The 1990 NHL entry draft was the 28th draft for the National Hockey League. It was hosted by the Vancouver Canucks at BC Place in Vancouver on June 16, 1990. It is remembered as one of the deeper drafts in NHL history, with fourteen of the twenty-one first round picks going on to careers of at least 500 NHL games.
Nine of the twenty-one players drafted in the first round played 1,000 NHL games in their career.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Jaromir Jagr, who played his last NHL game in the 2017–18 season. As of 2026, Jagr is still an active player with Rytíři Kladno of the Czech Extraliga.
Venue
The 1990 NHL entry draft was originally scheduled to be held at the Pacific Coliseum, the home arena of the host Vancouver Canucks located on the site of the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE). However, the Canadian Union of Public Employees union representing the PNE employees—CUPE Local 1004—threatened to strike June 15, one day before the draft. Consequently, the NHL and the Canucks decided to move the draft to BC Place in order to avoid the potential strike and issues of public access to the venue. In addition to BC Place, the University of British Columbia, the Vancouver Convention Centre and the Hyatt Regency Vancouver were also considered as replacement venues.
The Canucks had estimated that 10,000 spectators would attend the draft, which had free admission. However, holding the venue in a higher capacity venue allowed for that estimate to nearly double, with 19,127 spectators—a then record for attendance at an NHL entry draft—attending the draft.
Top prospects Heading into the 1990 NHL entry draft, Mike Ricci had spent the entire 1989–90 season ranked as the top prospect by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. Before the release of the final rankings of North American skaters and goaltenders, it was speculated Owen Nolan, Keith Primeau and Petr Nedved would surpass Ricci; however, when the final rankings were released, Ricci remained as the top prospect. Jaromir Jagr was also considered to be one of the top prospects, but Central Scouting did not rank European players. Petr Nedved was an exception to that, as he played in North America after he defected his native Czechoslovakia.
Source: NHL Central Scouting
Ranking North American skaters European skaters 1 Mike Ricci (C) Jaromir Jagr (RW) 2 Owen Nolan (RW) Vyacheslav Kozlov (LW) 3 Keith Primeau (C) Alexander Godynyuk (D) 4 Petr Nedved (C) Sergei Zubov (D) 5 Scott Scissons (C) 6 Darryl Sydor (D) Ivan Droppa (D) 7 John Slaney (D) Mattias Olsson (D) 8 Ryan Hughes (C) Mika Valila (C) 9 Karl Dykhuis (D) Roman Meluzin (RW) 10 Derian Hatcher (D) Juha Ylonen (C)
Ranking North American goalies 1 Trevor Kidd 2 Felix Potvin 3 Martin Brodeur
Selections by round
Round one
# Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 1 Owen Nolan (RW) Quebec Nordiques Cornwall Royals (OHL) 2 Petr Nedved (C) Vancouver Canucks Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) 3 Keith Primeau (C) Detroit Red Wings Niagara Falls Thunder (OHL) 4 Mike Ricci (C) Philadelphia Flyers Peterborough Petes (OHL) 5 Jaromir Jagr (RW) Pittsburgh Penguins Poldi SONP Kladno (Czechoslovakia) 6 Scott Scissons (C) New York Islanders Saskatoon Blades (WHL) 7 Darryl Sydor (D) Los Angeles Kings Kamloops Blazers (WHL) 8 Derian Hatcher (D) Minnesota North Stars North Bay Centennials (OHL) 9 John Slaney (D) Washington Capitals Cornwall Royals (OHL) 10 Drake Berehowsky (D) Toronto Maple Leafs Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) 11 Trevor Kidd (G) Calgary Flames (from New Jersey) Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) 12 Turner Stevenson (RW) Montreal Canadiens (from St. Louis) Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) 13 Michael Stewart (D) New York Rangers Michigan State University (CCHA) 14 Brad May (LW) Buffalo Sabres (from Winnipeg) Niagara Falls Thunder (OHL) 15 Mark Greig (RW) Hartford Whalers Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) 16 Karl Dykhuis (D) Chicago Blackhawks Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) 17 Scott Allison (C) Edmonton Oilers Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) 18 Shawn Antoski (LW) Vancouver Canucks (from Montreal via St. Louis) North Bay Centennials (OHL) 19 Keith Tkachuk (LW) Winnipeg Jets (from Buffalo) Malden Catholic High School (USHS–MA) 20 Martin Brodeur (G) New Jersey Devils (from Calgary) Saint-Hyacinthe Laser (QMJHL) 21 Bryan Smolinski (C) Boston Bruins Michigan State University (CCHA)
Round two
# Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 22 Ryan Hughes (C) Quebec Nordiques Cornell University (ECAC) 23 Jiri Slegr (D) Vancouver Canucks HC CHZ Litvinov (Czechoslovakia) 24 David Harlock (D) New Jersey Devils (from Detroit via Calgary) , University of Michigan (CCHA) 25 Chris Simon (LW) Philadelphia Flyers Ottawa 67's (OHL) 26 Nicolas Perreault (D) Calgary Flames (from Pittsburgh) Hawkesbury Hawks (CJHL) 27 Chris Taylor (C) New York Islanders London Knights (OHL) 28 Brandy Semchuk (RW) Los Angeles Kings Canadian National Team (International) 29 Chris Gotziaman (RW) New Jersey Devils (from Minnesota via Calgary) , Roseau High School (USHS–MN) 30 Rod Pasma (D) Washington Capitals Cornwall Royals (OHL) 31 Felix Potvin (G) Toronto Maple Leafs Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL) 32 Vesa Viitakoski (LW) Calgary Flames (from New Jersey) SaiPa (Finland) 33 Craig Johnson (C) St. Louis Blues (from St. Louis via Vancouver) , Hill-Murray School (USHS–MN) 34 Doug Weight (C) New York Rangers Lake Superior State University (CCHA) 35 Mike Muller (D) Winnipeg Jets Wayzata High School (USHS–MN) 36 Geoff Sanderson (C) Hartford Whalers Swift Current Broncos (WHL) 37 Ivan Droppa (D) Chicago Blackhawks MHk 32 Liptovsky Mikulas (Czechoslovakia) 38 Alexandre Legault (RW) Edmonton Oilers Boston University (Hockey East) 39 Ryan Kuwabara (RW) Montreal Canadiens Ottawa 67's (OHL) 40 Mikael Renberg (LW) Philadelphia Flyers (from Buffalo) Lulea HF (Sweden) 41 Etienne Belzile (D) Calgary Flames Cornell University (ECAC) 42 Terran Sandwith (D) Philadelphia Flyers (from Boston) Tri-City Americans (WHL) Reference:
Round three # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 43 Brad Zavisha (LW) Quebec Nordiques Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) 44 Kimbi Daniels (C) Philadelphia Flyers (from Vancouver) Swift Current Broncos (WHL) 45 Vyacheslav Kozlov (C) Detroit Red Wings Khimik Voskresensk (USSR) 46 Bill Armstrong (D) Philadelphia Flyers Oshawa Generals (OHL) 47 Chris Therien (D) Philadelphia Flyers (from Pittsburgh) Northwood School (USHS–NY) 48 Dan Plante (RW) New York Islanders Edina High School (USHS–MN) 49 Bob Berg (LW) Los Angeles Kings Belleville Bulls (OHL) 50 Laurie Billeck (D) Minnesota North Stars Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) 51 Chris Longo (RW) Washington Capitals Peterborough Petes (OHL) 52 Al Kinisky (LW) Philadelphia Flyers (from Toronto) Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) 53 Mike Dunham (G) New Jersey Devils Canterbury School (USHS–CT) 54 Patrice Tardif (C) St. Louis Blues Champlain College Lennoxville (CEGEP) 55 John Vary (D) New York Rangers North Bay Centennials (OHL) 56 Brad Bombardir (D) New Jersey Devils (from Winnipeg) Powell River Kings (BCJHL) 57 Mike Lenarduzzi (G) Hartford Whalers Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) 58 Charles Poulin (C) Montreal Canadiens (from Chicago) Saint-Hyacinthe Laser (QMJHL) 59 Joe Crowley (LW) Edmonton Oilers Lawrence Academy (USHS–MA) 60 Robert Guillet (RW) Montreal Canadiens Longueuil College Francais (QMJHL) 61 Joe Dziedzic (LW) Pittsburgh Penguins (from Buffalo) Edison High School (USHS–MN) 62 Glen Mears (D) Calgary Flames Rochester Mustangs (USHL) 63 Cam Stewart (C) Boston Bruins Elmira Sugar Kings (MWJHL) Reference:
