1998 NHL entry draft


The 1998 NHL entry draft was the 36th NHL entry draft. It was held on June 27 at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. A total of 258 players were drafted.
The last active players in the NHL from this draft class were Francois Beauchemin, Mike Fisher and Brian Gionta, who all retired after the 2017–18 season.

Selections by round

Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.

Round one

PickPlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
1Vincent Lecavalier Tampa Bay Lightning 1Rimouski Oceanic
2David Legwand Nashville Predators 2Plymouth Whalers
3Brad Stuart San Jose Sharks 3Regina Pats
4Bryan Allen Vancouver CanucksOshawa Generals
5Vitali Vishnevski Mighty Ducks of AnaheimTorpedo Yaroslavl
6Rico Fata Calgary FlamesLondon Knights
7Manny Malhotra New York RangersGuelph Storm
8Mark Bell Chicago Blackhawks 4Ottawa 67s
9Michael Rupp New York IslandersErie Otters
10Nikolai Antropov Toronto Maple Leafs 5Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk
11Jeff Heerema Carolina HurricanesSarnia Sting
12Alex Tanguay Colorado Avalanche 6Halifax Mooseheads
13Michael Henrich Edmonton OilersBarrie Colts
14Patrick DesRochers Phoenix CoyotesSarnia Sting
15Mathieu Chouinard Ottawa SenatorsShawinigan Cataractes
16Eric Chouinard Montreal CanadiensQuebec Remparts
17Martin Skoula Colorado Avalanche 7Barrie Colts
18Dmitri Kalinin Buffalo SabresTraktor Chelyabinsk
19Robyn Regehr Colorado Avalanche 8Kamloops Blazers
20Scott Parker Colorado Avalanche 9Kelowna Rockets
21Mathieu Biron Los Angeles Kings 10Shawinigan Cataractes
22Simon Gagne Philadelphia Flyers 11Quebec Remparts
23Milan Kraft Pittsburgh PenguinsKeramika Plzen
24Christian Backman St. Louis BluesVastra Frolunda HC
25Jiri Fischer Detroit Red WingsHull Olympiques
26Mike Van Ryn New Jersey DevilsUniversity of Michigan
27Scott Gomez New Jersey Devils 12Tri-City Americans

  1. San Jose's acquired first-round pick went to Tampa Bay as the result of a trade on March 24, 1998 that sent Bryan Marchment and David Shaw to San Jose in exchange for Andrei Nazarov and Tampa Bay's conditional right to swap first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft.
  2. : San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on November 13, 1997 that sent Viktor Kozlov and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Florida in exchange for Dave Lowry and this pick.
  3. San Jose's acquired first-round pick went to Nashville as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998 that sent a first-round and second-round picks in the 1998 Entry Draft to San Jose in exchange for a third-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick.
  4. : San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on March 24, 1998 that sent Bryan Marchment and David Shaw to San Jose in exchange for Andrei Nazarov and Tampa Bay's conditional right to swap first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft.
  5. Nashville's first-round pick went to San Jose as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998 that sent a first-round and third-round picks in the 1998 Entry Draft to Nashville in exchange for a second-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick.
  6. Toronto's first-round pick went to Chicago as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998 that sent a first-round pick, a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Toronto in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick.
  7. Chicago's first-round pick went to Toronto as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998 that sent a first-round pick and a fourth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Chicago in exchange for a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft along with this pick.
  8. San Jose's first-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on November 20, 1997 that sent Mike Ricci and a second-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to San Jose in exchange for Shean Donovan and this pick.
  9. Los Angeles' first-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on June 20, 1996 that sent Eric Lacroix and a first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Los Angeles in exchange for Stephane Fiset and this pick.
  10. Boston's first-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on November 22, 1996 that sent Anders Myrvold and Landon Wilson to Boston in exchange for this pick.
  11. Washington's first-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on November 2, 1996 that sent Curtis Leschyshyn and Chris Simon to Washington in exchange for Keith Jones, a fourth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick.
  12. Colorado's first-round pick went to Los Angeles as the result of a trade on June 20, 1996 that sent Stephane Fiset and a first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Los Angeles in exchange for Eric Lacroix and this pick.
  13. Philadelphia's first-round pick was re-acquired as the result of a trade on August 20, 1997 that sent Karl Dykhuis and Mikael Renberg to Tampa Bay in exchange for first-round picks in the 1999 entry draft, 2000 entry draft and 2001 entry draft along with this pick.
  14. : Tampa Bay previously acquired this pick along with first-round picks in the 1999 entry draft, 2000 entry draft and 2001 entry draft as compensation on August 20, 1997 after Philadelphia signed Group II free agent Chris Gratton.
  15. Dallas' first-round pick went to New Jersey as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998 that sent a two second-round picks in the 1998 Entry Draft to Dallas in exchange for this pick.

