Awards: Stanley Cup (1986)
Green spent 15 seasons in the NHL and won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1986.
1977 Dale McCourt, C, Detroit Red Wings
RCs: 1978-79 O-Pee-Chee #132; Topps #132
McCourt spent seven seasons with the Red Wings, Sabres, and Maple Leafs.
1978 Bobby Smith, C, Minnesota North Stars
RCs: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee #206; Topps #206
Awards: Calder Trophy (1979); Stanley Cup (1986)
Smith played 15 seasons with the Canadiens and North Stars. He won the Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1986.
1979 Rob Ramage, D, Colorado Rockies
RCs: 1980-81 O-Pee-Chee #213; Topps #213
Ramage played 15 seasons with eight different teams.
1980 Doug Wickenheiser, C, Montreal Canadiens
RC: 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee #193
Wickenheiser played 556 games over 10 seasons with five different NHL teams.
1981 Dale Hawerchuk, C, Winnipeg Jets
RC: 1982-83 O-Pee-Chee #380
Awards: Calder Trophy (1982); HHOF (2001)
“Ducky” scored 1,409 points (518 goals, 891 assists) during his 16-year NHL career.
1982 Gord Kluzak, D, Boston Bruins
RC: 1983-84 O-Pee-Chee #51
Kluzak played in the NHL from 1982-90 but missed a lot of games due to knee injuries. In 1990 he won the Masterton Trophy for players who overcome injuries or other obstacles during their career.
1983 Brian Lawton, LW, Minnesota North Stars
RCs: 1987-88 O-Pee-Chee #145; Topps #145
Lawton was the first American picked first overall—as well as the first to be drafted from a high school hockey league. While he was a highly-touted prospect, Lawton did not live up to expectations. Heck, it even took him four full seasons in the NHL before he got a rookie card.
1984 Mario Lemieux, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
RCs: 1985-86 O-Pee-Chee #9; Topps #9
Awards: Stanley Cup (1991, ’92); Conn Smythe (1991, ’92); Calder Trophy (1985); Art Ross (1988, ’89, ’92, ’93, ’96, ’97); Hart Trophy (1988, ’93, ’96); HHOF (1997)
“Super Mario” scored in his first game, during his first shift, and on his first shot en route to a remarkable career. He scored 690 goals and 1,033 assists in 915 games with the Penguins. He won the Art Ross Trophy six times, the Pearson Trophy four, the Hart Trophy three times, the Stanley Cup twice, Conn Smythe twice, and the Masterton Trophy once. Injuries and illness hampered Lemieux’s career a lot in the 1990s. When he retired in 1997, the Hockey Hall of Fame waived the three-year waiting period and inducted Lemieux that fall. After three years of retirement, he made a comeback in 2000 and played until 2006.
1985 Wendel Clark, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs
RCs: 1986-87 O-Pee-Chee #149; Topps #149
Clark, one of the most popular players in Maple Leafs history, captained the team from 1991-94. He spent 15 years in the NHL, mainly in Toronto, but had brief stints with five other teams.
1986 Joe Murphy, RW, Detroit Red Wings
RCs: 1990-91 Bowman #196; O-Pee-Chee #429; Pro Set #93; Score American #293; Score Canadian #293; Upper Deck #190
Awards: Stanley Cup (1990)
Murphy was the first collegiate player to be picked first overall in the NHL draft. He spent three years in Detroit, but did not get any cards until he was traded to the Oilers. He was a part of Edmonton’s Stanley Cup championship in 1990.
1987 Pierre Turgeon, C, Buffalo Sabres
RCs: 1988-89 O-Pee-Chee #194; Topps #194
Awards: Lady Byng (1993); HHOF (2023)
Turgeon played 19 seasons in the NHL, scoring 515 goals and 812 assists in 1,294 regular season games. He won the Lady Byng Trophy in 1993, when he scored a career-high 58 goals and 74 assists.
1988 Mike Modano, C, Minnesota North Stars
RCs: 1990-91 Bowman #188; O-Pee-Chee #348; OPC Premier #74; Pro Set #142; Score American #120; Score Canadian #120; Topps #348; Upper Deck #46
Awards: Stanley Cup (1999); HHOF (2014)
Modano is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, American hockey player of all time. He has the most goals (561), points (1,374) and playoff points (146) among NHLers born in the U.S. He is also the all-time points leader in Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise history and won the Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999.
1989: Mats Sundin, C, Quebec Nordiques
RCs: 1990-91 OPC Premier #114; Pro Set #636; Score American #398; Score Canadian #398; Upper Deck #365
Awards: HHOF (2012)
Sundin made history as the first Swede and first European player to be selected first overall. He scored 1,349 points in 1,346 regular-season games over his 18-year NHL career.
