The NHL Entry Draft is held annually after the completion of the NHL season. During the draft, each NHL team is given the ability to select eligible amateur hockey players from around the world. To be eligible for the draft, and North American hockey player must be between the ages of 18 and 20. European players can be of any age. Players not currently playing the NHL, and who do not meet the draft requirements are considered free agents, and can sign with any team at any time.

The draft itself is held in different cities around North America, and consists of 7 rounds. Each team is allocated one pick per round, however, draft picks can be traded, and the number of picks any particular team may have can vary from year to year. The draft order is done in reverse of the teams' standings from the previous year. However, the first five picks are allocated in a lottery format, to prevent losing teams from intentionally losing the final games of a season in an attempt to finish in last place.

The 2010 NHL Entry Draft is being held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on

The Edmonton Oilers hold the first overall pick and are expected to select either Tyler Seguin or Taylor Hall.

First five draft picks:

• Edmonton Oilers
• Boston Bruins (from Toronto)
• Florida Panthers
• Columbus Blue Jackets
• New York Islanders

From 1963 to 1980, the NHL Amateur Draft was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel or the NHL offices in Montreal, Quebec. The first one was held on June 5, 1963. Originally, the draft was only open to amateur players who were over the age of 16 and not affiliated with any NHL clubs. The first change to the draft occurred in 1969, when the age requirement was changed to under 20. A decade later, the rules again changed, to allow professional players from the failed World Hockey Association to be drafted. This led to the draft being renamed the NHL Entry Draft, a name is still holds today.

The current eligibility rules began in 1980, although for a period of time, players who were 18 or 19 could only be drafted in the first three rounds unless they were playing in major junior, U.S. college/high school, or European hockey leagues. 1980 also marked the first time the draft became open to the public. To facilitate an audience, the draft was moved to the Montreal Forum. It wasn't until 1985 that the NHL began to move the draft around to different host cities.