*this was updated during the 2024 offseason
Every year, the NHL welcomes the best teenagers in the world to the top league. Of course, in each draft, someone has to be selected first, and often, they have an immediate impact in the NHL and go on to have fantastic careers.
That isn’t the case for every first-overall selection, but most of the time, a team is hoping for a franchise-altering player. This power ranking of the last 20 first-overall picks is based on a couple of things. First, I will be taking into account what a player has accomplished, as well as, what I believe they could accomplish. Basically, I’m assuming all these players are 18 years old and in the same draft to determine what order I would select them. Of course, hindsight always helps, and any close comparison will favor the player who has more achievements.
This is my opinion, so let me know who you think I have ranked too high and who I have too low.
1. Sidney Crosby – Pittsburgh Penguins, 2005
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 1,272 GP – 592 Goals – 1,004 Assists – 1,596 Points
- 3x Stanley Cup Champion
- 2x Conn Smythe Trophy
- 2x Art Ross Trophy
- 2x Hart Memorial Trophy
- 2x Ted Lindsay Award
- 2x Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy
- 1x Lester B. Pearson Award
- 1x Mark Messier Leadership Award
Sidney Crosby is among the NHL greats. There is a legitimate argument for Crosby being a top-three all-time NHLer. The talent, the pedigree, the resiliency to overcome his mid-career injury troubles, and so much more. Crosby has been captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins for 17 years and isn’t slowing down – he had a great season in 2023-24 with 42 goals and 94 points – at 36 years old.
Crosby has been the face of the NHL for 17+ years, and every player who joins the NHL today and watched him as a kid must still be in awe of him. His leadership, offense, defense, dedication, and achievements make him a no-brainer for first overall.
2. Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers, 2015
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 645 GP – 335 Goals – 647 Assists – 982 Points
- 1x Conn Smythe Trophy
- 5x Art Ross Trophy
- 4x Ted Lindsay Award
- 3x Hart Memorial Trophy
- 1x Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy
Connor McDavid has emerged as one of the greatest players in history, and with a few more dominant years, could very well pass Crosby on the all-time greats list. With beyond-impressive point totals every year, McDavid’s offensive game is like no other in the current era of hockey. On top of his regular season success, McDavid’s 2023-24 playoff run was some of his best hockey. Not only did he come within a handful of points from Wayne Gretzky’s 47 points in one year, but he beat the record for the most assists in one playoff run with 34.
With the list being over a 20-year span, this will be Crosby’s last entry, and he is going out on top. Even if Crosby were to stick on the list, McDavid could very well take the throne next year. Having the stats that McDavid has, his career point-per-game pace is third in league history, trailing only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. People look at team success and Stanley Cups when defining a player’s greatness. While McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers were one goal away, the rest of his individual stats and achievements, including his Conn Smythe Trophy on the losing team in the Stanley Cup Final, he is unlike no other in this generation.
3. Auston Matthews – Toronto Maple Leafs, 2016
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 562 GP – 368 Goals – 281 Assists – 649 Points
- 3x Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy
- 1x Hart Memorial Trophy
- 1x Ted Lindsay Award
- 1x Calder Memorial Trophy
Auston Matthews had a very impressive, 60-goal, Hart Trophy, and Ted Lindsay Award season in 2021-22, and took an even bigger step offensively in 2023-24 with 69 goals. He has incredible offensive ability and strong defensive play. He is already one of the best players in Maple Leafs’ history and will likely continue to be for many years to come.
With an excellent defensive side to his game, including a Frank J. Selke Trophy nomination in 2023-24, Matthews is one of the most complete players in the NHL and nobody can compete with his goal-scoring ability. He has won three of the last four Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies, and after winning that award as well as being a Selke nominee, he has cemented himself as an indisputable top-three player in the NHL.
4. Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks, 2007
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 1,230 GP – 471 Goals – 813 Assists – 1,284 Points
- 3x Stanley Cup Champion
- 1x Conn Smythe
- 1x Hart Memorial Trophy
- 1x Art Toss Trophy
- 1x Ted Lindsay Award
- 1x Calder Memorial Trophy
Patrick Kane has cemented himself as one of the greatest American-born players of all time. His production has been among the league’s best over the course of his career and was a huge part of his team’s success in the early 2010s, bringing three Stanley Cups to Chicago. He is ranked second in points in Chicago Blackhawks history, and if he sticks around longer than this season, he has a chance at the number one spot.
