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Andy Smith's greatest draft pick of all time from each of the 32 NHL teams. Andy names the biggest NHL draft picks of all time for each franchise.
With the 2026 NHL Draft behind us, let's take a look back at some of the greatest selections in NHL history.
In this piece, we will name the greatest draft pick of all time from each of the 32 NHL teams. However, to make this a bit more difficult, we will only include names who were drafted in the fourth round or later.
Let's dive in!
Anaheim Ducks
Sami Vatanen, D
This is a toss-up between defender Sami Vatanen and winger Troy Terry. Vatanen was selected by the Ducks in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Draft with the 106th overall pick. The Finland native would end up spending his first six NHL seasons with the Ducks and play a key role in their competitive team of the mid-2010s (appearing in 40 playoff games).
His best season came in 2014-15, when he scored a season-high 12 goals and added 37 points in 67 games.
Boston Bruins
Steve Kasper, F
The Bruins found a Selke winner in the fourth round of the 1980 NHL Draft. Selected with the 81st overall pick, the Quebec native would become one of the top defensive forwards early in his career. During the 1981-82 season (his second NHL campaign), Kasper was awarded the Selke Trophy and totaled 51 points in 73 games.
He would end his time with the Bruins (nine seasons) with 135 goals (355 points) and a -44 rating. Other candidates include the team's current netminder, Jeremy Swayman.
Buffalo Sabres
Ryan Miller, G
One of the easier choices on this list. Ryan Miller was selected in the fifth round of the 1999 draft and quickly established himself as not only one of the best goaltenders in team history, but one of the greatest players to wear the jersey. With the Sabres (11 seasons), Miller would turn in many productive campaigns, but his best came in 2009.
During the 09-10 season, Miller was awarded the Vezina when he posted a sharp .929% SV% with a 2.22 GAA, both of which make the best marks of his career.
The last time the #Sabres closed out a series on home ice was Game 5 against the #Islanders in 2007. I heard Jeremy White discussing the huge save from Ryan Miller in the final seconds of this game. Here it is plus the final handshakes. #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/hCYc7YORxq
— SabresClassics (@SabresClassics) April 28, 2026
Calgary Flames
Johnny Gaudreau, F
One of the best values in recent draft memory. The Flames found their most dynamic scorer over the past decade in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Draft when they called Johnny Gaudreau's name. "Johnny Hockey" of Salem, N.J., wasted little time making an impact, finishing third in Calder voting during his rookie season after scoring 24 goals.
As a member of the Flames, Gaudreau would turn in three 30+ goals seasons, with his career-best mark of 40 goals and 115 points coming during the 2021-22 season.
Carolina Hurricanes
Jaccob Slavin, D
Slavin was already establishing himself as one of the top defenders in team history, but his legacy with the team surged this past season as he served as the No. 1 defenseman on their Stanley Cup-winning team. Slavin was selected by the Hurricanes in the fourth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Slavin has since spent his entire career in Carolina and has won two Lady Byngs with the recently mentioned Stanley Cup. While he has yet to win a Norris, Slavin has finished in the top 10 in voting three times.
Chicago Blackhawks
Dustin Byfuglien, D, F
While Dustin Byfuglien would go on to spend most of his career with the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets, he began his career in Chicago and made quite an impact over a brief period. Byfuglien was selected by Chicago in the eighth round of the 2003 NHL Draft, making him one of the best values on this list.
His most memorable moment came during the 2009-10 Stanley Cup run. He would lead the team in power-play goals (five) and score an impressive 11 goals in just 22 playoff games during the march to Lord Stanley.
Colorado Avalanche
Valeri Kamensky, F
Kamensky was selected in the seventh round of the 1988 NHL Draft by the then-Quebec Nordiques but would end up wearing both the jersey of the team's original name and also spending time in Colorado with the Avalanche. During his eight-year tenure with the club (over both team names), Kamensky would total 414 points in 460 games, averaging nearly a point per game.
