How the NHL Draft Works: A Guide for New Fans

26 November 2025

So, you've decided to dive into the world of the NHL, huh? Welcome aboard! There’s plenty of fast-paced action, questionable referee decisions, and, of course, the drama-filled NHL Draft. If you're wondering how this all works, don’t worry—you’re not alone. The draft is like a chaotic yard sale where teams fight over the shiniest new toys (who happen to be highly skilled teenagers). Buckle up, because we’re about to break it all down for you.

What Is the NHL Draft?

The NHL Draft is essentially the league’s way of saying, “Hey, let’s give the worst teams a chance to not be terrible anymore.” Each summer, NHL teams take turns selecting young players to add to their rosters, hoping they’ll find the next Wayne Gretzky (spoiler: they probably won’t). It's a massive event filled with speculation, last-minute trades, and plenty of overhyped predictions that rarely pan out.

Who’s Eligible for the Draft?

Not just anybody can waltz into the NHL Draft and get picked (sorry, beer league all-stars). There are specific rules:

- Players must be at least 18 years old by September 15 of the draft year.
- They can’t be older than 20 (unless they’re international players, in which case they have a bit more flexibility).
- Most players come from junior leagues, college programs, or overseas teams.

Basically, if you're 18, ridiculously talented, and have been scouted like a rare Pokémon, you might have a shot.

The Draft Lottery: Where Hope (Mostly) Dies

Before the draft even begins, there’s the draft lottery, which is supposed to give struggling teams a fair shot at the first overall pick. In theory, it helps the worst teams get better. In reality, it often leads to conspiracy theories and enraged fanbases wondering how the Chicago Blackhawks always seem to luck out (looking at you, Connor Bedard pick).

Here’s how the lottery works:

1. The 16 teams that didn’t make the playoffs get entered into the lottery.
2. A bunch of ping pong balls (yes, really) decide who moves up in the draft order.
3. The team that wins the lottery gets the coveted first overall pick—unless they’ve traded it away, in which case, tough luck.

The whole thing is basically The Hunger Games for bad hockey teams. May the odds be ever in your favor.

The Draft Order: Why Being Bad Is (Sometimes) Good

The worse you are, the better your draft position—at least in theory. After the lottery, the rest of the first-round order is set based on the previous season's standings.

Here’s how it generally works:

- The team that finished dead last has the best shot at the first pick (but thanks to the lottery, nothing is guaranteed).
- Teams that made the playoffs pick later in the first round.
- The Stanley Cup champions? Sorry, but they’re stuck picking dead last (because winning too much has consequences).

So, yes, tanking—intentionally being awful to get a higher pick—is a thing. Not that any team officially admits to it, but let’s just say some late-season lineups make it painfully obvious.

How Many Rounds Are There?

Because NHL general managers love overcomplicating things, the draft isn’t just one round—it’s seven long rounds of picks, trades, and questionable decisions.

- The first round is where all the hype happens. These are the players expected to make an immediate impact.
- Rounds 2-7? Well, that’s where teams hope they unearth a hidden gem. For every first-round bust, there’s a later-round steal (Henrik Zetterberg was a 7th-round pick, after all).

So if your favorite team doesn’t draft a superstar in Round 1, don’t panic—there’s still a chance they’ll find a future legend in Round 6. Or, y’know, they’ll draft a guy who never makes it past the AHL. It’s a coin flip.

What Happens After the Draft?

Just because a player is drafted doesn’t mean they’re heading straight to the NHL. In fact, plenty of picks take years before they ever suit up in the big leagues. Here’s what usually happens:

- Immediate NHL Star: A select few (think first-overall picks) jump straight to the NHL and make an impact right away.
- More Time in Juniors/College: Many players continue developing before they’re NHL-ready.
- AHL/Stash Overseas: Some players need more seasoning in the minors or international leagues before they’re ready for prime time.

And then there are the poor souls who get drafted and never see a single NHL game. It’s a rough world out there.

Fun NHL Draft Moments

The NHL Draft isn’t just a boring, robotic process. Oh no, it’s packed with hilarious, bizarre, and downright shocking moments.

- The Infamous Patrick Roy Trade (1995): The Montreal Canadiens traded away a future Hall of Fame goaltender because they were petty. Iconic.
- Alex Ovechkin Was Almost Drafted a Year Early: The Capitals tried to argue that leap years made Ovechkin eligible a year before he actually was. A+ for creativity.
- That Time Brian Burke Talked About “Orchestrating” a Draft: Burke loved making moves, and his infamous 1999 draft day maneuvering to get both Sedin twins? Chef’s kiss.

You never know what will happen on draft day, but you do know Twitter will be having a meltdown.

Why Should You Care About the NHL Draft?

Look, if you’re new to hockey, caring about a bunch of 18-year-olds getting drafted might not seem exciting. But trust me, this one event shapes the future of the league.

- It builds the next generation of superstars (like Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews).
- It can make—or ruin—a franchise (ask Edmonton how many times they botched their draft picks before hitting gold with McDavid).
- It’s full of unpredictability, trades, and pure chaos (which is always entertaining).

So, if you’re going to be a hockey fan, paying attention to the draft is like reading the first chapter of a book—you’ll appreciate the story much more when you know where it all started.

Final Thoughts

The NHL Draft isn’t just some boring, bureaucratic process—it’s the lifeblood of the league’s future, a night of hope, hype, and occasionally horrible decisions. Some teams will draft their next franchise player, others will make picks that leave fans screaming into the void, and everyone will overanalyze every move for the next decade.

So, grab some popcorn, pay attention to those weird draft-day trades, and remember: not every first-overall pick turns into a superstar (cough Nail Yakupov cough). Happy drafting!