List Of NHL First Overall Draft Choices
The NHL entry draft, originally known as the NHL amateur draft, is a collective meeting in which the franchises of the National Hockey League (NHL) 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 aged 17 years 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 2021, 223 players were selected over seven rounds. A total of 61 different players have been selected first. Of those, 44 have been Canadian, eight American, three Russian, two Czech, two Swedish, one Slovak and one Swiss. Every first overall pick taken between 1968 and 2016 has played in at least 299 NHL games. Three players retired without having played an N ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Aaron Ekblad - 2014 Top Prospect
According to the Old Testament of the Bible, Aaron ( or ) was an Israelite prophet, a high priest, and the elder brother of Moses. Information about Aaron comes exclusively from religious texts, such as the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament ( Luke, Acts, and Hebrews), and the Quran. The Hebrew Bible relates that, unlike Moses, who grew up in the Egyptian royal court, Aaron and his elder sister Miriam remained with their kinsmen in the northeastern region of the Nile Delta. When Moses first confronted the Egyptian king about the enslavement of the Israelites, Aaron served as his brother's spokesman to the Pharaoh. Part of the Law given to Moses at Sinai granted Aaron the priesthood for himself and his male descendants, and he became the first High Priest of the Israelites. Levitical priests or ''kohanim'' are traditionally believed and halakhically required to be of direct patrilineal descent from Aaron. According to the Book of Numbers, Aaron died at 123 years of age, on Mou ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League (NHL)." It is named after Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL. Serving as the NHL's Rookie of the Year award, this version of the trophy has been awarded since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season. The voting is conducted by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the conclusion of each regular season to determine the winner. Eligibility When the award was established in 1937, there were no requirements beyond that the winner be in his first year of competition in the NHL, and the winner was decided by League President Frank Calder himself. Currently, the eligibility requirements are that a player cannot have played more than 25 regular season games in any single preceding season, nor in six or more games in each of any two preceding regular seasons, in any major professional ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Hockey Hall Of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame () is a museum and hall of fame located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League (NHL) records, memorabilia and National Hockey League awards, NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup. Founded in Kingston, Ontario, the Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1943 under the leadership of James T. Sutherland. The first class of honoured members was inducted in 1945, before the Hall of Fame had a permanent location. It moved to Toronto in 1958 after the NHL withdrew its support for the International Hockey Hall of Fame in Kingston, Ontario, due to funding issues. Its first permanent building opened at Exhibition Place in 1961. The hall was relocated in 1993, and is now in downtown Toronto, inside Brookfield Place (Toronto), Brookfield Place, and a historic Bank of Montreal building. The Hockey Hall of Fame has hosted International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) exhibits and ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Connor Bedard
Connor Bedard (born July 17, 2005) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Considered one of the greatest ice hockey prospects of his generation, he was selected first overall by the Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL entry draft and made his NHL debut that year. Bedard would go on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year in 2024. Bedard was selected by the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL) first overall in the WHL Bantam Draft in 2020 as the first WHL player of exceptional player status and won the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the league's top rookie player in his debut season. In his third year in the WHL, he won the Bob Clarke Trophy as the league's leading scorer and was given the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as its most valuable player, before also earning the Canadian Hockey League's Top Scorer and Player of the Year honours. Competing internationally for Canada, Bedard won cham ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Auston Matthews
Auston Taylour Matthews (born September 17, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey Centre (ice hockey), centre and captain (ice hockey), captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Matthews is widely considered one of the best players in the world, and his goal-scoring rate has drawn comparisons to players such as Alexander Ovechkin. Born in San Ramon, California, Matthews and his family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona when he was an infant. After playing baseball and hockey during childhood, he developed a particular interest in hockey after watching the local Arizona Coyotes, Phoenix Coyotes play. A product of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in the United States Hockey League (USHL), Matthews played for the ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League (ice hockey), National League before being drafted into the NHL in 2016 NHL entry draft, 2016, winning a Swiss Cup (ice hockey), Swiss Cup title that same year. Matthews was widely consi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Aaron Ekblad
Aaron Ekblad (born February 7, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey)#Alternate captains, alternate captain for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Ekblad was selected first overall in the 2011 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft, and he was selected List of first overall NHL draft picks, first overall by the Panthers in the 2014 NHL entry draft and made his NHL debut that year. In his first NHL season, Ekblad was selected for the 2015 National Hockey League All-Star Game, 2015 NHL All-Star Game and earned the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's best rookie in the 2014–15 NHL season, 2014–15. Ekblad won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Panthers in 2024 Stanley Cup Finals, 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup Finals, 2025. Prior to joining the NHL, Ekblad played Junior ice hockey#Major Junior, major junior ice hockey for the Barrie Colts of the OHL. He was granted Canadian Hockey League#Exceptional player stat ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Nathan MacKinnon
