A history of Canadian Olympic hockey players at the NHL draft

The 2015 NHL Draft class is talented, with Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel leading a group of players who will likely become long-time professionals and perhaps, Olympians.

Sidney Crosby, 2005's first-overall pick, has been on two Olympic teams (2010, 2014).

Sidney Crosby, 2005’s first-overall pick, has been on two Olympic teams (2010, 2014).

Since 1998 when the NHL began sending players to the Olympics, 77 Canadians have taken part. There are 10 first-overall picks including Sidney Crosby in 2005, Ed Jovanovski in 1994, and Mario Lemieux in 1984. It’s not always the pre-ordained studs who become Olympians, there are six undrafted NHL’ers: Wayne Gretzky (see why below), Ed Belfour, Curtis Joseph, Martin St-Louis, Dan Boyle, and Chris Kunitz.

RELATED: Canadians in the triple gold clubHow to join hockey’s triple gold club

Gretzky-in-post-

Wayne Gretzky was already an Edmonton Oiler when they joined the NHL from the World Hockey Association (WHA) so he was never drafted.

Canadian Olympians (1998 to 2014) at the NHL Draft

Number of first-rounders: 50
Number of second-rounders: 10
Number of third-rounders: 5
Some late-round steals (year-overall): Jamie Benn (07′-129th), Mike Smith (01′-161st), Marty Turco (94′-124th)
Number of undrafted: 5* (6 including Wayne Gretzky)
Average draft place: 23.9 overall
Note: The number of players chosen in each round has increased over the years.
Draft year with highest number of Olympians: 2003 (9)

Name Year Rd. Ov. Tm
Ed Belfour undrafted
Jamie Benn 2007 5 129 DAL
Patrice Bergeron 2003 2 45 BOS
Todd Bertuzzi 1993 1 23 NYI
Rob Blake 1988 4 70 LAK
Ray Bourque 1979 1 8 BOS
Jay Bouwmeester 2002 1 3 FLA
Dan Boyle undrafted
Eric Brewer 1997 1 5 NYI
Rod Brind’Amour 1988 1 9 STL
Martin Brodeur 1990 1 20 NJD
Jeff Carter 2003 1 11 PHI
Shayne Corson 1984 1 8 MTL
Sidney Crosby 2005 1 1 PIT
Eric Desjardins 1987 2 38 MTL
Shane Doan 1995 1 7 WPG
Drew Doughty 2008 1 2 LAK
Kris Draper 1989 3 62 WPG
Matt Duchene 2009 1 3 COL
Theoren Fleury 1987 8 166 CGY
Marc-André Fleury 2003 1 1 PIT
Adam Foote 1989 2 22 QUE
Simon Gagné 1998 1 22 PHI
Ryan Getzlaf 2003 1 19 ANA
Wayne Gretzky from WHA
Dan Hamhuis 2001 1 12 NSH
Dany Heatley 2000 1 2 ATL
Jarome Iginla 1995 1 11 DAL
Curtis Joseph undrafted STL
Ed Jovanovski 1994 1 1 FLA
Paul Kariya 1993 1 4 ANA
Duncan Keith 2002 2 54 CHI
Chris Kunitz undrafted
Vincent Lecavalier 1998 1 1 TBL
Mario Lemieux 1984 1 1 PIT
Trevor Linden 1988 1 2 VAN
Eric Lindros 1991 1 1 QUE
Roberto Luongo 1997 1 4 NYI
Al MacInnis 1981 1 15 CGY
Patrick Marleau 1997 1 2 SJS
Bryan McCabe 1993 2 40 NYI
Brenden Morrow 1997 1 25 DAL
Rick Nash 2002 1 1 CBJ
Scott Niedermayer 1991 1 3 NJD
Joe Nieuwendyk 1985 2 27 CGY
Owen Nolan 1990 1 1 QUE
Michael Peca 1992 2 40 VAN
Corey Perry 2003 1 28 ANA
Alex Pietrangelo 2008 1 4 STL
Carey Price 2005 1 5 MTL
Keith Primeau 1990 1 3 DET
Chris Pronger 1993 1 2 HFD
Mark Recchi 1988 4 67 PIT
Wade Redden 1995 1 2 NYI
Robyn Regehr 1998 1 19 COL
Brad Richards 1998 3 64 TBL
Mike Richards 2003 1 24 PHI
Patrick Roy 1984 3 51 MTL
Joe Sakic 1987 1 15 QUE
Brent Seabrook 2003 1 14 CHI
Brendan Shanahan 1987 1 2 NJD
Patrick Sharp 2001 3 95 PHI
Mike Smith 2001 5 161 DAL
Ryan Smyth 1994 1 6 EDM
Jason Spezza 2001 1 2 OTT
Martin St-Louis undrafted
Eric Staal 2003 1 2 CAR
Scott Stevens 1982 1 5 WSH
P.K. Subban 2007 2 43 MTL
John Tavares 2009 1 1 NYI
Joe Thornton 1997 1 1 BOS
Jonathan Toews 2006 1 3 CHI
Marty Turco 1994 5 124 DAL
Marc-Édouard Vlasic 2005 2 35 SJS
Shea Weber 2003 2 49 NSH
Steve Yzerman 1983 1 4 DET
Rob Zamuner 1989 3 45 NYR