Kane has had a very healthy and consistent career up until this past season. This, combined with his talents, legendary status, and both team and individual success make him easily one of the top picks among the last 20 first-overall picks. Many will point to the elite group of players on the Blackhawks’ roster during Kane’s career, contributing to the success, but during their near dynasty years, Kane was their best player.
5. Nathan MacKinnon – Colorado Avalanche, 2013
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 791 GP – 335 Goals – 564 Assists – 899 Points
- 1x Stanley Cup Champion
- 1x Hart Memorial Trophy
- 1x Ted Lindsay Award
- 1x Calder Memorial Trophy
- 1x Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
Nathan MacKinnon has been through it all. In his 10-year career, he was part of an Avalanche team that finished with 48 points, got stuck in the second-round hump, and also won a Stanley Cup. MacKinnon took a little while to establish himself as one of the top players in the NHL, but since his emergence into stardom in the 2017-18 season, he has been regarded as one of the top five players in the NHL, if not top three. MacKinnon is one of the most exciting players to watch in the entire league, as his explosive skating, puck-handling abilities, and passion for success are all on display each shift.
MacKinnon has been the centerpiece of a team that includes stars like Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. MacKinnon, while not the captain, is the definition of a true leader. He drags his team into battle every game and makes sure everyone is playing to the best of their ability. There is no doubt that he is one of the NHL’s best, and has the potential to move up this list with quite a bit of time left in his career. His dominant 2023-24 season, where he brought home the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award, gave him a nice bump on this list.
6. Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning, 2008
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 1,082 GP – 555 Goals – 582 Assists – 1,137 Points
- 2x Stanley Cup Champion
- 2x Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy
- 1x Mark Messier Leadership Award
The legacy Steven Stamkos leaves behind in Tampa Bay is far more than just being their longest-serving captain. He is the greatest player in franchise history, and it isn’t relatively close. Maybe Nikita Kucherov can get there, but what Stamkos has done in his career up to this point is remarkable. He is one of the very few active players to score 60 or more goals in a season, and over his past number of years, despite being 34 years old, has posted some of his best offensive totals.
While he only played a short part of a game in the playoff run when he won his first Cup, it came at a crucial time. He was expected to be out for the entire playoffs but came back in the Final, played three shifts, and scored a goal. The team rallied behind him and won the series. His leadership skills are unmatched, and outside of the year he almost went to Toronto in free agency, he has been one of the most loyal players around the league, but a deal couldn’t get done and he has now joined the Nashville Predators.
7. John Tavares – New York Islanders, 2009
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 1,109 GP – 456 Goals – 584 Assists – 1,040 Points
John Tavares has been one of the league’s most consistent players for years. His net-front presence, willingness to get into the dirty areas, and leadership skills are among the biggest impacts he makes on the ice. Being captain of his hometown Maple Leafs is a huge task, and he has handled that incredibly well.
Many people question the decision to give him $11 million per year on a long-term contract, however, he has deserved every penny of it with the Maple Leafs through the beginning of the contract, and as expected, as the deal winds down, is is becoming a bit of an overpay. Regardless of the salary, he has been productive in the regular season and in the playoffs and has been a crucial part of this team for the last six years. Some individual hardware added to the resume would better cement his legacy, but he doesn’t need it to prove his impact in the NHL.
8. Jack Hughes – New Jersey Devils, 2019
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 306 GP – 114 Goals – 167 Assists – 281 Points
Jack Hughes is one of the NHL’s top young stars. His production keeps climbing each season, and he will, without a doubt, be a first-line center for a long time. The New Jersey Devils missed the playoffs in 2023-24, and missing Hughes for 20 games wasn’t easy for the club, he was far and away their best player in his 62 games, scoring 74 points in that span. Before going down with an injury, Hughes started the season with 20 points in his first 10 games.
Related: The Worst First-Overall Draft Picks In NHL History
His ceiling is sky-high, and he can become a true superstar and make a big impact in the playoffs with the Devils. Hughes is a massive part of his team’s success this season, and he is showing he can lead the team with on-ice dominance. It is certainly possible that Hughes works his way into the conversation for some individual awards, such as the Hart and Art Ross trophies. Adding a few of these awards to his resume will help create a case for him to move up this list.