1990 Owen Nolan, C, Quebec Nordiques
RCs: 1990-91 OPC Premier #86; Pro Set #401; Pro Set #635; Score American #435; Score Canadian #435; Upper Deck #352
Though he was raised in Canada, Nolan was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, making him the first player from the United Kingdom to be taken first overall. He spent 18 years in the NHL, perhaps most notably with the San Jose Sharks, where he was team captain for five of his eight seasons in the Bay Area.
1991 Eric Lindros, C, Quebec Nordiques
RCs: 1990-91 Score American #440; Score Canadian #440
Awards: Hart (1995); Pearson (1995); HHOF (2016)
Lindros is considered hockey’s first “investible” player—his rookie cards were stockpiled by collectors during the hockey card boom years of the early 1990s. He was such a highly-touted prospect that Score signed Lindros as a spokesman and issued his rookie card—which screamed “Future Superstar” at the top—in its inaugural hockey set in 1990. This was a year before Lindros was eligible for the NHL Draft. After he refused to play for the Nordiques, Lindros was traded to the Flyers in a blockbuster deal that included future Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg and $15 million in cash. Lindros went on to score 865 points in 760 regular-season games, as well as another 57 points in 53 playoff games. He also won the Hart and Pearson Trophies in 1995.
1992: Roman Hamrlik, D, Tampa Bay Lightning
RCs: 1992-93 Fleer Ultra #201; OPC Premier #46
Hamrlik was the first Czech player to be selected first overall. He spent 20 seasons in the NHL with seven different teams.
1993: Alexandre Daigle, C, Ottawa Senators
RC: 1992-93 Upper Deck #587
Considered a bust when compared to other players in his draft class, Daigle played for seven seasons, quit for two years, then returned to play another three seasons in the NHL before heading to Europe. He was the subject of the excellent 2024 documentary “Chosen One: Alexandre Daigle,” which details why his career did not pan out as expected.
1994 Ed Jovanovski, D, Florida Panthers
RCs: 1994-95 Parkhurst SE #207; Pinnacle #524; Upper Deck #496; Upper Deck SP #140; Topps Finest #149
“JovoCop” enjoyed an 18-year NHL career with the Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks, and Phoenix Coyotes.
1995 Bryan Berard, D, Ottawa Senators
RCs: 1994-95 Parkhurst SE #250; Select #149; Topps Finest #114; Upper Deck #522; Upper Deck SP #174
Awards: Calder (1996); Masterton (2004)
Berard never played for the Sens and was traded to the Islanders—coincidentally for defenseman Wade Redden, who was drafted right after Berard at second overall in 1995. Years later, Berard had a serious eye injury and missed the entire 2000-01 season. He made a comeback and won the Masterton Trophy in 2004. Overall, he played 619 regular season games, plus another 20 in the playoffs, over in his 10 NHL seasons.
1996 Chris Phillips, D, Ottawa Senators
RCs: 1995-96 Upper Deck #517; Upper Deck SP #176
Phillips, a stay-at-home defenseman, stayed with Ottawa for his entire 17-year career.
1997 Joe Thornton, C, Boston Bruins
RCs: 1996-97 Upper Deck #370; Upper Deck Ice #116
Awards: Art Ross (2006); Hart (2006); HHOF (eligible in 2025)
“Jumbo Joe” played a staggering 1,714 regular-season games over his 24-year NHL career, scoring 1,539 points. He was team captain for both the Bruins (2002-05) and Sharks (2010-14) and won the Art Ross and Hart Trophies in 2006.
1998 Vincent Lecavalier, C, Tampa Bay Lightning
RCs: 1997-98 Black Diamond #150; Upper Deck #412; Zenith #95
Awards: Stanley Cup (2004); Rocket Richard (2007)
Lecavalier spent 17 years in the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004. He also won the Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals in 2007 and captained the Lightning twice (2000-01 and 2008-13).
1999 Patrik Štefan, C, Atlanta Thrashers
RCs: Numerous sets from 1999-00
The first-ever pick in Thrashers’ history, Štefan was considered a bust. Unfortunately, he is perhaps best known for a game in 2007 with Dallas where he missed an empty net, fell down, and turned over the puck to the Oilers, who scored to tie the game.
2000 Rick DiPietro, G, New York Islanders
RCs: Numerous sets from 2000-01
Believing they had their goalie of the future, the Islanders traded away future Hall of Famer Roberto Luongo and picked DiPietro first overall. In 2006, the team signed him to a 15-year, $67.5 million contract. Injuries hampered DiPietro’s career, and his contract was eventually bought out in 2013. The Islanders are still paying DiPietro $1.5 million per year—and will continue to do so until the 2028-29 season—to not play for them.
