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Best First-Round Picks by Franchise (Team-by-Team)

Each franchise's best first-round pick is a blend of career totals, awards, franchise impact, and era context. These players delivered maximum value relative to draft position and became cornerstones of franchise history. This article ranks the single best first-round selection for all 32 NHL teams, from Original Six legends to modern superstars.

January 25, 2026

Defining Best Franchise Pick

The criteria for each team's best first-round selection:

Career totals matter, including points, games, and awards. Franchise impact includes Stanley Cups, captaincy, years as core player, and fan legacy. Draft position provides context (late-round steals get extra credit). Hall of Fame status is automatic top-tier consideration.

Key Factors:

Career points, goals, awards
Stanley Cup championships
Years as franchise cornerstone
Draft position value
Hall of Fame status

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Original Six Teams

The league's founding franchises and their best picks:

Boston Bruins: Bobby Orr (1st, 1966)

Revolutionized defense, eight Norris Trophies, two Cups, 915 points in 657 games. Changed how defensemen play offense, greatest Bruins pick ever.

Chicago Blackhawks: Patrick Kane (1st, 2007)

1,370 career points, three Cups, 2013 Conn Smythe, 2016 Hart Trophy. Franchise scoring leader, modern Hawks icon.

Detroit Red Wings: Steve Yzerman (4th, 1983)

1,755 points, three Cups, 19-year captain. Rebuild anchor who turned Red Wings into dynasty.

Montreal Canadiens: Guy Lafleur (1st, 1971)

1,353 points, five Cups, three Art Ross, two Hart Trophies. Set franchise winger standard for generations.

New York Rangers: Brian Leetch (9th, 1986)

1,028 points, Norris Trophy, 1994 Conn Smythe, Cup champion. Greatest Rangers defenseman ever.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Mats Sundin (1st, 1989)

First European first overall pick, 1,349 points, franchise captain, Hall of Fame 2012.

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Expansion Era Teams (1967-1990)

Teams founded during first NHL expansion:

Los Angeles Kings: Luc Robitaille (171st, 1986)

Ninth-round steal, 1,394 points, 668 goals, Hall of Fame 2009. Greatest value pick in Kings history.

Philadelphia Flyers: Bobby Clarke (2nd, 1969)

1,210 points, three Hart Trophies, two Cups. Defined Broad Street Bullies era with skill and toughness.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Mario Lemieux (1st, 1984)

1,723 points, two Cups, six Art Ross, three Hart Trophies. Saved franchise from bankruptcy and relocation.

St. Louis Blues: Brett Hull (117th, 1984)

Sixth-round steal, 741 goals, 1,391 points. Greatest pure goal-scorer in Blues history.

Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin (1st, 2004)

916+ goals (all-time leader), three Hart Trophies, 2018 Cup. Franchise face for two decades.

Buffalo Sabres: Gilbert Perreault (1st, 1970)

1,326 points, "French Connection" centerpiece, franchise legend for 17 seasons.

Vancouver Canucks: Trevor Linden (2nd, 1988)

1,382 games, captain, 1994 Cup Finals. Franchise heart and soul.

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Modern Era Teams (1991-Present)

Recent expansion franchises and their best picks:

Anaheim Ducks: Ryan Getzlaf (19th, 2003)

1,019 points, 2007 Cup, captain for 12 seasons. Franchise center who defined Ducks hockey.

Arizona Coyotes: Clayton Keller (7th, 2016)

500+ points, franchise's most consistent star in desert era. Best value in franchise's limited history.

Calgary Flames: Al MacInnis (15th, 1981)

1,274 points, Norris Trophy, 1989 Cup. Hardest shot in NHL, franchise defenseman.

Carolina Hurricanes: Eric Staal (2nd, 2003)

1,063 points, 2006 Cup captain. Franchise center for decade, led only championship.

Colorado Avalanche: Joe Sakic (15th, 1987)

1,641 points, two Cups, 1996 Conn Smythe. Greatest Avalanche player ever (drafted by Quebec).

Columbus Blue Jackets: Rick Nash (1st, 2002)

437 goals with franchise, captain. First star in franchise history, trade return accelerated rebuild.

Dallas Stars: Mike Modano (1st, 1988)

1,374 points, 1999 Cup. First American to 500 goals, franchise icon.

Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid (1st, 2015)

1,159+ points, three Hart Trophies, fastest to 1,000 points. Franchise savior after decade of struggles.

Florida Panthers: Aleksander Barkov (2nd, 2013)

700+ points, two Selke Trophies, 2024 Cup champion. Elite two-way center, franchise captain.

More Modern Teams

Continuing modern franchises:

Minnesota Wild: Mikko Koivu (6th, 2001)

711 points in 1,028 games, franchise captain. Defined Wild's identity as two-way center.

Nashville Predators: Shea Weber (49th, 2003)

589 points, three Norris finalist nominations. Franchise blue-line anchor with hardest shot.

New Jersey Devils: Scott Niedermayer (3rd, 1991)

740 points, four Cups (three with Devils), Norris Trophy. Greatest Devils defenseman.

Ottawa Senators: Daniel Alfredsson (133rd, 1994)

1,157 points, 2006 Calder Trophy. Late-round steal became franchise icon.

San Jose Sharks: Patrick Marleau (2nd, 1997)

1,779 games (NHL record), 1,197 points. Franchise ironman and all-time leader.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman (2nd, 2009)

600+ points, Norris Trophy, two Cups, Conn Smythe. 30-minute workhorse defenseman.

Vegas Golden Knights: Cody Glass (6th, 2017)

First draft pick in franchise history represents Vegas's draft identity, though others may surpass him.

Winnipeg Jets: Dale Hawerchuk (1st, 1981)

1,409 points, Hall of Fame 2001. Original Jets franchise center.

Seattle Kraken: Too early to determine (franchise founded 2021)

Late-Round Steals by Franchise

Teams with best value picks:

Best Steals:

Los Angeles: Luc Robitaille (171st)
St. Louis: Brett Hull (117th)
Ottawa: Daniel Alfredsson (133rd)
Nashville: Shea Weber (49th)
Dallas: Jamie Benn (129th)

These late-round picks provided Hall of Fame careers from positions where most teams find nothing.

First Overall Success Stories

Teams whose best pick was first overall:

Clear Wins:

Pittsburgh: Mario Lemieux (1st, 1984)
Chicago: Patrick Kane (1st, 2007)
Washington: Alex Ovechkin (1st, 2004)
Edmonton: Connor McDavid (1st, 2015)
Montreal: Guy Lafleur (1st, 1971)

These teams got exactly what they needed with first overall picks.

The Verdict

Bobby Orr (Boston), Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh), and Connor McDavid (Edmonton) represent the pinnacle of first-round success at first overall. Luc Robitaille (Los Angeles, 171st) and Brett Hull (St. Louis, 117th) show that late-round steals can define franchises just as much as top picks.

Every franchise has that one pick that changed everything, whether first overall or ninth round.

Play Gridzy Hockey Free Every Day

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You get nine guesses to fill a 3×3 grid, you can't reuse players, and every pick is either a genius flex or instant regret, so yeah, it's basically hockey trivia with stakes.

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