9. Rasmus Dahlin – Buffalo Sabres, 2018
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 436 GP – 66 Goals – 226 Assists – 292 Points
Rasmus Dahlin has emerged as a top-tier defenseman. His ability to take over a game is unmatched among defensemen his age. He has shown that he is responsible defensively, but his ability to take over any game with his offensive capabilities is where his game truly shines the brightest. With a group of defensive-minded defensemen, such as Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson, he managed to focus on what he does best.
I ranked Dahlin over Aaron Ekblad (see below) because Dahlin has already reached Eklblad’s level of skill and play but has a lot more room for development and growth. Dahlin will almost certainly climb this list and could win a Norris Trophy or two over the next few years.
10. Nico Hischier – New Jersey Devils, 2017
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 452 GP – 136 Goals – 217 Assists – 353 Points
It took Nico Hischier a few years to come into his own, but he is now emerging as a top two-way center. His defensive impacts are a great complimentary piece to the Devils’ roster, and is earning himself a spot in the Selke Trophy conversation. On top of the defensive play, his offense is also starting to take shape. Hischier is showing that he can be a 70+ point player in the NHL, and with the young Devils team he is on, that skillset will take him and the team a long way in the NHL.
Hischier, who is the current captain of the Devils, takes a lot of pride in his leadership. When the team is struggling, he is the first one to speak to the media, and when they are winning, he gives credit to all of his teammates. His leadership and two-way skills make Hischier a very valuable player and will be an integral part of the team’s success.
11. Aaron Ekblad – Florida Panthers, 2014
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 625 GP – 111 Goals – 218 Assists – 329 Points
- 1x Stanley Cup
- 1x Calder Memorial Trophy
Aaron Ekblad has been a very important part of the Florida Panthers’ recent success. The number one defenseman has great offensive upside, while still providing a very strong defensive impact. He might not be a game-breaker, but he is consistently reliable and will provide. He had a career year of 57 points in 61 games in 2021-22, and while he hasn’t reached that same level of offense, he has been a great player when healthy.
Ekblad is worthy of a first-overall selection, and despite not having his best year offensively or defensively in 2023-24, he is still a very valuable player. The Panthers depended on Ekblad for a majority of their back-end contributions. When Ekblad misses significant time with injury, it has an impact on the entire roster, which is a testament to how important he is.
12. Connor Bedard – Chicago Blackhawks, 2023
Career Stats and Achievements
- 68 GP – 22 Goals – 39 Assists – 61 Points
- 1x Calder Memorial Trophy
There could be criticism for having a player with 68 career games this high on the list, but with what Connor Bedard was able to show in his rookie season, plus the projections based on his dominant pre-draft play, he is going to be a special player. The hard part about these rankings is finding the sweet spot for factoring in what a player has already done, and what is expected of them.
If Bedard can become even 75 percent of what is expected, he will be higher on this list than where he is. In his rookie season, despite missing 14 games, he still led the team in goals, assists, and points. Now, the Blackhawks’ roster isn’t great, but as a rookie, having that kind of impact on your team already is something special.
13. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Edmonton Oilers, 2011
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 881 GP – 251 Goals – 448 Assists – 699 Points
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a good NHL player, there is no doubt about that. With good production, two-way play, versatility, and consistency, he has been a valuable asset to the Oilers for most of his career. While not getting a lot of opportunity at the top of the lineup, Nugent-Hopkins is always depended upon for his two-way efforts. He is capable of generating some offense, but his back-checking and defensive efforts make up for any lack of production you may look for out of a first-overall pick.
Most teams in the NHL would benefit from adding a player like Nugent-Hopkins. A great middle-of-the-lineup asset, who is willing to put everything on the line to help his team win. Every game, you can see the level of dedication he has to the game. His 104-point season felt a bit out of place looking at his career stats, and part of that was his ice time with McDavid, but he still earned those points and had proven that he can be effective anywhere in the lineup.
14. Alexis Lafreniere – New York Rangers, 2020
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 298 GP – 75 Goals – 73 Assists – 148 Points
Alexis Lafreniere’s career has been a bit disappointing prior to 2023-24 relative to the standards set as a prospect. He was a highly-touted prospect, expected to have a very high offensive upside. However, he took a big step in production after earning more ice time in the New York Rangers’ top-six. He posted 28 goals and 57 points last season, and this seems to just be the first step in what looks to be a promising career.
