Over the next two months or so, as we gear up for the start of the 2025-26 season, College Hockey On SI will be doing an extensive look at which players were selected in the NFL Draft. In most cases this will be done on a team-by-team basis, but going alphabetically we're going to start with the Alaska schools and the other independents.
There have been seven players selected between them, all from Alabama Fairbanks and Alaska Anchorage. Note: For purposes of this series we're going by which teams and schools the players were drafted out of, so if a high school player set to play college hockey was selected he doesn't count.
The supplemental draft doesn't count either. Unfortunately, that takes out defenseman Shawn Chambers, the most accomplished player to ever come out Alaska Fairbanks. He went on to play 625 NHL games and twice suited up for Team USA so we're going to include his photo at least.
The first NHL draft was held on June 5, 1963 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. Known as the "NHL amateur draft" there were only 21 players involved (most around the age of 16) as the draft featured only six NFL teams and lasted just four rounds. Only five of those selected ended up playing in the league, but those five all played at least 600 games in the league.
No Americans were selected as the draft's focus was to assign unaffiliated amateur junior-age players to NHL teams. At the time there was a negative stigma surrounding prospects from the United States as well, and it took five years for any to be drafted. Curt Bennett, No. 16 overall by the St. Louis Blues, was the first in 1968, just ahead of Herb Boxer at No. 17 by the Detroit Red Wings.
It took another 15 years for an American to be the No. 1-overall selection. Brian Lawton, a center from Mt. St. Charles High School (R.I.), was the first in 1983, ironically when the draft was being held in the Montreal Forum. Pat Lafontaine (New York Islanders) went third, and Tom Barrasso (Buffalo Sabres) was selected fifth, and both went on to have Hall of Fame careers.
Back to Alaska, the highest selection among the five active independents was Fairbanks goaltender Chad Johnson in the fifth round of the 2006 draft, by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He and Anchorage defenseman Jeff Batters, a seventh-round pick in 1989, both reached the NHL, but only for a handful of games.
Year Overall Name Team Round Pick Pos.
1989 135 Jeff Batters St. Louis Blues 7 9 D
1989 148 Paul Krake Quebec Nordiques 8 1 G
1993 189 Martin Bakula Edmonton Oilers 8 7 D
1990 245 Keith Morris Winnipeg Jets 12 14 C
Year Overall Name Team Round Pick Pos.
1990 232 Wade Klippenstein Quebec Nordiques 12 1 LW
1991 245 Chris O'Rourke Toronto Maple Leafs 12 3 D
2006 125 Chad Johnson Pittsburgh Penguins 5 2 G
None yet as the the program has only been competing at the Division I level since 2022.
None yet, the Sharks played their first season in 2020-21.
The Seahawks moved up from Division II in 2022.
The program is set to start play during the 2026-27 season.
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