The NHL Entry Draft is an annual event held by the league where teams select eligible players to add to their rosters. It is the primary way for NHL teams to select new young talent from different junior leagues, collegiate level and from the European Leagues. At the draft, teams usually take turns at selecting players with a possibility of nearly 224 players getting selected.
Matter of factly, the draft order is generally determined by the teams' performance in the previous season. As a result, the team with the worst record usually gets the first pick, while the Stanley Cup champion gets the last pick in each round.
NHL Draft Rounds
The NHL Draft consists of seven rounds with each of the 32 NHL teams typically making one selection per round. However, the number of picks can vary due to trades and compensatory picks. The draft order is determined based on the teams' performance in the last season with the team having the worst record getting the first overall pick, although this order can be controlled by the NHL Draft Lottery for the top picks.
The first round features the top prospects available from around the globe with each team getting a chance to pick one player, making 32 picks in total. For the following rounds, the order stays the same, but the number of picks can vary because of trades and special picks. Usually, each team gets one pick per round, so there are about 192 more players that can be chosen over the next six rounds. This means that teams can still find talented players even after the first round.
After being drafted, the players usually stay in junior leagues, college, or are sent to the American Hockey League (AHL) if they are ready for pro play. This provides enough time to the players to improve their skills and gain experience before joining their NHL team.
FAQ's On Rounds In NHL Draft
A. Each of the 32 NHL teams can make one selection per round, meaning that there can be a total of 224 players selected.
A. At the conclusion of the regular season, the sixteen teams that did not qualify for the playoffs are entered in a weighted lottery to determine the initial draft picks in the first round. The following rounds see all the teams pick players until the last round is done.
A. The NHL Draft will be taking place on June 28 and June 29 at Sphere in Las Vegas.
A. The San Jose Sharks won the 2024 NHL draft lottery, securing the first overall pick.
A. Yes, the NHL Draft is an annual event, taking place nearly two or three months after the conclusion of the regular NHL season.