    Round two

  16. Tampa Bay's second-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on July 29, 1996 that sent Craig Wolanin to Tampa Bay in exchange for this pick.
  17. Nashville's second-round pick went to San Jose as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998 that sent a first-round and third-round picks in the 1998 Entry Draft to Nashville in exchange for a first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick.
  18. The Rangers' second-round pick went to Buffalo as the result of a trade on September 29, 1997 that sent Pat LaFontaine to the Rangers in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2000 entry draft and this pick.
  19. New Jersey acquired this pick as compensation after failing to sign their first-round pick in the 1996 entry draft.
  20. Chicago's second-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on July 10, 1996 that sent Tuomas Gronman to Chicago in exchange for this pick.
  21. New Jersey's acquired second-round pick went to Dallas as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998 that sent a first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to New Jersey in exchange for a second-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick.
  22. : New Jersey previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on December 19, 1995 that sent Jim Dowd and a second-round pick in the 1997 entry draft to Hartford in exchange for Jocelyn Lemieux and this pick.
  23. The Rangers acquired this pick as compensation on July 30, 1997 after Vancouver signed free agent Mark Messier.
  24. Detroit's acquired second-round pick went to St. Louis as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998 that sent second-round and fourth-round picks in the 1998 Entry Draft to Detroit in exchange for this pick.
  25. : Detroit previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on August 18, 1997 that sent Mike Vernon and a fifth-round pick in the 1999 entry draft to San Jose in exchange for a second-round pick in the 1999 entry draft and this pick.
  26. Edmonton's second-round pick went to Philadelphia as the result of a trade on March 24, 1998 that sent Janne Niinimaa to Edmonton in exchange for Dan McGillis and this pick.
  27. San Jose's acquired second-round pick went to Buffalo as the result of a trade on June 18, 1998 that sent Steve Shields and a fourth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to San Jose in exchange for Kay Whitmore, a fifth-round pick in the 2000 entry draft and this pick.
  28. : San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on November 20, 1997 that sent Shean Donovan and a first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Colorado in exchange for Mike Ricci and this pick.
  29. Washington's second-round pick went to Boston as the result of a trade on March 1, 1997 that sent Adam Oates, Bill Ranford and Rick Tocchet to Washington in exchange for Jason Allison, Jim Carey, Anson Carter, a third-round pick in the 1997 entry draft and this pick. This pick was a conditional pick and the conditions was if Washington were able to re-sign Rick Tocchet as a free agent. He signed with the Phoenix Coyotes on July 23, 1997 and Washington got a compensation pick in the 1998 Entry Draft that still went to Boston to complete the trade.
  30. Colorado acquired this pick as compensation after failing to sign their first-round pick in the 1996 entry draft.
  31. St. Louis' second-round pick went to Detroit as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998 that sent a second-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick.
  32. New Jersey's second-round pick went to Dallas as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998 that sent a first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to New Jersey in exchange for a second-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick.
  33. Philadelphia's acquired second-round pick went to Ottawa as the result of a trade on January 17, 1998 that sent Alexandre Daigle to Philadelphia in exchange for Pat Falloon, Vaclav Prospal and this pick.
  34. : Philadelphia previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on June 21, 1997 that sent a third-round pick in the 1997 entry draft to Dallas in exchange for this pick.