The NHL Amateur Draft (later renamed the NHL Entry Draft) was introduced in 1963 to ensure equitable distribution of talent among teams.
Before that, acquiring new, young players was strictly a case of first come, first served. Teams sought out amateur players and "sponsored" them, signing them to forms that reserved a player's rights indefinitely.
Because teams retained the rights to all players sponsored prior to 1963, there was little quality talent available in the early years of the draft. It was not unusual for teams to decline their picks.
But by 1969 a new generation of unsponsored players was coming of age, and the draft quickly expanded to become a vital tool in team building.
Early draft years focused almost exclusively on Canadian junior players. But the event now reflects the international diversity of the NHL. In 2002, the 290 players drafted included 110 from Europe, 101 from Canadian Major Junior leagues, 41 from the NCAA, six from U.S. high schools and 32 from other North American leagues.
Despite today’s highly advanced and thorough scouting methods, the evaluation and selection of young hockey players remains an inexact science. NHL stars who gained little notice during their draft years include Brett Hull (selected 117th in 1984), Peter Bondra (156th in 1990) and Daniel Alfredsson (130th in 1994). Ed Belfour, Curtis Joseph and Adam Oates are among those who were never drafted.