Round four # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 64 Mike Bodnarchuk (RW) New Jersey Devils (from Quebec) Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) 65 Darin Bader (LW) Vancouver Canucks Saskatoon Blades (WHL) 66 Stewart Malgunas (D) Detroit Red Wings Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) 67 Joel Blain (LW) Edmonton Oilers (from Philadelphia) Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) 68 Chris Tamer (D) Pittsburgh Penguins University of Michigan (CCHA) 69 Jeff Nielsen (RW) New York Rangers (from New York Islanders via Los Angeles) , Grand Rapids High School (USHS–MN) 70 Cal McGowan (C) Minnesota North Stars (from Los Angeles via New York Rangers) , Kamloops Blazers (WHL) 71 Frank Kovacs (LW) Minnesota North Stars Regina Pats (WHL) 72 Randy Pearce (LW) Washington Capitals Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 73 Darby Hendrickson (C) Toronto Maple Leafs Richfield High School (USHS–MN) 74 Roman Meluzin (RW) Winnipeg Jets (from New Jersey) Zetor Brno (Czechoslovakia) 75 Scott Levins (RW) Winnipeg Jets (from St. Louis) Tri-City Americans (WHL) 76 Rick Willis (LW) New York Rangers Pingree School (USHS–MA) 77 Alexei Zhamnov (C) Winnipeg Jets Dynamo Moscow (USSR) 78 Chris Bright (C) Hartford Whalers Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) 79 Chris Tucker (C) Chicago Blackhawks Bloomington Jefferson High School (USHS–MN) 80 Greg Walters (C) Toronto Maple Leafs (from Edmonton) Ottawa 67's (OHL) 81 Gilbert Dionne (LW) Montreal Canadiens Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 82 Brian McCarthy (C) Buffalo Sabres Pingree School (USHS–MA) 83 Paul Kruse (LW) Calgary Flames Kamloops Blazers (WHL) 84 Jerry Buckley (RW) Boston Bruins Northwood School (USHS–NY) Reference:
Round five
# Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 85 Sergei Zubov (D) New York Rangers (from Quebec) CSKA Moscow (USSR) 86 Gino Odjick (LW) Vancouver Canucks Laval Titan (QMJHL) 87 Tony Burns (D) Detroit Red Wings (from Detroit via New York Rangers) , Duluth-Denfeld High School (USHS–MN) 88 Dan Kordic (D) Philadelphia Flyers Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 89 Brian Farrell (C) Pittsburgh Penguins Avon Old Farms (USHS–CT) 90 Chris Marinucci (C) New York Islanders Grand Rapids High School (USHS–MN) 91 David Goverde (G) Los Angeles Kings Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 92 Enrico Ciccone (D) Minnesota North Stars Trois-Rivieres Draveurs (QMJHL) 93 Brian Sakic (C) Washington Capitals Tri-City Americans (WHL) 94 Mark Ouimet (C) Washington Capitals (from Toronto) University of Michigan (CCHA) 95 Dean Malkoc (D) New Jersey Devils Kamloops Blazers (WHL) 96 Jason Ruff (LW) St. Louis Blues Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) 97 Richard Smehlik (D) Buffalo Sabres (from New York Rangers) TJ Vitkovice (Czechoslovakia) 98 Craig Martin (RW) Winnipeg Jets Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) 99 Lubos Rob (C) New York Rangers (from Hartford) Motor Ceske Budejovice (Czechoslovakia) 100 Todd Bojcun (G) Buffalo Sabres (from Chicago) Peterborough Petes (OHL) 101 Greg Louder (G) Edmonton Oilers (from Edmonton via Winnipeg) Cushing Academy (USHS–MA) 102 Paul DiPietro (C) Montreal Canadiens Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 103 Brad Pascall (D) Buffalo Sabres University of North Dakota (WCHA) 104 Petr Kuchyna (D) New Jersey Devils (from Calgary) Dukla Jihlava (Czechoslovakia) 105 Mike Bales (G) Boston Bruins Ohio State University (WCHA) Reference:
Round six