Lafreniere has been a versatile asset and has bounced around the lineup, proving he can play wherever he is needed. Hehas the potential to move up this list if he can continue with this forward momentum.
15. Taylor Hall – Edmonton Oilers, 2010
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 832 GP – 266 Goals – 431 Assists – 697 Points
- 1x Hart Memorial Trophy
Taylor Hall might be one of the most interesting cases. At his peak, he was voted league MVP, winning the Hart Trophy. Though at a point where he was struggling in his career, he was traded for Anders Bjork and a second-round draft pick. Hall has seemingly found a long-term home with the Blackhawks as a middle-six winger and a mentor for the young players. His production has been around the 60-point pace for a while, but he hasn’t shown that he can be the type of player you want to build a team around.
It’s possible his career would have turned out differently had he not played for a terrible Oilers team. Still, he seems to be having a great bounce-back season after a couple of down years, but if he can stay healthy there is a good chance of him thriving in Chicago.
16. Juraj Slafkovsky – Montreal Canadiens, 2022
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 121 GP – 24 Goals – 36 Assists – 60 Points
Juraj Slafkovsky is hard to place on this list because we don’t know just how much he’s capable of. What we do know, however, is that his pedigree points to success. After being named the most valuable player at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, many teams had their eyes on him as the Montreal Canadiens selected him first overall in 2022. He has the potential and talent to become one of the top power forwards in the NHL.
After a 50-point campaign last season, Slafkovsky is on a strong development path, and in the later half of the season, he was nearing a point-per-game and showing exactly what he is able to do. He needs one big breakout season before moving up this list, but he will certainly find his way there.
17. Owen Power – Buffalo Sabres, 2021
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 163 GP – 12 Goals – 59 Assists – 71 Points
Owen Power should be a fantastic defenseman for the Sabres for many years to come. He is a towering six-foot, six-inch tall left-handed defenseman. Power has a great defensive game, and is molding into a great shut-down defenseman who has a touch of offensive upside. Though Power elected to return to the NCAA after being drafted, he has broken into the NHL and started to make a name for himself.
Power is good defensively, which is a tough feat for a young defender, but he can surprise you with his offense at times as well. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Power become one of the league’s top two-way defensemen, similar to Victor Hedman. What is holding him back at this point is opportunity. With Dahlin and now Bowen Byram in the mix, he really needs to earn his ice time, and he has struggled to do that at times. His play will significantly increase with experience, and he will likely climb this list.
18. Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks, 2024
Career Stats and Achievements
- 0 GP – 0 Goals – 0 Assists – 0 Points
Macklin Celebrini, the most recent first-overall selection, is likely to climb the lower part of this list pretty quickly. As of now, he is slotted in here because he has not proven anything at the NHL level yet, but there is a lot of promise for this prospect with a very high-end, complete game. He is above the other two because one is the go-to name when talking about a bust of a prospect, and the other is a long-time NHL veteran that never lived up to the first-overall pedigree you look for in a player.
19. Erik Johnson – St. Louis Blues, 2006
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 987 GP – 93 Goals – 250 Assists – 343 Points
- 1x Stanley Cup Champion
Erik Johnson has had a solid NHL career as a shut-down defenseman. While being stylistic with the puck was never a selling point, he was great at shutting down the opposition’s offense and sending the puck back the other way. After a very long career, he finally won a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche last season. It is always tough to rank defensive defensemen since stats aren’t a good way of measuring their ability, but regardless of point totals, Johnson was always serviceable.
However, Johnson is not the type of player I would want to build a franchise around. Johnson was a great complimentary piece in the top four for the majority of his career, but never a dominant top defenseman.
20. Nail Yakupov – Edmonton Oilers, 2012
Career Stats and Achievements:
- 350 GP – 62 Goals – 74 Assists – 136 Points
Nail Yakupov might go down as one of the worst first-overall picks of all time. He only suited up for 350 NHL games before heading to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), and he was also the end of a trio of first-overall selections by the Oilers. After four seasons in Edmonton, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues for Zach Pochiro and a third-round pick (Cameron Crotty), neither of which have played an NHL game.
