The 25 best late-round NHL Draft picks

Let’s start this list with, perhaps, the best late-round pick in NHL history. His slide to the 10th round in the draft was due to the risk of the Cold War, seriously. Teams were concerned that Czechoslovakia would block his rights. This proved valid, as he didn’t reach the NHL for seven years after being drafted, but once he arrived, he lived up to the “The Dominator” moniker. He’d go on to win six Vezina trophies and was twice the league MVP. He’s just outside the top 10 for all-time wins despite starting his career late, and along the way, he helped lead Detroit to a pair of Stanley Cups. 

The Rangers used their 205th pick in 2000 to land the greatest goalie in team history and one of the best to play the position. Lundqvist played all 15 seasons in The Big Apple, winning 459 games in that span and registering one of the highest save percentages (.918) by any goalie. He also took home the 2012 Verona Trophy. That's pretty good for someone who was the 21st goaltender taken in his draft class. 

Gilmour’s numbers in juniors were astounding. His size led scouts to question his potential as a pro, dropping him to the seventh round. His smaller frame proved no issue as he'd go on to have a Hall of Fame career that spanned 20 seasons. No player selected that late in the round has more points than Gilmour. His 1992-93 season was one for the books, as he tallied 127 points with a Toronto franchise record of 95 assists. 

One of the most skilled and crafty players to play in the NHL, Detroit found Datsyuk in the sixth round back in 1998. His fall, like many who came from Russia decades ago, was due to the uncertainty about whether the prospects would be allowed to leave the country. Two years after the pick, Datsyuk arrived and would begin a career that would see him rack up more than 900 points and four All-Star selections. He also won four consecutive Lady Byng Memorial trophies, awarded to the player who exhibits the best sportsmanship and carries a high standard of play. 

With the 133rd overall pick in 1994, Ottawa chose Alfredsson. The Swede wasn’t a highly regarded prospect after playing in the lower division in his home country, and he was one of the oldest players in the class. Despite that, he immediately stepped in (was the Rookie of the Year) and contributed, even becoming the captain in his third season. That was a mantle that the Olympic gold medalist retained for 14 seasons. No Ottawa player has suited up for more games than “Alfie” nor has any scored more goals or points. His career wrapped up with his Hall of Fame induction in 2022. 

Any team would love the chance to land a future Hall of Famer in the sixth round. Calgary snagged Hull with the 117th pick in 1984. Making him that much more of a steal was that he actually entered the draft two years prior, but no team had selected him. Hull put together a legendary career that saw him record the fifth-most goals of all time, including being one of the few to ever tally multiple 50-goal seasons. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. 

Bure’s 12-year career saw him rack up 437 goals across 702 games, a truly remarkable scoring pace. He set Vancouver’s rookie goal-scoring record with 34 in his first season, and even went on to have a pair of 60-goal seasons. Three times, Bure, who became the first Russian to win the Calder Memorial in 1992, led the NHL in goals. The 1989 sixth-round selection was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2012. 

Suter was a true flyer. There were 39 other defensemen drafted before the ninth-round pick. Yet he would go on to play more than 1,100 career games, scoring 845 points. The 1987-88 season saw him put up elite numbers with 91 points. His accolades include the Calder Memorial, four All-Star nominations, and being a key piece of Calgary’s 1989 Stanley Cup run. 

Benn wasn't a highly-touted prospect because of skating concerns, and some scouts believed he might pursue a baseball career. He chose to stick with hockey, and Dallas chose him in the fifth round in 2007. It was a wise decision for both parties as Benn has skated in more than 1,000 games and is approaching 1,000 career points. The three-time All-Star led the league in points in 2015. 

Being unorthodox between the pipes had scouts questioning his status as an NHLer. He proved everyone wrong after Philadelphia tagged him in the sixth round in 1982. He'd go on to hold the Flyers record for wins (240), games in net (489), and, more importantly, playoff wins (45). A one-time Vezina winner, Hextall also holds claims as the first goalie to ever score a goal and the goalie who has the most penalty minutes. Again, all of this lends credence to his unorthodox, yet successful nature. 

Scouts didn't have confidence in Robitaille's skating ability coming out of juniors. That's funny to look back on, considering he went on to be one of the best left wingers in the game. The Hall of Famer was a ninth-round pick who won the Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded to the best rookie that season. One of his greatest achievements was recording eight-straight 40-goal seasons, something that no other left winger has ever done. He was also a member of Detroit's Cup-winning team in 2002. 

