Each year, the NHL Entry Draft introduces a new wave of promising talent to the league. The 2025 draft saw defenseman Matthew Schaefer chosen as the first overall selection by the New York Islanders.
This article provides a summary of how the most recent five players selected first overall in the NHL draft performed during their initial seasons in the National Hockey League.
Macklin Celebrini (2024-25)
Selected first overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2024 NHL draft, Macklin Celebrini arrived with high expectations following a standout freshman year at Boston University. In his first season with the Sharks, Celebrini proved his potential by scoring 25 goals and adding 38 assists. His strong performance earned him a third-place finish in the voting for the Calder Memorial Award, presented to the league`s top rookie, and a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team.
Connor Bedard (2023-24)
Connor Bedard burst onto the NHL scene after being the Chicago Blackhawks` top pick in the 2023 draft. Despite missing 14 games due to injury, Bedard was awarded the 2024 Calder Trophy as the NHL`s rookie of the year. He led or co-led all rookies and his team in goals (22), assists (39), and points (61). At 18 years and 276 days old, Bedard became the second-youngest player in NHL history to finish as the rookie leader in all three scoring categories, a feat only surpassed by Nathan MacKinnon`s 2013-14 rookie season.
Juraj Slafkovsky (2022-23)
The Montreal Canadiens used the first pick of the 2022 NHL draft to select Juraj Slafkovsky. Hailing from Kosice, Slovakia, Slafkovsky made history as the first Slovakian-born player ever chosen first overall. He recorded his first NHL point, a goal, in his fifth career game. Slafkovsky finished his rookie campaign having played 39 games, accumulating a total of 10 points, consisting of four goals and six assists.
Owen Power (2021-22)
Owen Power was the top selection in the 2021 NHL draft by the Buffalo Sabres. He officially joined the Sabres on April 8, 2022, signing a three-year entry-level contract after spending two seasons playing collegiate hockey at the University of Michigan. At the end of the 2021-22 season, Power appeared in eight NHL games, tallying two goals and one assist. He solidified his place on the roster in the subsequent 2022-23 season, where he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team and led all rookie defensemen with 35 points (four goals, 31 assists) over 79 games.
Alexis Lafreniere (2020-21)
The New York Rangers held the first overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft and used it to select Alexis Lafreniere. Lafreniere was a highly touted prospect, having been named the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Most Valuable Player for two consecutive seasons before the draft. In his rookie season with the Rangers, Lafreniere played in 56 games and registered 21 points, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists.
