NHL teams use their picks as currency for trades all the time, sometimes even years before that pick turns into a player.
That means that although every franchise gets one pick in each of the seven rounds of the NHL draft, some teams have as many as 12 and as few as two picks in the draft taking place on June 27 and 28.
Not every draft pick is made the same, though. There is a difference between having nine picks with five in the first three rounds and having nine picks where five fall in the last three rounds.
Those picks will be used to draft players each organization thinks can help its franchise moving forward.
Every team has strong points and weak points in its pipeline.
Let’s look through every team across the NHL, checking out how many draft picks each team has and what weak points they look to address.
Anaheim Ducks, Nine Picks
Round 1: 10th overall
Round 2: 60th overall
Round 3: 72nd overall
Round 4: 101st and 104th overall
Round 5: 136th and 159th overall
Round 6: 168th overall
Round 7: 200th overall
Weak point: center
The Ducks have a loaded pipeline, and they have young centers on the roster. There isn’t really a major need anywhere, but they could target a center because depth down the middle wins championships.
Boston Bruins, Seven Picks
Round 1: 7th overall
Round 2: 51st overall and 61st overall
Round 3: 69th overall
Round 4: 100th overall
Round 5, 133rd overall
Round 6: 165th overall
Round 7: no picks
Weak point: high-end skill
After over a decade of being among the Stanley Cup contenders, the Bruins' pipeline lacks talent everywhere. The reality is that they just need some high-end skill to kick-start their rebuild.
Buffalo Sabres, 10 Picks
Round 1: 9th overall
Round 2: 39th overall
Round 3: 71st overall
Round 4: 103rd overall and 116th overall
Round 5: 135th overall
Round 6: 167th overall
Round 7: 195th overall, 199th overall, and 219th overall
Weak point: right-shot defender
The Sabres have a fairly loaded prospect pool, with their forward group looking deep and skilled in various ways. Their NHL blueline has plenty of young talent, but most of it is on the left side. Finding a right shot to play with talented blueliners Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power will be key.
Calgary Flames, Seven Picks
Round 1: 18th and 32nd overall
Round 2: 54th overall
Round 3: 80th overall
Round 4: no picks
Round 5: 144th overall
Round 6: 176th overall
Round 7: 208th overall
Weak point: star power up front
While the Flames have slowly built up a quality pipeline and added some intriguing talents like Zayne Parekh on the blueline, they don’t really have a game-breaker up front. Finding one in this draft will be tough, but the Flames can afford to take some swings.
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Carolina Hurricanes, Six Picks
Round 1: 29th overall
Round 2: no picks
Round 3: 87th overall
Round 4: 125th overall
Round 5: no picks
Round 6: 183rd and 189th overall
Round 7: 221st overall
Weak point: center
The Hurricanes haven’t developed a truly high-end center since they drafted Sebastian Aho in 2015, and they desperately need one in this system. They lack a true center in their system at the moment, but finding one at 29th overall might be tough.
Chicago Blackhawks, 10 Picks
Round 1: 3rd and 25th overall
Round 2: 34th and 62nd overall
Round 3: 66th overall
Round 4: 98th and 107th overall
Round 5: no picks
Round 6: 162nd overall
Round 7: 194th and 197th overall
Weak point: blueline depth
Even with recent additions, such as Artyom Levshunov and Kevin Korchinski, the blueline needs some major pieces in Chicago. They could certainly add some with their plentiful collection of picks this year, taking some swings in the late first or second rounds.
Colorado Avalanche, Two Picks
Round 1: no picks
Round 2: no picks
Round 3: no picks
Round 4: 118th overall
Round 5: no picks
Round 6: no picks
Round 7: 214th overall
Weak point: just about everything
The Avalanche have been a contender for quite a while now, so they’ve been accustomed to spending their draft capital to acquire players for the current roster. With just two picks, they aren’t likely to do too much in the way of adding to their pipeline, especially with their first coming at well outside the top 100.
Columbus Blue Jackets, Seven Picks
Round 1: 14th and 20th overall
Round 2: no picks
Round 3: 77th overall
Round 4: 109th overall
Round 5: no picks
Round 6: 173rd overall
Round 7: 205th and 218th overall
Weak point: depth
The Blue Jackets have quality talent all over their pipeline, but they must continue to add depth. With two top 20 picks, they will have the opportunity to add high-end talent up front and on the back end.