Nathan Raymond MacKinnon (born September 1, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). MacKinnon was selected first overall by the Avalanche in the 2013 NHL entry draft. MacKinnon won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022, and has also won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award as the league's most valuable player during the 2023–24 season. He is widely regarded as one of the best ice hockey players of his generation. Playing career Early life MacKinnon was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and grew up playing in the minor ice hockey system of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. As an atom aged player (under 11), MacKinnon recorded 200 points in 50 games. When MacKinnon was 12 and 13, he played Bantam AAA for the Cole Harbour Red Wings, recording seasons of 110 and 145 points, respectively. After these two seasons, MacKinnon enrolled at Shattuck-Saint Mary's in Faribault, Mi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Patrick Kane
Patrick Timothy Kane II (born November 19, 1988) is an American professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), right winger for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the List of first overall NHL draft picks, first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and played for the Blackhawks until February 2023 when he was traded to the New York Rangers. Kane has represented the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics, 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. Kane established himself as one of the most productive and decorated players of his era. He won the 2008 Calder Memorial Trophy for NHL's rookie of the year and played a crucial role in the Blackhawks' three championships in 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, 2010, 2013 Stanley Cup Finals, 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup Finals, 2015. Kane's notable achievements include winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs in 2013, and later becoming the first American ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Alexander Ovechkin
Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin (, ; born 17September 1985) is a Russian professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger and Captain (ice hockey), captain of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "the Great 8" (in reference to his jersey number) and "Ovi", Ovechkin has scored List of NHL players with 500 goals, the most career goals in NHL regular season history, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time. Ovechkin began his professional career with HC Dynamo Moscow, Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Superleague in 2001, playing there for four seasons. Ovechkin was selected by the Capitals List of first overall NHL draft picks, first overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. In the 2005–06 NHL season, 2005–06 season, Ovechkin captured the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year and finished third overall in league scoring. Ovechkin has won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bryan Berard
Bryan Wallace Berard (born March 5, 1977) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. Berard was the first overall pick in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. He is most noted for a debilitating eye injury he received early in his career. Berard underwent several operations, and played 619 games in his NHL career despite the seriousness of the injury. Playing career Junior career Berard was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He began his junior career playing for Mount St. Charles Academy in Rhode Island. He won three championships with the school before departing after his third year. Berard had offers from Boston College, the University of Maine, and the University of Michigan, but chose to go the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Berard was drafted by the Detroit Junior Red Wings of the OHL and won the OHL Championship with the team in the 1994–95 season. He also made the league's first all-star team. He was also named the league's rookie of the year, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux (; ; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played parts of 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1984–85 NHL season, 1984 and 2005–06 NHL season, 2005, and he assumed ownership of the franchise in 1999. Nicknamed "the Magnificent One", "''Le Magnifique''", and "Super Mario", Lemieux is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time for his combination of size, strength, athleticism, and creativity. Drafted List of first overall NHL draft picks, first overall by the Penguins in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, Lemieux led Pittsburgh to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1991 Stanley Cup Finals, 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cup Finals, 1992. Under his ownership, the Penguins won additional titles in 2009 Stanley Cup Finals, 2009, 2016 Stanley Cup Finals, 2016, and 2017 Stanley Cup Finals, 2017. He is the only man to have his name on the Cup both as a player and owner. He als ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dale Hawerchuk
Dale Martin Hawerchuk (April 4, 1963 – August 18, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Drafted first overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, Hawerchuk played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 16 seasons as a member of the Jets, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, and Philadelphia Flyers. He won the NHL's Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year in 1982 and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in his second year of eligibility in 2001. Hawerchuk served as the head coach of the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League from 2010 to 2019. Playing career Hawerchuk was a young prodigy who received his first pair of skates at age two and, according to his father Ed, "was skating before he could walk." Beginning competitive hockey at age four, Hawerchuk demonstrated superior skills almost immediately. At the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, he scored all eight goals during an 8–1 victory in the finals, smashing th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |