The2007 NHL entry draft was the 45thentry draft for theNational Hockey League. It was held atNationwide Arena inColumbus, Ohio, on June 22, 2007. The draft consisted of seven rounds, with rounds two through seven taking place on June 23, 2007.[1] The draft was televised onTSN andRDS, with the first round simulcasted in the United States onVersus and in Europe onNASN.
Columbus Blue Jackets' president and general managerDoug MacLean and the NHL announced the event on March 21, 2006. On March 13, 2007, it was reported that NHL owners had voted in favor of changes to the team ranking system which would begin at the 2007 draft. This draft marked the first time in NHL history in which American players were selected with the top two picks, withPatrick Kane andJames van Riemsdyk being selected by the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers, respectively. It also tied the record of the most Americans being selected in the first round with ten players.[2]
As of 2025, there are 13 active NHL players from this draft year.
Starting with the 2007 NHL entry draft, theStanley Cup champion andrunner-up will receive the 30th and 29th picks, respectively. The conference finalists will get the 28th and 27th picks, and all other playoff teams will get picks based on their regular season point totals, but with the division winners getting the latest picks even if they had fewer points during the regular season than a non-division winner.
The draft order of the first 14 picks was determined by a lottery involving the non-playoff teams on April 10.[3]
Under the weighted lottery system, the club with the fewest regular-season points had the greatest chance (25%) of winning the Draft Drawing, have a 48.2% chance to pick first overall, and could pick no lower than second at the 2007 entry draft. The winner of the drawing would move up a maximum of four places, with all other clubs' draft order being adjusted accordingly (no team moving down more than one spot).
TheChicago Blackhawks, originally slated to draft in fifth place, won the lottery and as a result had the first overall pick in the draft.[4]
TheSt. Louis Blues' first-round pick went to theSan Jose Sharks as the result of a trade on June 22, 2007 that sent Toronto's first and second-round picks in 2007 (13th and 44th overall) and a third-round pick in2008 to St. Louis in exchange for this pick.
TheToronto Maple Leafs' first-round pick went to theSt. Louis Blues as the result of a trade on June 22, 2007 that sent a first-round pick in 2007 (9th overall) to San Jose in exchange for Toronto's second-round pick in 2007 (44th overall), a third-round pick in2008 and this pick.
San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on June 22, 2007 that sentVesa Toskala andMark Bell to Toronto in exchange for a second-round pick in 2007 (44th overall), a fourth-round pick in2009 and this pick.
TheTampa Bay Lightning's first-round pick went to theMinnesota Wild as the result of a trade on June 22, 2007 that sent a first and compensatory second-round pick both in 2007 (19th and 42nd overall) to Anaheim in exchange for this pick.
Anaheim previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on February 24, 2007 that sentShane O'Brien and Colorado's third-round pick in 2007 to Tampa Bay in exchange forGerald Coleman and this pick.
TheCalgary Flames' first-round pick went to theSt. Louis Blues as the result of a trade on June 22, 2007 that sent Atlanta's first-round pick and a third-round pick both in 2007 (24th and 70th overall) to Calgary in exchange for this pick.
TheMinnesota Wild's first-round pick went to theAnaheim Ducks as the result of a trade on June 22, 2007 that sent Tampa Bay's first-round pick in 2007 (16th overall) to Minnesota in exchange for a compensatory second-round pick in 2007 (42nd overall) and this pick.
TheDallas Stars' first-round pick went to theEdmonton Oilers as the result of a trade on June 22, 2007 that sent Anaheim's first-round pick and a second-round pick both in 2007 (30th and 36th overall) to Phoenix in exchange for this pick.
Phoenix previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on February 12, 2007 that sentLadislav Nagy to Dallas in exchange forMathias Tjarnqvist and this pick.
Philadelphia previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on February 15, 2007 that sentPeter Forsberg to Nashville in exchange forRyan Parent,Scottie Upshall, a third-round pick in 2007 and this pick.
TheAtlanta Thrashers' first-round pick went to theCalgary Flames as the result of a trade on June 22, 2007 that sent a first-round pick in 2007 (18th overall) to St. Louis in exchange for a third-round pick in 2007 (70th overall) and this pick.