Dallas Stars, Six Picks
Round 1: no picks
Round 2: no picks
Round 3: 94th overall
Round 4: 126th overall
Round 5: 146th and 158th overall
Round 6: 190th overall
Round 7: 222nd overall
Weak point: impact talent
The Stars have done a very good job of drafting and developing players throughout their recent competitive window, but with the Logan Stankoven trade and Mavrik Bourque and Lian Bichsel graduating to the NHL, they could use some more impact talent. Without a pick in the first two rounds, that might be tough.
Detroit Red Wings, Nine Picks
Round 1: 13th overall
Round 2: 44th overall
Round 3: 75th and 76th overall
Round 4: 199th overall
Round 5: 140th overall
Round 6: 172nd overall
Round 7: 204th and 211th overall
Weak point: high-end skill
The Red Wings went through a couple of years where they took swings, and they paid off, getting Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider. Since then, they have played it safe and drafted players with high floors and limited ceilings. They need to swing for the fences at No. 13 and go for a player that could outperform their draft slot.
Edmonton Oilers, Three Picks
Round 1: no picks
Round 2: no picks
Round 3: 83rd overall
Round 4: no picks
Round 5: no picks
Round 6: 191st overall
Round 7: 223rd overall
Weak point: everything
The Oilers are back-to-back Stanley Cup finalists, but having lost both, they would benefit from some young talent ready to join the roster, especially since they are the NHL’s oldest squad. Unfortunately, they lack young up-and-coming players all over the pipeline, and with just one pick inside the top 180 selections, they likely won’t get that player this year.
Florida Panthers, Six Picks
Round 1: no picks
Round 2: no picks
Round 3: no picks
Round 4: 112th and 128th overall
Round 5: 129th and 160th overall
Round 6: 192nd overall
Round 7: 224th overall (last pick of the draft)
Weak point: blueline help
The Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. If you’re reading this as a Panthers fan, shouldn’t you be crowd surfing Brad Marchand or waiting for Aleksander Barkov to knock on your door with the Stanley Cup? You could use a defender, but who cares? You have two Cups.
Los Angeles Kings, Seven Picks
Round 1: 24th overall
Round 2: no picks
Round 3: 88th overall
Round 4: 120th overall
Round 5: 152nd overall
Round 6: 184th overall
Round 7: 196th and 216th overall
Weak point: defensive help
The Kings’ once-heralded prospect pool wasn’t quite as fruitful as they hoped, but they have some quality depth up front who can fill in. The blueline is a more pressing area of concern, especially with Brandt Clarke graduating to a full-time NHL role. They must find a way to add a quality blueliner, hopefully one with some upside.
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Minnesota Wild, Four Picks
Round 1: no picks
Round 2: 52nd overall
Round 3: no picks
Round 4: 121st overall
Round 5: 141st overall
Round 6: 180th overall
Round 7: no picks
Weak point: right-shot defenders
The Wild have done a good job of filling their pipeline with quality talent at just about every position. The one hole is on the right side of their blueline. There are a few solid right-shot defenders in this class, but none of the best players will be around when Minnesota finally makes its pick in the mid-second round.
Montreal Canadiens, 12 Picks
Round 1: 16th and 17th overall
Round 2: 41st and 49th overall
Round 3: 79th, 81st, and 82nd overall
Round 4: 108th and 113th overall
Round 5: 145th overall
Round 6: 177th overall
Round 7: 209th overall
Weak point: center depth and goal-scoring
The Montreal pipeline is chock-full of talent. They could use a top-level scorer, though, and it would be even better if it were a center. They need a second-line center of the future, and maybe they can take a swing and find one at Nos. 16 or 17.
Nashville Predators, Nine Picks
Round 1: 5th, 23rd, and 26th overall
Round 2: 35th and 55th overall
Round 3: 67th overall
Round 4: no picks
Round 5: 131st overall
Round 6: 163rd and 182nd overall
Round 7: no picks
Weak point: defense and goaltending
After trading Yaroslav Askarov, the Predators have a massive need for a netminder of consequence, but they also need some help on the right side of their blueline. The Preds are in a weird spot because they wanted to be good, but they weren’t. They want to rebuild, but they have a roster that’s ready to compete.
