Overall First Draft Picks Trivia Quiz

Answer: Gord Kluzak

Kluzak was chosen 1st overall by the Boston Bruins. Kluzak's career did not last very long. He battled many knee injuries over his five year 299 NHL game career. He announced his retirement on Nov. 12, 1990. Gord Kluzak holds the distinction of playing in the fewest games of any first overall draft pick prior to the 2000 NHL Draft.

Answer: Brian Lawton

Lawton was chosen first overall by the Minnesota North Stars. He racked up 266 points 483 career games. Although his stats were respectable, Lawton is still considered a bust due to the caliber of players selected after them.

Answer: Mario Lemieux

Lemieux was the clear #1 choice for the Pittsburgh Penguins recording 282 points the previous season with the Laval Voisins. Mario would go on to be one of the greatest players ever. Lemieux's career included three retirements, one because of cancer and another because of a bad back.

The final retirement came midway into the 2005-06 season when he was suffering heart problems. At the end of his marvelous career, he finished with an outstanding 1723 career points in only 915 games.

Answer: Wendel Clark

Clark was selected 1st overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Clark had a little above average career but nothing more than that. His best season came in the 1993-94 season when he recorded 46 goals and 76 points. The 1993-94 season was also his last with Toronto, his career took a nosedive for there on. Clark's final career totals were 330 goals, 234 assists for 564 assists.

His career was hurt with frequent injuries. Wendel retired with as much a fan base as when he came in to the NHL after the 1999-00 season.

Answer: Joe Murphy

Murphy was the 1st overall pick of the Detroit Red Wings. Murphy started his pro hockey career with Detroit's minor league affiliate, the Adirondack Red Wings winning the Calder Cup as league champs. Joe didn't catch a break until he was with the Edmonton Oilers winning the Stanley Cup in his first year with the team.

He also reached career highs while playing with the Oilers recording 82 points in the 1991-92 season. He finished his career in 2001 with 528 career points.

Answer: Pierre Turgeon

Pierre Turgeon was selected first overall by the Buffalo Sabres after recording 154 points while with the Granby Bisons of the QMJHL. Pierre had enjoyed a solid career as he was one of the most consistent players during the 1990s. Turgeon's best season came in 1992-93 when he collected 132 points in 83 games. That same season he won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for showing the best sportsmanship and gentlemen conduct than any other NHL player. On November 8 2005, Turgeon became the 34th player in NHL history to score 500 goals.

Answer: Mike Modano

Modano was taken 1st overall by the Minnesota North Stars. In his first season he recorded 75 points. He went on to have two 93 point consecutive seasons from 1993-95. It was said that his time as being one of the top players in the NHL were over after he put up a career low 44 points in the 2003-04 season. That was not to be as he put up in the 2005-06 season, 77 points. Mike Modano is considered one of the best American born players of all-time.

Answer: Mats Sundin

Sundin became the first ever European player taken first overall in NHL history when he was selected by the Quebec Nordiques. Mats was a key player for the Nordiques right from the get go. He tallied 59 points in his rookie season, second on the team behind Joe Sakic.

His best year came in 1992-93 when he recorded 114 points. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1994 where he immediately became one of the team's biggest leaders on and off the ice. Sundin also held many records including most career points by a Swedish hockey player.

Answer: Owen Nolan

Nolan was selected first overall by the Quebec Nordiques which was the second first overall pick in as many years for Quebec. Nolan would go on to have a couple of his best seasons as a Nordique before being traded nine games into the 1995-96 season to the San Jose Sharks for Sandis Ozolinsh.

His first four seasons with the Sharks went by rather quite. It wasn't until his fifth season with the team when he made a bang recording 84 points proving that he was one of the leagues most elite power forwards.

The seasons following Nolan was faced with many injuries drastically decreasing his point production.

Answer: Eric Lindros

Lindros was selected 1st overall by the Quebec Nordiques. Lindros refused to play for Nordiques and was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. Eric was built as being the "Next One" and he proved that by being a dominant and feared force. That was until concussions slowed him down and even forced him to miss the entire 2000-01 season. Lindros has proved that he can still produce, scoring 73 points in 72 games in 2001-02 while with the New York Rangers. Lindros's stock had decreased drastically due to the fact that he can never play a full NHL season because of injuries.

Despite all this he had still put up some good numbers.

Answer: Roman Hamrlik

Roman Hamrlik was selected first overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning out of the Czech league. Roman quickly became one of the best offensive defenseman in the game. Hamrlik recorded a career high 65 points in 1995-96. Roman Hamrlik was part of the 1998 Nagano Olympic gold medal winning Czech Republic.

Answer: Alexandre Daigle

Daigle was drafted first overall by the Ottawa Senators. Although he recorded a nice 51 points in his rookie year, Daigle never beat that mark again. Throughout his career, Alexander was hurt by consistency, so much that he retired in 2000 to try start an acting career.

The retirement ended when Daigle made his return to the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The next year he signed with the Minnesota Wild where he matched a career in points with 51. During the 2005-06 season he was put on waivers even though he was on pace to beat his career high in points. On the 5th of May 2006, Daigle inked a two-year deal with Swiss top team HC Davos.

