2017 NHL entry draft


The 2017 NHL entry draft was the 55th entry draft for the National Hockey League. It was held on June 23–24, 2017, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The first three selections were Nico Hischier by the New Jersey Devils, Nolan Patrick by the Philadelphia Flyers, and Miro Heiskanen by the Dallas Stars.
As of 2025 there are 61 active NHL players from this draft.

Eligibility

Ice hockey players born between January 1, 1997, and September 15, 1999, were eligible for selection in the 2017 NHL entry draft. Additionally, undrafted non-North American players born in 1996 were eligible for the draft; and those players who were drafted in the 2015 NHL entry draft, but not signed by an NHL team and who were born after June 30, 1997, were also eligible to re-enter the draft.

Draft lottery

Since the 2012–13 NHL season all teams not qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs have a "weighted" chance at winning the first overall selection. Beginning with the 2014–15 NHL season the NHL changed the weighting system that was used in previous years. Under the new system the odds of winning the draft lottery for the four lowest finishing teams in the league decreased, while the odds for the other non-playoff teams increased. The first three picks overall in this draft were awarded by lottery. The odds of winning the second and third draws increased on a proportional basis depending on which team won the previous draw. In the 2017 draft lottery, the expansion Vegas Golden Knights had the same odds of winning the lottery as the team that finished with the third fewest points in the 2016–17 NHL season. Vegas earned the lowest possible pick that they could receive, and selected sixth overall in the first-round and third in each subsequent round of this draft. The New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars won the draft lotteries that took place on April 29, 2017, giving them the first, second and third picks overall. New Jersey moved up four spots to earn the first selection, while Philadelphia and Dallas moved up from the thirteenth and eighth spots, respectively. In the process, the Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights and Arizona Coyotes were each knocked down three places from first, second, third and fourth overall, respectively, while the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings dropped two spots and the Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Carolina Hurricanes and Winnipeg Jets each dropped one place.
Indicates team won first overall
Indicates team won second overall
Indicates team won third overall
Indicates teams that did not win a lottery

Top prospects

RankingNorth American skatersEuropean skaters
1

Selections by round

The order of the 2017 entry draft is listed below.

Round one

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
1Nico Hischier

Round two

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
32Conor Timmins

Round three

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
63Fabian Zetterlund

Round four

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
94Nick Henry

Round five

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
125Igor Shvyrov

Round six

#PlayerNationalityNHL teamCollege/junior/club team
156Denis Smirnov

Round seven

;Notes
  1. The Florida Panthers' seventh-round pick went to the Boston Bruins as the result of a trade on June 25, 2016, that sent a seventh-round pick in 2016 to Florida in exchange for this pick.
  2. The Los Angeles Kings' seventh-round pick went to the Philadelphia Flyers as the result of a trade on March 1, 2017, that sent Mark Streit to Tampa Bay in exchange for Valtteri Filppula, a fourth-round pick in 2017 and this pick. The condition – Philadelphia will receive Los Angeles' seventh-round pick in 2017 if Tampa Bay trades Streit – was converted on March 1, 2017, when Streit was traded to Pittsburgh.
  3. :Tampa Bay previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on February 26, 2017, that sent Ben Bishop and a fifth-round pick in 2017 to Los Angeles in exchange for Peter Budaj, Erik Cernak, a conditional pick in 2017 and this pick.
  4. The Philadelphia Flyers' seventh-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 24, 2017, that sent a seventh-round pick in 2018 to Philadelphia in exchange for this pick.
  5. The San Jose Sharks' seventh-round pick went to the New Jersey Devils as the result of a trade on June 24, 2017, that sent Nashville's sixth-round pick in 2017 to San Jose in exchange for Ottawa's seventh-round pick in 2017 and this pick.
  6. The Montreal Canadiens' seventh-round pick went to the Winnipeg Jets as the result of a trade on June 25, 2016, that sent a seventh-round pick in 2016 to Montreal in exchange for this pick.
  7. The Chicago Blackhawks' seventh-round pick went to the San Jose Sharks as the result of a trade on March 2, 2015, that sent Andrew Desjardins to Chicago in exchange for Ben Smith and this pick. The condition – San Jose will receive a seventh-round pick in 2017 if Chicago wins the Stanley Cup in 2015 – was converted on June 15, 2015.
  8. The Ottawa Senators' seventh-round pick went to the New Jersey Devils as the result of a trade on June 24, 2017, that sent Nashville's sixth-round pick in 2017 to San Jose in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2017 and this pick.
  9. :San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on January 24, 2017, that sent Tommy Wingels to Ottawa in exchange for Buddy Robinson, Zack Stortini and this pick.
  10. The Anaheim Ducks' seventh-round pick went to the Chicago Blackhawks as the result of a trade on February 29, 2016, that sent Corey Tropp to Anaheim in exchange for Tim Jackman and this pick.

    Draftees based on nationality

North American draftees by state/province