He would play a productive role on the 1995-96 Stanley Cup-winning team, totaling 22 points (10 goals) in 22 games.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Cam Atkinson, F
The Blue Jackets have two worthy candidates, one on defense and one on the wing. Defenseman David Savard (a fourth-round pick) was a productive top-4 defenseman during the 2010s, but we will instead spotlight a winger selected a few rounds after.
Cam Atkinson got the call in the sixth round of the 2008 NHL Draft out of Boston College. While Atkinson had a slow start to his career, the winger would go on to enjoy six straight 20-goal seasons, including a 41-goal effort in 2018-19.
Dallas Stars
Jamie Benn, F
Without a doubt, left winger Jamie Benn will represent the Dallas Stars on this list. One of the greatest forwards in team history, he joined the club in the fifth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and is also one of the greatest values over the past 20 years.
Benn has since spent his entire career with the Stars and led them to countless playoff appearances. He turned in his best season in 2014-15, when he led the sport with 87 points (en route to winning the Art Ross Trophy). He has totaled 992 career points over 1,252 games played.
Detroit Red Wings
Pavel Datsyuk, F
The Red Wings are one of the teams with many worthy candidates who fit these criteria. The Wings have selected many franchise icons in the fourth round or later, including Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, and Sergei Fedorov. However, for this list, we will give the slightest of edges to the Magic Man.
Datsyuk was selected by the Red Wings in the sixth round (171st overall) of the 1998 NHL Draft. While in Detroit, Datsyuk would win two Stanley Cups, three Selkes, and four Lady Byngs.
Edmonton Oilers
Jari Kurri, F
While a Hall of Famer like Glenn Anderson would get the spot for most teams, the Oilers have another worthy candidate who will get the edge on this list. In the fourth round of the 1980 NHL Draft, the Oilers selected winger Jari Kurri out of Helsinki, Finland. Kurri would go on to become an elite scoring option during their dynasty.
As an Oiler, Kurri would win five Stanley Cups and finish his tenure with 1,043 points (474 goals) over 754 games played.
Florida Panthers
MacKenzie Weegar, D
While Weegar was not a part of their two-time Stanley Cup run, the defenseman emerged as a key part of the blue line during his time in Sunrise, Fla. He was selected by the Panthers late in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, 206th overall (Round 7).
With the Panthers, Weegar would quickly take on a key role and would even finish eighth in Norris voting during the 2020-21 season. During this season, he totaled 36 points in just 54 games with a strong +29 rating.
Los Angeles Kings
Luc Robitaille, F
While Stanley Cup hero Alec Martinez may be the "fun" choice, the choice is easy for the Kings when looking at the player's overall production. In the ninth round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, the Kings found a franchise cornerstone in Luc Robitaille at No. 171.
The Quebec native would go on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and finish his time as one of the greatest forwards to wear the jersey. With the Kings, Robitaille would win the Calder Trophy in his debut season (1986-87) and total 1,154 points over 1,077 games. He also earned eight All-Star nominations.
Minnesota Wild
Kirill Kaprizov, F
The team's current icon will undoubtedly hold the spot on this list. The Wild found their franchise face in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft, selecting Kirill Kaprizov, a native of Novokuznetsk, Russia. Kaprizov would quickly burst onto the NHL scene, winning the 2020-21 Calder Trophy, totaling 51 points in 55 games.
He would then post his first (and only) 100+ point season the following campaign. In 2025-26, Kaprizov put 45 pucks in the back of the net, the third-highest mark of his career, and totaled 89 points in 78 games.
Montreal Canadiens
Brendan Gallagher, F
While defenseman Andrei Markov had a strong resume as a late-round selection, we will instead give the nod to longtime winger Brendan Gallagher. The Edmonton native has spent all 14 seasons of his NHL career in Montreal and has since become one of the longest-tenured players in club history.