2001 Ilya Kovalchuk, LW, Atlanta Thrashers
RCs: Numerous sets from 2001-02
Awards: Rocket Richard (2004)
Kovalchuk was the first Russian to be picked first overall in the NHL Draft. He scored 876 points in 926 regular-season games and won the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2004. He controversially signed a 15-year, $100 million contract with the Devils in 2010. Kovalchuk then—also controversially—“retired” from the NHL in 2013 so he could play in Russia, where he’d get paid more. After five years in Russia, Kovalchuk returned to the NHL for three more seasons.
2002 Rick Nash, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets
RCs: Numerous sets from 2002-03
Awards: Rocket Richard (2004)
Nash also won the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2004, as it was a three-way tie between him, Kovalchuk, and Jarome Iginla, who all had 41 goals each. Nash scored 437 goals and played 15 seasons, mainly with Columbus, where he served as team captain for four years.
2003 Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Pittsburgh Penguins
RCs: Numerous sets from 2003-04
Awards: Vezina (2021); HHOF (2028)
The recently retired Fleury capped an amazing, 21-year NHL career. He is second all-time with 575 career wins and won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie in 2021. “Flower” was a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Penguins.
2004 Alex Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals
RCs: Numerous sets from 2005-06
Awards: Stanley Cup (2018); Conn Smythe (2018); Calder (2006); Rocket Richard (9 times); Hart (2008; ’09, ’13): Art Ross (2008)
At the close of the 2024-25 season, “The Great 8” broke Wayne Gretzky’s long-standing NHL record of 894 goals. Ovie has won the Rocket Richard Trophy nine times, the Hart and Pearson Trophy (renamed the Ted Linday Award in 2009) three times each, and the Art Ross Trophy once. He led the Caps to the Stanley Cup in 2018 and won the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP. Ovechkin will hit the 900-goal mark early next season and realistically could reach 1,000 goals before he retires.
2005 Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
RCs: Numerous sets from 2005-06
Awards: Stanley Cup (2009, ’16, ’17); Conn Smythe (2016, ’17); Art Ross (2007, ’14); Hart (2007, ’14); Rocket Richard (2010, ’17)
Another living legend, “Sid the Kid” has scored a staggering 625 goals and 1,062 assists for 1,687 points in 1,352 games. He led the Penguins to three Stanley Cup Championships. Crosby has also won the Art Ross, Hart, Conn Smythe, and Rocket Richard Trophies twice each, and the Pearson Trophy/Lindsay Award three times.
2006 Erik Johnson, D, St. Louis Blues
RCs: Numerous sets from 2007-08
Awards: Stanley Cup (2022)
Johnson has played in 1,023 games over the past 17 seasons and won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.
2007 Patrick Kane, RW, Chicago Blackhawks
RCs: Numerous sets from 2007-08
Awards: Stanley Cup (2010, ’13, ’15); Conn Smythe (2013); Art Ross (2016); Hart (2016); Calder (2008)
“Showtime” was a cornerstone of the Blackhawks’ three Stanley Cup Championships in the 2010s. He won the Hart, Conn Smythe and Art Ross Trophies once each, and Lindsay Award once. Kane has scored 1,343 points and will likely eclipse Modano as the all-time leading American-born player next season.
2008 Steven Stamkos, C, Tampa Bay Lightning
RCs: Numerous sets from 2008-09
Awards: Stanley Cup (2020; ’21); Rocket Richard (2010, ’12)
Stamkos won the Stanley Cup twice as captain of the Lightning. He also won the Richard Trophy twice. To date, Stamkos has scored 1,190 points in 1,164 games.
2009 John Tavares, C, New York Islanders
RCs: Numerous sets from 2009-10
So far, Tavares has scored 494 goals and 620 assists in 1,184 games with the Islanders and Maple Leafs.
2010 Taylor Hall, LW, Edmonton Oilers
RCs: Numerous sets from 2010-11
Awards: Hart (2017)
Taylor Hall won the Hart Trophy in 2017, but he’s bounced around a lot for a first-overall pick. He’s played with seven different teams over his 15 years thus far in the league.
2011 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Edmonton Oilers
RCs: Numerous sets from 2011-12
“The Nuge” has spent his entire 14-year NHL career with the Oilers, amassing 271 goals and 477 assists in 959 games.
2012 Nail Yakupov, RW, Edmonton Oilers
RCs: Numerous sets from 2013-14
Considered a first-round bust, Yakupov was out of the NHL after six seasons, though he is still playing professionally in Russia. Since the NHL played a shortened season in 2012-13 due to a lockout, Yakupov’s rookie cards were delayed until the 2013-14 season.
2013 Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche
RCs: Numerous sets from 2013-14
Awards: Stanley Cup (2022); Calder (2014); Hart (2020); Lady Byng (2020)
MacKinnon won the Lady Byng Trophy in 2020, the Hart Trophy and Lindsay Award in 2024, and was a big part of the Avalanche’s Stanley Cup Championship in 2022.
