The 1996 NHL entry draft was the 34th draft for the National Hockey League. It was held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis on June 22, 1996.
It is considered one of the weakest NHL entry drafts ever, with just one (Zdeno Chara, seven times) of the 241 players drafted ever being chosen for a year-end NHL All-Star team. Similarly, (as of 2025) Chara is the only player from this draft to be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Zdeno Chara, who retired after the 2021–22 season.
Selections by round Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.
Round one
# Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 1 Chris Phillips (D) Ottawa Senators Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) 2 Andrei Zyuzin (D) San Jose Sharks Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia) 3 Jean-Pierre Dumont (RW) New York Islanders Val-d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL) 4 Alexander Volchkov (LW) Washington Capitals (from Los Angeles)1 Barrie Colts (OHL) 5 Ric Jackman (D) Dallas Stars Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) 6 Boyd Devereaux (C) Edmonton Oilers Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 7 Erik Rasmussen (C) Buffalo Sabres University of Minnesota (WCHA) 8 Johnathan Aitken (D) Boston Bruins (from Hartford)2 Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 9 Ruslan Salei (D) Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Las Vegas Thunder (IHL) 10 Lance Ward (D) New Jersey Devils Red Deer Rebels (WHL) 11 Dan Focht (D) Phoenix Coyotes Tri-City Americans (WHL) 12 Josh Holden (C) Vancouver Canucks Regina Pats (WHL) 13 Derek Morris (D) Calgary Flames Regina Pats (WHL) 14 Marty Reasoner (C) St. Louis Blues (from St. Louis via Edmonton)3 Boston College (Hockey East) 15 Dainius Zubrus (RW) Philadelphia Flyers (from Toronto)4 Pembroke Lumber Kings (COJHL) 16 Mario Larocque (D) Tampa Bay Lightning Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) 17 Jaroslav Svejkovsky (RW) Washington Capitals Tri-City Americans (WHL) 18 Matt Higgins (C) Montreal Canadiens Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) 19 Matthieu Descoteaux (D) Edmonton Oilers (from Boston)5 Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) 20 Marcus Nilson (LW) Florida Panthers Djurgardens IF (Sweden) 21Marco Sturm (LW) San Jose Sharks (from Chicago)6 Landshut EV (Germany) 22 Jeff Brown (D) New York Rangers Sarnia Sting (OHL) 23 Craig Hillier (G) Pittsburgh Penguins Ottawa 67's (OHL) 24Daniel Briere (C) Phoenix Coyotes (from Philadelphia via San Jose and Buffalo)7 Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) 25 Peter Ratchuk (D) Colorado Avalanche Shattuck-Saint Mary's (USHS–MN) 26 Jesse Wallin (D) Detroit Red Wings Red Deer Rebels (WHL) Los Angeles' first-round pick went to Washington as the result of a trade on July 8, 1995 that sent Byron Dafoe and Dmitri Khristich to Los Angeles in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft and this pick. Hartford's first-round pick went to Boston as the result of a trade on August 26, 1994 that sent Glen Wesley to Hartford in exchange for first-round picks of the 1996 entry draft and the 1997 entry draft along with this pick. St. Louis' first-round pick was re-acquired as the result of a trade with Edmonton on August 4, 1995 that sent Curtis Joseph and the rights to Mike Grier to Edmonton in exchange a first-round pick in the 1997 entry draft and this pick. Edmonton previously acquired this pick and a first-round pick in the 1997 entry draft as compensation on July 28, 1995 after St. Louis signed free agent Shayne Corson. Toronto's first-round pick went to Philadelphia as the result of a trade on August 30, 1995 that sent Dmitry Yushkevich and a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft to Toronto in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft, a second-round pick in the 1997 entry draft and this pick. Boston's first-round pick went to Edmonton as the result of a trade on January 11, 1996 that sent Bill Ranford to Boston in exchange for Mariusz Czerkawski, the rights to Sean Brown and this pick. Chicago's first-round pick went to San Jose as the result of a trade on June 22, 1996 that sent two second-round picks (# 31 and # 46 overall) in the 1996 Entry Draft to Chicago in exchange for this pick. Buffalo's acquired first-round pick went to Winnipeg as the result of a trade on February 15, 1996 that sent Michal Grosek and Darryl Shannon to Buffalo in exchange for Craig Muni and this pick. Winnipeg relocated to Phoenix after the 1995–96 NHL season. Buffalo previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on November 16, 1995 that sent Doug Bodger to San Jose in exchange for Vaclav Varada, a fourth-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft, rights to Martin Spanhel and this pick. San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on November 16, 1995 that sent Pat Falloon to Philadelphia in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft, rights to Martin Spanhel and this pick.
