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Best Draft Classes of All Time (Ranked)

Draft class quality is measured by total career production, awards won, Stanley Cups, and number of star contributors. The best classes produce multiple Hall of Famers, franchise players across all positions, and sustained excellence over 15-20 year careers. This article ranks the five best draft classes in NHL history, from the legendary 1979 WHA merger class to modern talent explosions like 2015.

January 25, 2026

Defining Best Draft Classes

How draft classes are evaluated:

Draft class strength comes from depth of talent, not just top picks. The best classes produce 10+ All-Stars, multiple Hall of Famers, numerous Stanley Cup champions, and sustained NHL careers across multiple rounds.

Key Factors:

Number of 1,000-point players
Hall of Fame inductees
Major award winners (Hart, Norris, Vezina)
Stanley Cup champions
NHL games played across entire class
Depth beyond first round

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#1: 1979 Draft (WHA Merger Class)

The greatest draft class ever, enriched by WHA talent influx.

The 1979 draft coincided with the WHA merger, creating unprecedented depth. Four WHA teams (Edmonton, Quebec, Winnipeg, Hartford) joined NHL, bringing their prospects into the draft pool. This created a superclass with multiple 1,000-point producers and future Hall of Famers.

Elite Talent:

Ray Bourque (8th, Boston) 1,579 career points, five Norris Trophies, played until age 41.

Mike Gartner (4th, Washington) 708 goals, 1,335 points, Hall of Fame 2001.

Michel Goulet (20th, Quebec) 548 goals, 1,152 points, Hall of Fame 1998.

Dale Hawerchuk (1st, Winnipeg) 1,409 points, Hall of Fame 2001.

Mark Messier (48th, Edmonton) 1,887 points, six Cups, two Hart Trophies, Hall of Fame 2007.

Glenn Anderson (69th, Edmonton) 1,099 points, five Cups with Edmonton.

Guy Carbonneau (44th, Montreal) 663 points, three Selke Trophies, three Cups.

Depth Throughout: The 1979 class produced 12+ players with 500+ points, six Hall of Famers, and numerous Cup champions. The WHA merger made this class impossible to replicate.

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#2: 2003 Draft (Modern Era Peak)

The deepest modern draft class with elite talent across all positions.

The 2003 class featured exceptional balance: elite forwards, franchise defensemen, and multiple Cup-winning goaltenders. Nearly every first-round pick became NHL regular, with several becoming superstars.

Elite Talent:

Marc-Andre Fleury (1st, Pittsburgh) 561 wins, three Cups, Vezina Trophy, Hall of Fame candidate.

Eric Staal (2nd, Carolina) 1,063 points, Stanley Cup champion (2006).

Nathan Horton (3rd, Florida) 502 points before career ended by injuries.

Thomas Vanek (5th, Buffalo) 789 points, elite goal-scorer.

Ryan Getzlaf (19th, Anaheim) 1,019 points, Stanley Cup champion (2007).

Dustin Brown (13th, Los Angeles) 712 points, two Cups (2012, 2014), Kings captain.

Zach Parise (17th, New Jersey) 900+ points, elite two-way forward.

Corey Perry (28th, Anaheim) 892 points, Hart Trophy (2011), Stanley Cup champion.

Brent Seabrook (14th, Chicago) 464 points, three Cups, elite defenseman.

Shea Weber (49th, Nashville) 589 points, Norris candidate, hardest shot in NHL.

Patrice Bergeron (45th, Boston) 1,294 points, five Selke Trophies, Cup champion.

Depth: The 2003 class produced eight 700+ point players, five Cup champions as core players, and elite talent through all seven rounds.

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#3: 2015 Draft (Generational Scoring)

Connor McDavid's class featuring elite offensive talent.

The 2015 draft is headlined by generational talent but features strong depth across first three rounds. McDavid's historic pace elevates entire class, while supporting cast provides franchise players.

Elite Talent:

Connor McDavid (1st, Edmonton) 1,159+ points already, three Hart Trophies, fastest to 1,000 points.

Jack Eichel (2nd, Buffalo) 650+ points, elite center, Stanley Cup champion (2023).

Dylan Strome (3rd, Arizona) 400+ points, solid first-line center.

Mitch Marner (4th, Toronto) 700+ points, elite playmaker.

Noah Hanifin (5th, Carolina) 400+ points, top-pair defenseman.

Pavel Zacha (6th, New Jersey) 350+ points, solid two-way forward.

Mikko Rantanen (10th, Colorado) 650+ points, multiple 100-point seasons.