2014 Aaron Ekblad, D, Florida Panthers
RCs: Numerous sets from 2014-15
Awards: Stanley Cup (2024); Calder (2015)
Florida’s top D-man, Ekblad won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2024.
2015 Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
RCs: Numerous sets from 2015-16
Also See: Top Connor McDavid cards to collect
Awards: Hart (2017, ’21, ’23); Art Ross (2021, ’22, ’23); Rocket Richard (2023); Conn Smythe (2024)
In 10 NHL seasons, “McJesus” has accomplished more than most players do in an entire career. He has scored 1,082 points in just 712 games. McDavid has won the Art Ross Trophy five times, the Lindsay Award four times, the Hart Trophy three times, and the Richard Trophy once. Had it not been for a shoulder injury his rookie year, he would have won the Calder Trophy, too. McDavid is so good that he was named playoff MVP in 2024 even though his Oilers lost in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
2016 Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
RCs: Numerous sets from 2016-17
Awards: Hart (2022); Rocket Richard (2021, ’22, ’24); Calder (2017)
Matthews scored four goals in his first NHL game and hasn’t slowed down since then. He has scored 727 points in 629 games and has won the Rocket Richard Trophy three times, as well as one Hart Trophy and one Lindsay Award.
2017 Nico Hischier, C, New Jersey Devils
RCs: Numerous sets from 2017-18
Hischier was the first player from Switzerland to be picked first overall in the NHL Draft. He has scored 171 goals and 251 assists in 527 games and is team captain of the Devils.
2018 Rasmus Dahlin, D, Buffalo Sabres
RCs: Numerous sets from 2018-19
Dhalin was named to the All-Rookie Team in 2019 and has played in three All-Star Games.
2019 Jack Hughes, C, New Jersey Devils
RCs: Numerous sets from 2019-20
Hughes has been nearly a point-per-game player for the Devils over his career.
2020 Alexis Lafreniere, LW, New York Rangers
RCs: Numerous sets from 2020-21
Due to the Covid lockdown and its effect on the trading card hobby at the time, Lafreniere was the focus of much hype during the 2020-21 season. His Young Guns RC was selling upwards of $600 on eBay when it came out but has since plummeted in value due to his lackluster play.
2021 Owen Power, D, Buffalo Sabres
RCs: Numerous sets from 2022-23
Power decided to play an additional season of college hockey after he was drafted first overall by Buffalo. Hence, his rookie cards appear in 2022-23 sets. Power was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team in 2023.
2022 Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, Montreal Canadiens
RCs: Numerous sets from 2022-23
A standout during the 2022 Winter Olympics, Slafkovsky was the first Slovak to be selected first overall in the NHL Draft. Since then, he has scored a somewhat mediocre 111 points in 200 games over three seasons.
2023 Connor Bedard, C, Chicago Blackhawks
RCs: Numerous sets from 2023-24
Awards: Calder (2024)
Bedard led rookies in scoring during the 2023-24 season. He was also selected to play in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game—a rare honor for rookies—but had to sit it out due to injury. Demand for Bedard’s rookie cards brought a lot of attention to hockey collecting, with many breakers and investors buying up ’23-24 hockey products. Bedard’s Young Guns rookie card even peaked at $1,000 on eBay the day that the 2023-24 Upper Deck Series Two was released. Although Bedard has led the Blackhawks in scoring over the past two seasons, prices for most of his rookie cards have cooled considerably—most likely because the ’Hawks are still a losing team.
2024 Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks
RCs: Numerous sets from 2024-25
Celebrini was tied for second in scoring among rookies during the 2024-25 season and was a finalist for the Calder Trophy.
FINAL THOUGHT
What is interesting about first overall picks is that while the players got better over time, so did the drafting. You can’t fault teams for making bad first picks in the 1960s or even the early-’70s, as many of the best young players like Bobby Orr had signed contracts with NHL teams long before the draft was implemented. As more young players became draft-eligible, as scouting got better, as training methods improved, and as the NHL widened its net to include players from Europe and Russia, the top NHL draft picks many times met—or even exceeded—the expectations levied upon them.
WHERE'S WAYNE?
Believe it or not, Wayne Gretzky was not selected first overall by an NHL team. In fact, he was never even drafted.
Nelson Skalbania, the owner of the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association, signed the 17-year-old Gretzky to a “personal services contract” for the 1978-79 season. After eight games in Indy, Gretzky’s contract was sold to the Edmonton Oilers.
Also See: Wayne Gretzky's top trading cards
When the NHL and WHA merged prior to the 1979-80 season, one of the stipulations in the agreement was that the Oilers got to keep Gretzky, who was then 18 and would have been eligible for the NHL Draft.
Other WHA players who were under 18 during the 1978-79 season, such as Michel Goulet and Mark Messier, were drafted by NHL teams for the 1979-80 season. But the greatest NHL player of all-time was never drafted.
Sal Barry