St. Louis previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on February 25, 2007 that sentKeith Tkachuk to Atlanta in exchange forGlen Metropolit, a third-round pick in 2007, a conditional first-round pick in2008, a second-round pick in 2008 and this pick.
San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on October 1, 2006 that sentAlexander Korolyuk andJim Fahey to New Jersey in exchange forVladimir Malakhov and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade). The condition – San Jose will receive a first-round pick in 2007 if Malakhov does not resume his NHL career – was converted as Malakhov never played another game professionally after this trade.
TheBuffalo Sabres' first-round pick went to theSan Jose Sharks as the result of a trade on June 22, 2007 that sent Carolina's second-round pick in 2007 and a second-round pick in2008 to Washington in exchange for this pick.
Washington previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on February 27, 2007 that sentDainius Zubrus andTimo Helbling to Buffalo in exchange forJiri Novotny and this pick.
TheAnaheim Ducks' first-round pick went to thePhoenix Coyotes as the result of a trade on June 22, 2007 that sent Dallas' first-round pick in 2007 (21st overall) to Edmonton in exchange for a second-round pick in 2007 (36th overall) and this pick.
Edmonton previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on July 3, 2006 that sentChris Pronger to Anaheim in exchange forJoffrey Lupul,Ladislav Smid, a conditional first-round pick in2008, a second-round pick in 2008 and this pick.
^Acquired from the Washington Capitals for a 3rd round pick in 2007 and a 2nd round pick in2008 on June 23, 2007. Washington acquired along with a 2nd round pick in the2008 from the San Jose Sharks for a 1st round pick in 2007 on June 22, 2007 (see also pick 28). San Jose acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins forNils Ekman andPatrick Ehelechner on July 20, 2006. Pittsburgh acquired withNiklas Nordgren andKrys Kolanos from the Carolina Hurricanes forMark Recchi on March 3, 2006
^See pick 16. Previously awarded to Minnesota as compensation for losing rights to 2004 first-round pick (12th overall)A. J. Thelen, June 2, 2007.
^Acquired with 3rd and 4th round picks in2006 from the San Jose Sharks for a 2nd round pick in 2006 on June 24, 2006
^Acquired from Anaheim forGeorge Parros and a 3rd round pick in 2007 for Atlanta's 2nd round and Anaheim's 3rd round in 2007 on November 13, 2006. Anaheim acquired previously withKarl Stewart and a conditional round pick from the Atlanta Thrashers forVitaly Vishnevskiy on August 17, 2006
^Acquired with a 1st round pick in2008 and a conditional draft pick forTomas Vokoun on June 22, 2007. Florida acquired previously withShawn Matthias and a 2nd round pick in2008 from the Detroit Red Wings forTodd Bertuzzi on February 27, 2007
^Acquired with a 4th round pick in2008 forBrent Sopel on February 25, 2007. Vancouver acquired previously from the Anaheim Ducks as compensation for hiring coachRandy Carlyle on August 1, 2005
^(Anaheim had the option of using this pick or Phoenix's 3rd round pick in2008, choosing this one.) Acquired from Boston along with the option to switch 4th round picks in2008 at Anaheim's option forStanislav Chistov on November 13, 2006. Boston acquired along withPaul Mara forNick Boynton and a 4th round pick in 2007 on June 26, 2006.
^Acquired from Minnesota forPetteri Nummelin on June 14, 2006. Minnesota acquired along with a 1st round pick in2006 forDwayne Roloson on March 8, 2006.
^Acquired along with a 2nd round pick in 2007 for a 2nd round pick in 2007 on June 23, 2007.
^Acquired along with a 1st round pick in 2007 for a 1st round pick in 2007.
^See picks 16 (Anaheim to Tampa Bay) and 55 (Colorado to Anaheim).
Patrick Kane
Kyle Turris (C)
Mikael Backlund (C)
Alexei Cherepanov (RW)
Lars Eller (C/W)
Jakub Voracek (RW)
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