Kyle Connor (17th, Winnipeg) 500+ points, elite goal-scorer.

Mathew Barzal (16th, Islanders) 500+ points, Calder Trophy winner.

Travis Konecny (24th, Philadelphia) 500+ points, consistent scorer.

Depth: While top-heavy with McDavid, the 2015 class produced six 500+ point players already (many still in primes), with elite scoring across first two rounds.

#4: 1991 Draft (Balanced Excellence)

Hall of Fame defensemen and elite forwards throughout.

The 1991 class featured exceptional defenseman depth alongside elite forwards, creating balanced talent across positions.

Elite Talent:

Eric Lindros (1st, Quebec/Philadelphia) 865 points, Hart Trophy (1995), dominant power forward.

Scott Niedermayer (3rd, New Jersey) 740 points, four Cups, Norris Trophy, Conn Smythe.

Peter Forsberg (6th, Quebec/Colorado) 885 points in 708 games (1.25 PPG), Hart Trophy, two Cups.

Scott Stevens (5th traded to New Jersey) 908 points, three Cups, Conn Smythe Trophy.

Markus Naslund (16th, Pittsburgh) 869 points, Hart finalist, Canucks franchise player.

Glen Murray (18th, Boston) 603 points, consistent 30-goal scorer.

Nicklas Lidstrom (53rd, Detroit) 1,142 points, seven Norris Trophies, four Cups, Hall of Fame.

Martin Brodeur (20th, New Jersey) 691 wins (all-time record), three Cups, four Vezinas.

Depth: The 1991 class produced four Hall of Famers (Lindros, Forsberg, Lidstrom, Brodeur), multiple Cup champions, and exceptional defenseman depth.

#5: 1987 Draft (Deep Class)

Hall of Famers across all positions and rounds.

The 1987 class features elite talent through multiple rounds, with several late-round steals becoming franchise players.

Elite Talent:

Pierre Turgeon (1st, Buffalo) 1,327 points, elite playmaker.

Brendan Shanahan (2nd, New Jersey) 1,354 points, three Cups, Hall of Fame 2013.

Glen Wesley (3rd, Boston) 547 points, Stanley Cup champion.

Joe Sakic (15th, Quebec/Colorado) 1,641 points, two Cups, Hart Trophy, Conn Smythe, Hall of Fame.

Luc Robitaille (171st, Los Angeles) 1,394 points, 668 goals, Hall of Fame 2009.

John LeClair (33rd, Montreal) 819 points, elite power forward.

Adam Oates (22nd via trade) 1,079 points, Hall of Fame 2012.

Theoren Fleury (166th, Calgary) 1,088 points, Stanley Cup champion.

Depth: The 1987 class produced five Hall of Famers (Shanahan, Sakic, Robitaille, Oates, Hasek if counting late European), with elite talent across all seven rounds.

Honorable Mentions

Other exceptional draft classes:

2005 (Sidney Crosby Class): Crosby (1st), Anze Kopitar (11th), Marc Staal (12th), T.J. Oshie (24th), Keith Yandle (105th). Crosby's dominance headlines, but depth solid.

2008 (Steven Stamkos Class): Stamkos (1st), Drew Doughty (2nd), Zach Bogosian (3rd), Alex Pietrangelo (4th), Luke Schenn (5th), Kyle Okposo (7th), Erik Karlsson (15th). Elite defenseman class.

1984 (Mario Lemieux Class): Lemieux (1st), Brett Hull (117th), Patrick Roy (51st), Luc Robitaille (171st, 1987). Top-heavy but Hall of Fame talent.

Class Comparison

Ranking factors across the five best classes:

Hall of Famers: 1979: 6+ | 2003: 4-5 (pending) | 2015: 2+ (pending) | 1991: 4 | 1987: 5

1,000-Point Players: 1979: 5 | 2003: 2 | 2015: 1 (McDavid, more pending) | 1991: 3 | 1987: 5

Stanley Cup Champions: 1979: 10+ | 2003: 8 | 2015: 2 | 1991: 6 | 1987: 5

Depth: 1979 wins due to WHA merger creating unprecedented talent pool across all rounds.

The Verdict

The 1979 draft remains the greatest class ever, enriched by the WHA merger. Ray Bourque, Mark Messier, Mike Gartner, and Michel Goulet represent just the tip of the talent iceberg.

The 2003 draft is the best modern class, producing Fleury, Getzlaf, Perry, Bergeron, and Weber across all rounds. The 2015 class, led by Connor McDavid, has potential to climb higher as players enter their primes.

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