BC Place was the venue for the 1990 NHL entry draft
The1990 NHL entry draft was the 28thNHL entry draft. It was hosted by theVancouver Canucks atBC Place inVancouver,British Columbia, on June 16, 1990. It is remembered as one of the deeper drafts in NHL history, with fourteen of the twenty-one first round picks going on to careers of at least 500 NHL games.[1]
Nine of the twenty-one players drafted in the first roundplayed 1,000 NHL games in their career.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class wasJaromir Jagr, who played his last NHL game in the2017–18 season. As of 2025, Jagr is still an active player withRytiri Kladno of theELH.
The Canucks had estimated that 10,000 spectators would attend the draft, which had free admission.[4] However, holding the venue in a higher capacity venue allowed for that estimate to nearly double, with 19,127 spectators—a then record for attendance at an NHL entry draft—attending the draft.[5]
Heading into the 1990 NHL entry draft,Mike Ricci had spent the entire 1989–90 season ranked as the top prospect by theNHL Central Scouting Bureau.[6] Before the release of the final rankings of North American skaters and goaltenders, it was speculatedOwen Nolan,Keith Primeau andPetr Nedved would surpass Ricci; however, when the final rankings were released, Ricci remained as the top prospect.[6][7]Jaromir Jagr was also considered to be one of the top prospects, but Central Scouting did not rank European players.[8] Petr Nedved was an exception to that, as he played in North America after he defected his native Czechoslovakia.
Owen Nolan was selected first overall by theQuebec Nordiques.Petr Nedved was selected second overall by theVancouver Canucks.Jaromir Jagr was the top-ranked European skater by the NHL Central ScoutingDarryl Sydor was selected seventh overall by theLos Angeles Kings.Martin Brodeur headed into the 1990 NHL Entry Draft as the third-ranked goaltender
^abPlayers are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star game at any time in their career.
^1 Although born inNorthern Ireland, Owen Nolan has Canadian citizenship and represented Canada internationally.[10]
^2 Although born inCzechoslovakia, Petr Nedved would obtain Canadian citizenship in 1993 and represented Canada internationally as a professional; he had represented Czechoslovakia in junior hockey in 1989.
^3 The Calgary Flames traded their first round selection in 1990, Detroit's second round selection in 1990 (previously acquired), and Minnesota's second round selection in 1990 (previously acquired) to the New Jersey Devils for the Devils' first and second round selections in 1990.[11]
^4 The Montreal Canadiens tradedMike Lalor and their first round selection in 1990 to the St. Louis Blues for the Blues' first round selection in 1990 and the Blues' third round selection in the1991 NHL entry draft (later re-acquired by St. Louis —Nathan LaFayette).[12]
^6 The St. Louis Blues tradedAdrien Plavsic and Montreal's first round selection in 1990 (previously acquired) to the Vancouver Canucks forHarold Snepsts,Rich Sutter, and St. Louis' second round selection in 1990 (previously acquired).[12]
^7 The Calgary Flames tradedBrad McCrimmon to the Detroit Red Wings for the Wings' second round selection in 1990.[14]
^8 The Calgary Flames tradedJoe Mullen to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Penguins' second round selection in 1990.[11]
^9 The Calgary Flames tradedPeter Lappin to the Minnesota North Stars for the North Stars' second round selection in 1990.[14]
^11 The Buffalo Sabres tradedKevin Maguire and their second round selection in 1990 to the Philadelphia Flyers forJay Wells and the Flyers' fourth round selection in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft (Peter Ambroziak).[13]
^12 The Boston Bruins traded their second round selection in 1990 to the Philadelphia Flyers forBrian Propp.[15]
^14 The Philadelphia Flyers traded Wendell Young and their seventh round selection in 1990 to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Penguins' third round selection in 1990.[17]
^15 The Philadelphia Flyers traded Kevin Maguire and their eighth round selection in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft (Dmitri Mironov) to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the Leafs' third round selection in 1990.[18]
^19 The New Jersey Devils tradedJoe Cirella,Claude Loiselle, and their eighth round selection in 1990 to the Quebec Nordiques forWalt Poddubny and the Nordiques' fourth round selection in 1990.[19]
^20 The Edmonton Oilers tradedNormand Lacombe to the Philadelphia Flyers for the Flyers' fourth round selection in 1990.
^21 The Los Angeles Kings received the New York Islanders' fourth round selection in 1990 as compensation for the Islanders signingGlenn Healy.
^22 The Los Angeles Kings traded the New York Islanders' fourth round selection in 1990 (previously acquired) to the New York Rangers forBarry Beck.
^23 The Los Angeles Kings traded their fourth round selection in 1990 to the New York Rangers forDean Kennedy.[20]
^24 The Minnesota North Stars tradedMike Gartner to the New York Rangers forUlf Dahlen and Los Angeles' fourth round selection in 1990 (previously acquired).
^25 The New Jersey Devils traded their fourth round selection in 1990 to the Winnipeg Jets forGeorge McPhee.
^26 The St. Louis Blues tradedKent Carlson, their twelfth round selection in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft (Sergei Kharin), and their fourth round selection in 1990 to the Winnipeg Jets forPeter Douris.[12]
^27 The Edmonton Oilers traded their fourth round selection in 1990 to the Toronto Maple Leafs forVladimir Ruzicka.
^28 The New York Rangers received the Quebec Nordiques' fifth round selection in 1990 as compensation for the Nordiques signingGuy Lafleur.
^29 The Detroit Red Wings traded their fifth round selection in 1990 to the New York Rangers forJim Pavese.
^30 The Detroit Red Wings tradedKris King to the New York Rangers forChris McRae and Detroit's fifth round selection in 1990 (previously acquired).
^31 The Toronto Maple Leafs traded their fifth round selection in 1990 to the Washington Capitals forLou Franceschetti.
^32 The Buffalo Sabres tradedLindy Ruff to the New York Rangers for the Rangers' fifth round selection in 1990.[13]
^34 The Buffalo Sabres tradedJacques Cloutier and their sixth round selection in 1990 to the Chicago Blackhawks forSteve Ludzik and the Blackhawks' fifth round selection in 1990.[13]
^35 The Calgary Flames traded their fifth round selection in 1990 to the New Jersey Devils forJim Korn.
^36 The Pittsburgh Penguins tradedRod Buskas to the Vancouver Canucks for the Canucks' sixth round selection in 1990.
^37 The Buffalo Sabres tradedWayne Van Dorp to the Chicago Blackhawks for the Blackhawks' seventh round selection in 1990.[13]
^38 The Buffalo Sabres traded their seventh round selection in 1990 to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Wayne Van Dorp.[13]
^39 The St. Louis Blues tradedRob Whistle and their eighth round selection in 1990 to the Washington Capitals for the Capitals' sixth round selection in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft (Derek Frenette).[12]
Owen Nolan
Jaromir Jagr (RW)
Vyacheslav Kozlov (LW)
Mattias Olsson (D)
Mika Valila (C)
Derian Hatcher (D)
United States
Norway