Michigan Hockey: 2021 NHL Draft Central
Power, Beniers Go First, Second in NHL Draft; Four of First Five Picks Wolverines
Owen Power of the University of Michigan ice hockey team was selected first overall by the Buffalo Sabres, while fellow Wolverines Matty Beniers, Luke Hughes and Kent Johnson helped the Wolverines represent four of the first five picks in the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft on Friday night (July 23).
Beniers went No. 2 as the first draft selection of the expansion Seattle Kraken. Hughes was the fourth overall selection by the New Jersey Devils, while the Columbus Blue Jackets made Johnson the fifth overall pick. Mackie Samoskevich was picked No. 24 overall by the Florida Panthers. » Full Story
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- Owen Power is projected to be the first overall pick in this year's NHL Draft. Only five U-M student-athletes have gone No. 1 in their respective drafts: Tom Harmon (NFL, 1941), Elmer Madar (NFL, 1947), Cazzie Russell (NBA, 1966), Chris Webber (NBA, 1993) and Jake Long (NFL, 2008).
- NCAA players have been selected No. 1 overall just three times: Joe Murphy (1986, Michigan State), Rick DiPietro (2000, BU) and Erik Johnson (2006, Minnesota).
- NCAA players being drafted No. 1 and No. 2 overall has happened just once. Rick DiPietro (Boston University) and Dany Heatley (Wisconsin) were selected 1-2 in 2000.
- The last time a team (college or juniors) represented the top two picks in an NHL Draft was the 1969 Montreal Junior Canadiens, who saw Rejean Houle selected first and Marc Tardif second.
- One school has never had three current players taken in the first round in a single NHL Draft.
- One school has never had five players/recruits selected in the first round of one NHL Draft.
- Michigan's highest overall pick in the NHL Draft was Jack Johnson, who was selected No. 3 by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005.
- A Michigan player has been drafted by all 31 NHL organizations. Brendan Brisson was selected by the league's then-newest franchise, Vegas, in 2020.
- 1969 marked the first year Michigan hockey had a draft pick, when Bernie Gagnon was selected by the St. Louis Blues.
- Michigan has had 170 players selected in the NHL Draft, and Wolverines have been selected in the last 25 drafts -- the longest active streak in the NCAA.
- U-M leads the NCAA in first-round draft selections with 25.
- Michigan has had a first-round selection in each of the last four drafts.
- The highest number of Wolverines selected in a single draft is seven, which has happened three times (1990, 2007, 2015).
- The first Michigan first-round selection was David Shand, who was picked eighth overall by the Atlanta Flames in 1976.
- The New Jersey franchise has the selected the most Michigan hockey players (14).
All-Time Draft Selections
First-Round Draft Picks
Draft Picks by Franchise
Highest Overall Draft Picks