Answer: Ed Jovanovski

Jovanovski was selected 1st overall by the Florida Panthers. Ed immediately showed his physical presence collecting 137 penalty minutes in his rookie season in 1995-96. Jovanovski didn't really break out as a top NHL defenseman until the 2000-01 season when he put up a career high 47 points while playing for the Vancouver Canucks. Jovanovski's achievements include being part of the 2002 Canadian Olympic gold medal team, the 2004 World Cup Championship team and the 2005 World Hockey Championships silver medal team.

Answer: Bryan Berard

Berard was drafted first overall by the Ottawa Senators but traded while still a prospect along with Damian Rhodes to the New York Islanders for Wade Redden and Martin Straka. Berard enjoyed a stellar rookie year collecting 48 points as well as the Calder Trophy as the leagues top rookie.

In 2000, Berard suffered what was thought as a career-ending eye injury when he unintentionally got clipped in the face by Marian Hossa, which was not to be. Berard returned and played well enough to win the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for showing the most dedication to hockey in 2004.

Answer: Chris Phillips

Phillips was taken first overall by the Ottawa Senators. Phillips was considered a bust by many never reaching his All-Star caliber potential. Still Phillips was regarded as a steady, stay-at-home blueline presence and a leader on and off the ice.

Answer: Joe Thornton

Thornton was chosen 1st overall by the Boston Bruins. Although Thornton did not have a particular strong rookie season (recorded only seven points in 55 games), he showed great strides every season after that. He really broke out as an NHL superstar in the 2002-03 season when he recorded 101 points.

His best season was yet to come in 2005-06, when he tallied 125 points and also captured the Hart Trophy as league MVP.

Answer: Vincent Lecavalier

Vincent Lecavalier was selected first overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning as he was touted as the "Michael Jordan of hockey". Lecavalier had a respectable first season recording 13 goals, 15 assists for 28 points. In his sophomore season he was named the youngest captain in NHL history at 19 years old.

His first few years were successful until the 2001-02 season where his offensive production dropped off to just 37 points. Lecavalier was stripped of his captaincy. The next year after, he started to rip it up again recording a career high 78 points.

He won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004.

Answer: Patrik Stefan

Patrik Stefan was selected 1st overall by the Atlanta Thrashers. Stefan's point production had been consistent but has not fulfilled the potential that he once had. Stefan had a career high 40 points in 2003-04. On June 24, 2006, Stefan was traded to the Dallas Stars along with Jaroslav Modry for Niko Kapanen and a 7th round draft pick in 2006.

Answer: Rick DiPietro

DiPietro was drafted first overall by the New York Islanders prompting them to trade fellow young goaltender Roberto Luongo. DiPietro was the first goaltender ever to be selected with the number one overall pick in the draft, and was just the fourth American to occupy the top draft position.

His career got to a slow start only recording three wins along with 15 losses in his rookie season. DiPietro got his big break in the 2003-04 season where not only did he beat his rookie win total by 20 wins he also got some playoff action against the eventual Stanley Cup champs, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Answer: Ilya Kovalchuk

Kovalchuk became the first ever Russian born player to be selected first overall when the Atlanta Thrashers picked him. Ilya was second in Calder Trophy voting behind fellow teammate Dany Heatley. Kovalchuk lived up to high expectations including a career high 98 points in 2005-06. Ilya Kovalchuk also shared the Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy for the most goals in the league with 41 tied with Jarome Iginla and Rick Nash in 2003-04.

Answer: Rick Nash

Nash was taken 1st overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets. In his rookie season Nash put up a respectable 39 points. His breakout season was in 2003-04 season when he tied for the league lead in goals scored with 41. Knee injuries slowed him down during 2005-06 season but he still managed 54 points in 54 games.

Answer: Marc-Andre Fleury

Fleury was taken first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. In his rookie season he recorded a 4-14-2 record. He bettered that record in 2005-06 with a 13-27-0 record. Over the two seasons in the NHL, Fleury had shown flashes of brilliance and Pittsburgh had strong hopes that he will be their #1 goaltender for years to come.

Answer: Alexander Ovechkin

Projected to be 1st overall at the age of 16, Alexander Ovechkin never relinquished his reign of the 2004 draft class. He was taken first overall by the Washington Capitals. His first NHL season came post lockout and did he ever deliver. Ovechkin finished his rookie season with 52 goals and 54 assists for a total of 106 points third in the NHL.

He topped off his rookie campaign by winning the Calder Trophy as leagues top rookie.

Answer: Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby was one of the most hyped draft pick in NHL history. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Crosby lived up to those expectations and finished with 102 points sixth in the league and was second behind Ovechkin in Calder Trophy votes. Crosby finished with 63 assists in his first season, a new Penguins rookie record. Crosby was the youngest player in the history of the NHL to score 100 points in a single season, and only the 7th rookie.

Answer: Erik Johnson

Johnson was selected first overall by the St. Louis Blues. Johnson is said to be the best defensive prospect in the past 15 years. St. Louis feels that he will be their next Chris Pronger. Johnson was one of the few Americans to have been chosen first in the NHL Entry Draft.