Montreal likely didn't expect to find an eventual 16-year defensive stalwart in the sixth round as they did with Markov, but that's precisely what they got. He was a true power-play point guard at the blue line, ranking second among Montreal defensemen with 572 points. The two-time All-Star was also twice in contention for the Norris Trophy for top defenseman in a given year. 

Height was what kept Fleury buried on some organization’s draft boards. The 5-foot-6 winger went in the eighth round and would go on to become one of two players drafted that late to record 1,000 points. How talented was Fleury? Look no further than his 103-point season in 1990-91. When he was on the ice, he was always a threat to score, finishing his career as a point-per-game player.

The eighth round is where Nashville found its franchise goalie. His 369 wins are the most for any Finnish goalie and are the Nashville club record. He's also inside the top 20 for shutouts (60) while posting an impressive 2.43 GAA. The 2018 Vezina winner is the only Predator to have his jersey retired.

By now, it's apparent that scouting European players isn't an exact science for a host of reasons. That's why many, like Zetterberg, slip through the cracks as he did in 1999. Detroit found him in the seventh round, pairing him with another late-round steal in Datsyuk. At his peak, he was a near point-per-game player, finishing with 960 points in 1,082 games. He won the Conn Smythe as the top playoff performer during Detroit’s Stanley Cup run in 2008. 

Only five players drafted in the seventh or later have totaled over 1,000 points. Pavelski is one of those elite talents. The 205th overall pick in 2003 suited up for more than 1,300 games. No American skater has more playoff goals than him (74), either. He was the Sharks’ captain for four seasons, as well. When it appeared he was nearing an end, he posted an absurd 81-point season at age 37 with Dallas. 

In 2024, Slavin became only the second defenseman to win the Lady Byng, awarded to the player with the best sportsmanship and ability among his peers. This comes after Carolina found him in the fourth round in 2012. He is known as one of the best shutdown defenders in the game, frequently among the finalists for the Norris Trophy. 

With a calculated risk in the 10th round, Dallas called its shot on the Latvian goaltender. He put together a successful career over 10 seasons, compiling 250 wins, including 48 in the 2001-02 season. That was the same year the two-time All-Star helped lead Carolina to the Stanley Cup Finals. 

Minnesota found a gem when selecting Kaprisov at 135th overall. He set the franchise single-season record in goals (47) and assists (61), along with points (108), during his stellar 2021-22 campaign. Kaprisov, who was the Rookie of the Year in 2021, already has three All-Star selections on his resume. 

From being a seventh-round pick to looking as though his career was heading towards an end in 1997, Lang became one of the best late-round finds. He totaled more than 700 points over 16 seasons, which is impressive considering how slow he started with Los Angeles and Boston. Once he got to Pittsburgh, his trajectory changed, topping out as an 80-point player in the 2000-01 season. 

The Devils found a core player in the 2016 draft with their sixth-round pick. Bratt has become a 70-point player in multiple seasons and is among the highest producers from his draft class. He earned his first All-Star nod in 2024, further solidifying just how strong of a pick he was so late in the draft.

Falling just outside the top 100 picks at No. 105 in 2005, Yandle proved his doubters wrong with a solid career that saw him play in over 1,000 games. Yandle is best known for his Iron Man streak with 989 straight games played. It's a mark that is second all-time. He finished his career with 619 points.  

Multiple All-Star selections, a Lady Byng Trophy, and a Stanley Cup comprise the impressive career of Campbell. That's a great return on investment for someone who was unearthed in the sixth round. Campbell was a consistent force for the handful of teams he played for, including a stellar 62-point season in 2007-08. 

The 157th pick in 2018 became a perennial 20-goal scorer. Atkinson was a true value at the spot Columbus drafted him, tying the franchise's single-season mark for goals (41) in 2018-19. The two-time All-Star is among the top goal scorers from his draft class despite being so overlooked. 

The two-way forward holds claim as being the first captain in Las Vegas history. It was also with Vegas that he really became a star in the league, tallying more than 640 points to date. He's a perennial contender for the Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward. Stone was instrumental in Vegas’ first championship in 2023.