• The NHL Draft an annual event in which the National Hockey League's thirty teams can select players who wish to join the league.

  The 2009 NHL Draft will be held on June 26 and June 27 at the Bell Center in Montreal, Canada. It will be broadcast on Versus in the United States and on TSN in Canada.

• 1. First draft held in 1963
  2. Draft order determined by lottery drawing and post-season finish

• Early history

  The draft was first held on June 5, 1963 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the original six NHL teams each selected four players to join their squads. Originally teams could select players age 17 and older, however this was changed in 1969 to include only players 20 and older.

• Draft Process

  The draft order is determined first by how teams finish in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Stanley Cup champion is given the last or 30th pick, with the runner up following with the 29th pick and so on. The 14 NHL teams that did not qualify for the playoffs are then involved in a draft lottery, where the draft order is finalized.

• Eligibility

  Since 1980, players are eligible for the NHL draft if they are aged 18-20 and North American. Additionally any player 18 and over from outside North America is eligible for the draft.

• Former #1 Picks

  1. Bobby Orr, 1966
  2. Denis Potvin, 1973
  3. Mario Lemieux, 1984
  4. Mike Modano, 1988
  5. Eric Lindros, 1991
  6. Joe Thornton, 1997
  7. Alexander Ovechkin, 2004
  8. Sidney Crosby, 2005

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