While he has only totaled 487 points in 911 games played, he was far more productive on the scoreboard earlier in his career. In 2017-18, Gallagher totaled a season-best 54 points, and the following season he would score a season-high 33 goals.
Nashville Predators
Pekka Rinne, G
While the team's current netminder, Juuse Saros, does make a case, we will instead turn to the all-time leader in franchise goalie records. The Predators found their franchise icon in the eighth round of the 2004 NHL Draft. Rinne would spend his entire 15-year NHL career in Smashville and lead it to many playoff appearances, including a Stanley Cup Final appearance.
His best showing would come in the 2017-18 season when he won the Vezina, posting a .927% SV% with a 2.31 GAA and a league-leading eight shutouts.
New Jersey Devils
Jesper Bratt, F
Let's turn our attention to a player who is currently in the NHL. The Devils selected Jesper Bratt in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Draft, and he has since become the team's top winger. While it took him some time to find his footing in the league, Bratt has since developed into a premier scorer.
Since 2021-22, Bratt has scored at least 20 goals in each season, including a 32-goal effort in 2022-23. He has also eclipsed the 83-point mark in two of his last three campaigns.
New York Islanders
Anders Lee, F
Even though Anders Lee left the club in the offseason, we can still include him on our list. Lee was selected by the Islanders in the sixth round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft out of Notre Dame. After finishing ninth in Calder voting during his rookie season, the center continued to emerge as a top-6 option in the offense.
He would finish his career with 923 regular-season appearances and lead them to many playoff appearances. In terms of statistics, his best effort came in the 2017-18 season when he scored a career-high 40 goals.
New York Rangers
Henrik Lundqvist, G
The team's current netminder, Igor Shesterkin, may hold this post one day, but for now, the King will represent the Blue Shirts. Lundqvist was selected in the seventh round of the 2000 NHL Draft and is one of the best values at the goaltender position in league history.
Lundqvist would spend his entire playing career with the Rangers and end his career in the Hall of Fame. He would win the 2005-06 Vezina Trophy and finish his NHL career with a .918% SV% and a 2.43 GAA.
Ottawa Senators
Mark Stone, F
While Mark Stone would go on to become a franchise icon (and the team's first captain) in Las Vegas, he began his career in Ottawa, where he was selected late in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The Senators called the winger's name with the 178th overall pick in the sixth round.
While he spent only seven seasons in Canada, Stone would finish second in Calder voting in his rookie season and total at least 60 points in all but one of his seasons (as a full-time player).
Philadelphia Flyers
Ron Hextall, G
The Flyers found their franchise netminder in Ron Hextall late in the 1982 NHL Draft. Selected in the sixth round, the former Brandon Wheat Kings product would burst onto the scene in his debut campaign. Even though he finished second in Calder voting, the goaltender would win the Vezina and the Conn Smythe (1986-87).
Over 11 seasons in Philadelphia, Hextall posted an 89.5% SV% in the regular season and finished his tenure with a 45-36 record in the postseason.
On this day in 1989, @NHLFlyers’ Ron Hextall became the first goaltender in NHL history to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs #Hockey365 #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/hVXdDDLL9f
— Mike Commito (@mikecommito) April 11, 2018
Pittsburgh Penguins
Mark Recchi, F
While current fans may immediately think of Max Talbot, the eighth-round forward who would become a franchise icon in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final, we will instead highlight a Hall of Famer for this selection. The Penguins selected Mark Recchi in the fourth round of the 1988 NHL Draft.
With the Penguins, Recchi would win the Stanley Cup (finishing his career with three) and end his time in the Steel City with an impressive 385 points over 389 games.
San Jose Sharks
Joe Pavelski, F
One of the most iconic players in team history. The Sharks selected Joe Pavelski in the seventh round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, and he has since become one of the highest-scoring players in club history. While he was often overshadowed by Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, Pavelski turned in a very productive campaign with the California team.