New Jersey Devils, Seven Picks
Round 1: no picks
Round 2: 50th and 63rd overall
Round 3: 90th overall
Round 4: 99th and 114th overall
Round 5: no picks
Round 6: 161st and 178th overall
Round 7: no picks
Weak point: impact talent
The Devils have good players all over the pipeline, but they lack difference-makers in the pipeline. They have some young players on their NHL roster, but if they want to extend their window, they need to find more skilled players. With no first-rounder this year, that might be tough.
New York Islanders, Seven Picks
Round 1: 1st overall
Round 2: 42nd overall
Round 3: 74th overall
Round 4: 106th overall
Round 5: 138th overall
Round 6: 170th overall
Round 7: 202nd overall
Weak point: right-handed defense
The Islanders have no notable prospects or even long shots on the right side of their defense pipeline, so they are in an excellent situation with Matthew Schaefer being available. Whether they take him or not is a different story.
New York Rangers, Nine Picks
Round 1: 12th overall
Round 2: 43rd overall
Round 3: 70th and 89th overall
Round 4: 111th overall
Round 5: 139th overall
Round 6: 166th and 171st overall
Round 7: 203rd overall
Weak point: legitimate centers
The centers the Rangers have in the system likely project to the NHL as wingers. At 12th overall, they should be in line to draft a legitimate center who could stick at the NHL level. They should have a number of options, even if it’s not one of the top group of centers.
Ottawa Senators, Six Picks
Round 1: 21st overall
Round 2: no picks
Round 3: 96th overall
Round 4: 97th overall
Round 5: 149th overall
Round 6: 181st overall
Round 7: 213th overall
Weak point: forwards with skill
The Senators made the playoffs after a long stretch of misses, but they couldn’t build up a promising pipeline, which could impact their ability to contend long-term. If they have the chance, they should look to go for skill. They have plenty of tenacity and truculence in the system, but they need swings on talent.
Philadelphia Flyers, 11 Picks
Round 1: 6th, 22nd, 31st overall
Round 2: 36th, 40th, 45th, and 48th overall
Round 3: 68th overall
Round 4: no picks
Round 5: 132nd and 157th overall
Round 6: 164th overall
Round 7: no picks
Weak point: left-shot defenders
The Flyers have an incredible amount of draft capital with seven picks in the top 50. They have more opportunity to add legitimate talent than anyone in the draft, and filling their need on the left side should be quite easy. This could be a franchise-altering draft for Philly.
Pittsburgh Penguins, 10 Picks
Round 1: 11th overall
Round 2: 59th overall
Round 3: 73rd, 84th, and 85th overall
Round 4: 105th overall
Round 5: 130th and 148th overall
Round 6: 169th overall
Round 7: 201st overall
Weak point: everything
When you’ve had one of the greatest players of all-time leading you on multiple Stanley Cup runs and a supporting cast that features potential Hall of Famers, you don’t worry about your prospects. That’s how the Penguins have gotten to the point where they need everything now that they aren’t a true contender anymore. They’ve traded picks and prospects for years to keep competitive, but now, it’s time to lock in and find some talent for the next generation.
San Jose Sharks, Nine Picks
Round 1: 2nd and 30th overall
Round 2: 33rd and 53rd overall
Round 3: 95th overall
Round 4: 115th and 124th overall
Round 5: 150th overall
Round 6: no picks
Round 7: 210th overall
Weak point: defensemen
Although they have some quality defenders, they have a loaded forward pipeline. The Sharks have talent up and down their pipeline, especially since adding Askarov to bolster their crease. They don’t really need anything, but finding a quality defender to go with some of their young and up-and-coming defensemen could be nice.
Seattle Kraken, Six Picks
Round 1: 8th overall
Round 2: 38th and 57th overall
Round 3: no picks
Round 4: 102nd overall
Round 5: 134th overall
Round 6: no picks
Round 7: 198th overall
Weak point: left-shot defenders
The Kraken have built up a nice prospect pool since coming into existence. They have a ton of forward depth and plenty of legitimate centers. Even on left defense, they have some solid players who might develop into NHLers. Finding a stud would be excellent, though.
