The pressure of being a No. 1 overall pick in the NHL is quite intense. The team selecting at the top of the draft could have their pick of any player available and the franchise’s hopes and dreams for a brighter future often reside on that No. 1 overall pick becoming a game-changing player.
The good news for NHL teams is that more often than not, the players taken at the top of the draft become star players worthy of the No. 1 selection. Of course, there are some unfortunate exceptions, but oftentimes the player in question is ultimately worthy of remembrance as a generational talent in some way.
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With NHL Draft season officially in full swing, here is every No. 1 overall pick selected since 2000.
Every No. 1 overall NHL Draft pick since 2000
2000: G Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders
2001: F Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta Thrashers
2002: F Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets
2003: G Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins
2004: F Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
2005: F Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
2006: D Erik Johnson, St. Louis Blues
2007: F Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
2008: F Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning
2009: F John Tavares, New York Islanders
2010: F Taylor Hall, Edmonton Oilers
2011: F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers
2012: F Nail Yakupov, Edmonton Oilers
2013: F Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
2014: D Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers
2015: F Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
2016: F Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
2017: F Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils
2018: D Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
2019: F Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
2020: F Alexis Lafreniere, New York Rangers
2021: D Owen Power, Buffalo Sabres
2022: F Juraj Slafkovsky, Montreal Canadiens
2023: F Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks
2024: F Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Every No. 1 overall NHL Draft pick made since 2000