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Since the first NHL draft in 1963, there have been 220 college hockey players drafted in the first round from 30 Division I programs. Michigan leads the way with 35 first-rounders, followed by Boston College with 27.
St. Lawrence’s Alex Campbell was the first NCAA hockey player picked in the first round when he was taken second overall by the Boston Bruins in 1964. Since then, 219 other NCAA hockey players have been drafted in the opening round. Here is a complete breakdown of the history of NCAA men’s hockey players picked in Round 1 of the NHL draft:
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There have only been five college hockey players to go No. 1 overall. Michigan State’s Joe Murphy was the first in 1986, when he was picked by the Detroit Red Wings. It would be another 24 years before an NCAA player was picked first overall, but in 2000, Boston University’s Rick DiPietro became just the second goaltender in NHL history taken No. 1 overall. Most recently, BU’s Macklin Celebrini was the top pick in the 2024 draft by the San Jose Sharks. Boston University is the only college to produce multiple first-overall picks.
There were 10 DI hockey players or commits picked in the first round in 2025, the third-most in a single draft all-time. The 2007 and 2016 drafts are tied for the record, each having 11 players taken in the opening round.
In total, five NCAA DI programs have 20 or more first-round draftees:
Michigan has the most first-round NHL draft picks of any NCAA school with 35. The most recent Michigan player picked in the first round was Will Horcoff, who was taken 24th overall in 2025 by the Pittsburgh Penguins. David Shand was the first Wolverine taken in the opening round when he was drafted eighth overall by the Atlanta Flames in 1976. Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power is the only Michigan player ever taken first overall (2021).
Boston College has the second-most first-round picks with 27. The most recent BC player taken in the opening round is James Hagens, who was taken seventh overall by the Boston Bruins in 2025. Hockey Hall of Famer Brian Leetch was the first Eagle taken in the first round in 1986 when the New York Rangers picked him ninth overall. Will Smith is the highest-drafted Boston College player after being taken fourth overall in 2023 by the San Jose Sharks.
Minnesota has the third most first-round draft picks with 26. The most recent Gopher taken in the first round was Oliver Moore, who was drafted 19th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023. Mike Ramsey was the first Minnesota player taken in the first round of the NHL draft when the Buffalo Sabres picked him 11th overall in 1979. Ramsey was notably the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic team that upset the Soviet Union in the 1980 Miracle on Ice. Erik Johnson is the only first-overall pick from Minnesota; the St. Louis Blues picked him No. 1 in the 2006 draft.
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Boston University has the fourth most first-rounders in NCAA history with 25. Sascha Boumedienne is the most recent first-rounder after he was taken 28th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in 2025. David Quinn was the first Terrier to ever be taken in the first round after the Minnesota North Stars picked him 11th overall in 1984. Boston U. is the only NCAA team with multiple first-overall picks: Rick Dipietro went first overall to the New York Islanders in 2000, and Macklin Celebrini was the No. 1 pick in 2024 by the San Jose Sharks.
North Dakota has the fifth-most first-round picks with 23. Most recently, Cole Reschny was picked 18th overall in 2025 by the Calgary Flames. John Marks was the second NCAA player and the first North Dakota player picked in the first round after the Chicago Blackhawks took him ninth overall in 1968. Jonathan Toews is the highest pick in North Dakota program history, taken third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2006.
*Data from College Hockey Inc.
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Torin Smith joined NCAA.com in January 2025 as a Digital Editorial Intern. He is a fall 2024 graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Throughout college, he held multiple internships with a focus on digital journalism and sports media. Smith is also a NATAS Southeast Emmy Award winner as the executive producer of a student documentary on the 2024 Apalachee High School shooting. You can follow him on LinkedIn.
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