St. Louis Blues, Three Picks
Round 1: 19th overall
Round 2: no picks
Round 3: no picks
Round 4: no picks
Round 5: 147th overall
Round 6: 179th overall
Round 7: no picks
Weak point: impact defense
The Blues have quite a few solid defenders, but none of them have the upside they will need to play big minutes on the top pair. Pick 19 isn’t exactly where you go to find those players, but they can add to a solid defensive pipeline and swing on upside because they have depth already.
Tampa Bay Lightning, Seven Picks
Round 1: no picks
Round 2: 56th overall
Round 3: no picks
Round 4: 127th overall
Round 5: 151st overall
Round 6: no picks
Round 7: 193rd, 206th, 212th, and 215th overall
Weak point: everything, everywhere, all at once
Tampa Bay has thrown draft picks out the window, unlike just about any other team in the league, and they have been in a Cup-contending window for the last half-decade. They need everything because even the one truly potentially effective prospect they have, Isaac Howard, isn’t likely to make an impact at the NHL level.
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Toronto Maple Leafs, Six Picks
Round 1: no picks
Round 2: 64th overall
Round 3: 86th overall
Round 4: no picks
Round 5: 137th and 153rd overall
Round 6: 185th overall
Round 7: 217th overall
Weak point: impact defenders
The Leafs have been spinning their wheels, trying to get over the hump for a while now, and they have exhausted most of their prospect pool, but they do have a few promising forwards. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to build a strong group on the back end. Ben Danford is a solid defensive blueliner, but his upside is limited. With no picks in the top 60, this weakness is unlikely to change.
Utah Mammoth, Six Picks
Round 1: 4th overall
Round 2: 46th overall
Round 3: 78th overall
Round 4: 110th overall
Round 5: 142nd overall
Round 6: 174th overall
Round 7: no picks
Weak point: high-end center
The Mammoth and Arizona Coyotes have had plenty of high draft picks in recent years, and they have a ton of solid prospects because of it. Even down the middle, they have some solid options, but they will likely turn into bottom six centers. If they could add one more top-six center, they could be a force in the future.
Vancouver Canucks, Seven Picks
Round 1: 15th overall
Round 2: 47th overall
Round 3: 65th overall
Round 4: 117th overall
Round 5: 143rd overall
Round 6: 175th overall
Round 7: 207th overall
Weak point: they’re good, not great
The Canucks have some very good prospects at a variety of positions, but they lack a truly great prospect. At 15th overall, it might be tough to get one, but they must find a way to bring in some elite talent. Whether on the back end or up front, they could use some impact players coming up.
Vegas Golden Knights, Six Picks
Round 1: no picks
Round 2: 58th overall
Round 3: 91st overall
Round 4: 122nd overall
Round 5: 154th overall
Round 6: 186th and 187th overall
Round 7: no picks
Weak point: who cares?
It sounds silly, but Vegas couldn’t care less about its prospects. They have traded nearly every first-round pick they have made, and they’ve traded as many picks before they made them. Vegas is a win-now team, as it’s been since its inception. Their prospect pool is merely a tool to trade from, so swinging on elite talent and hoping they perform well to boost their trade value might be the way to go.
Washington Capitals, Five Picks
Round 1: 27th overall
Round 2: 37th overall
Round 3: 93rd overall
Round 4: 123rd overall
Round 5: 155th overall
Round 6: no picks
Round 7: no picks
Weak point: center depth
The Capitals have long needed to draft and develop a quality center, but Hendrix Lapierre and Connor McMichael are the closest they’ve come, and they aren’t full-time top six centers. If there is a center available late in the first round, Washington should grab them, even if it means trading up a few picks to do so.
Winnipeg Jets, Five Picks
Round 1: 28th overall
Round 2: no picks
Round 3: 92nd overall
Round 4: no picks
Round 5: 156th overall
Round 6: 188th overall
Round 7: 220th overall
Weak point: right-shot defense
The Jets have a deceptively strong pipeline, but they could use some help on defense, particularly on the right side. The Jets are picking quite late, so any help they get won’t be ready for the NHL for at least a couple of years, but they should be looking to invest in the blueline if they get the chance.
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