With the Sharks (13 seasons), Pavelski would total 761 points over 963 games. While he never won any hardware, he was one of the most memorable players in team history.
Seattle Kraken
N/A
Given that Seattle does not have enough late-round players to reach the NHL level (as of writing), we will skip it from this list for now. However, promising late-round prospects such as Andrei Loshko and Tucker Robertson would eventually earn a spot here upon their debuts.
St. Louis Blues
Doug Gilmour, F
While Doug Gilmour would go on to win a Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames and spend much of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was actually drafted by the St. Louis Blues late in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft, going off the board in the seventh round.
Gilmour would spend the first five seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Blues. Over this 384-game stint, the center would total 354 points and finish within the top five in Hart Trophy voting during the 1986-87 season, when he totaled 105 points in 80 contests.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Ondřej Palát, F
Even though Palat spent his time in Tampa Bay overshadowed by many superstars, he would end his tenure with the club serving as a key piece of its top six during its impressive stretch of the 2010s. Palat, a former seventh-round selection, would spend the first 10 seasons of his NHL career with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
With the Bolts, Palat would win two Stanley Cups and eclipse the 50-point mark in three seasons. His best effort was in 2014-15, when he tallied 63 points in 75 games, the highest of his career.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Tomáš Kaberle, D
One of the best defensemen on this list. Kaberle would later hoist the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins, but the majority of his career was spent in Toronto with the Maple Leafs. The defenseman, born in Rakovnik, Czechoslovakia, was selected in the eighth round (204th overall) by the Leafs in the 1996 NHL Draft.
Kaberle was a very effective force in the offensive zone, totaling 520 points over 878 contests with the club, placing him third all-time on the franchise leaderboard.
Utah Mammoth
N/A
Like the Seattle Kraken, we do not have enough data to select a name from the Utah Mammoth, as this "franchise" was formed in 2024, according to the NHL. However, when looking at the team's previous name, the Arizona/Phoenix Coyotes, the nod would go to defenseman Keith Yandle.
Yandle, a fourth-round pick, would tally 311 points over 558 games and even finish fifth in Norris voting during the 2010-11 campaign.
Vancouver Canucks
Jannik Hansen, F
The ninth-round selection from Rodovre, Denmark, will hold the next spot on our list. Hansen joined the Canucks late in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and would become a solid top-9 forward for the Canucks over his 19-year stint with the club.
Through 565 games, Hansen would total 235 points, with 105 of them being goals. His best per-game season came in 2015-16, when he totaled 38 points over 67 contests.
Vegas Golden Knights
Paul Cotter, F
Like the Kraken and Mammoth, the Golden Knights do not have the longest history of successful drafts given their shorter history. However, the Golden Knights have not been afraid to trade picks and top prospects to land major players, which is why their draft/prospect pool is often not too impressive.
However, for the sake of this list, we will turn to center Paul Cotter. The fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft spent three seasons in Vegas, where he totaled 45 points (22 goals) over 138 games played.
Washington Capitals
Braden Holtby, G
The franchise netminder during their dominant stretch of the 2010s. Holtby was selected by the Capitals in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and quickly made an impact at the highest level. In 2014-15, Holtby led the league in games played and saves and would go on to win the Vezina the following season (2015-16).
In the playoffs, Holtby posted a sharp .926% SV% and would be the backbone of their 2017-18 Stanley Cup-winning team.
Winnipeg Jets
Connor Hellebuyck, G
Rounding out our list will be another netminder. The Jets found their franchise goalie in the fifth round (130th overall) in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Hellebuyck has since spent his entire NHL career in Winnipeg and has become one of the best netminders in the current league.
He claimed his first Vezina Trophy during the 2019-20 season and would later enjoy a dominant two-year stretch (2023-24), winning the Vezina in each season and even claiming the Hart Trophy in 2024-25 after posting an elite 2.00 GAA.
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