Round two # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 27 Cory Sarich (D) Buffalo Sabres (from Ottawa via St. Louis)1 Saskatoon Blades (WHL) 28 Pavel Skrbek (D) Pittsburgh Penguins (from San Jose via New Jersey)2 Poldi Kladno (Czech Republic) 29 Dan LaCouture (LW) New York Islanders Enfield Jr. Whalers (EJHL) 30 Josh Green (C) Los Angeles Kings Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 31 Remi Royer (D) Chicago Blackhawks (from Dallas via Phoenix and San Jose)3 Saint-Hyacinthe Laser (QMJHL) 32 Chris Hajt (D) Edmonton Oilers Guelph Storm (OHL) 33 Darren Van Oene (LW) Buffalo Sabres Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) 34 Trevor Wasyluk (LW) Hartford Whalers Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 35 Matt Cullen (C) Mighty Ducks of Anaheim St. Cloud State University (WCHA) 36 Marek Posmyk (D) Toronto Maple Leafs (from New Jersey)4 Dukla Jihlava (Czech Republic) 37 Marian Cisar (RW) Los Angeles Kings (from Phoenix)5 Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) 38 Wes Mason (LW) New Jersey Devils (from Vancouver)6 Sarnia Sting (OHL) 39 Travis Brigley (LW) Calgary Flames Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) 40 Steve Begin (C) Calgary Flames (from St. Louis)7 Val-d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL) 41 Josh DeWolf (D) New Jersey Devils (from Toronto via Pittsburgh)8 Twin Cities Vulcans (USHL) 42 Jeff Paul (D) Chicago Blackhawks (from Tampa Bay)9 Niagara Falls Thunder (OHL) 43 Jan Bulis (C) Washington Capitals Barrie Colts (OHL) 44 Mathieu Garon (G) Montreal Canadiens Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL) 45 Henry Kuster (RW) Boston Bruins Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 46Geoff Peters (C) Chicago Blackhawks (from Florida via San Jose)10 Niagara Falls Thunder (OHL) 47 Pierre Dagenais (LW) New Jersey Devils (from Chicago via Tampa Bay)11 Moncton Alpines (QMJHL) 48 Daniel Goneau (LW) New York Rangers Granby Predateurs (QMJHL) 49 Colin White (D) New Jersey Devils (from Pittsburgh)12 Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) 50 Francis Larivee (G) Toronto Maple Leafs (from Philadelphia)13 Laval Titan Collège Français (QMJHL) 51 Yuri Babenko (C) Colorado Avalanche Krylya Sovetov (Russia) 52 Aren Miller (G) Detroit Red Wings Spokane Chiefs (WHL) St. Louis' second-round pick went to Buffalo as the result of a trade on March 20, 1996 that sent Yuri Khmylev and an eighth-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft to St. Louis in exchange for Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, a third-round pick in the 1997 entry draft and this pick. St. Louis previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on August 4, 1995 that sent Steve Duchesne to Hartford in exchange for this pick. New Jersey'a second-round pick went to Pittsburgh as the result of a trade on June 22, 1996 that sent two second-round picks in the 1996 Entry Draft (# 41 and # 49 overall) to New Jersey in exchange for this pick. New Jersey previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on November 15, 1995 that sent Chris Terreri to San Jose in exchange for this pick. San Jose's second-round pick went to Chicago as the result of a trade on June 22, 1996 that sent a first-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft to San Jose in exchange for a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft (# 46 overall) and this pick. San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on March 18, 1996 that sent Craig Janney to Winnipeg in exchange for Darren Turcotte and this pick. Winnipeg previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on July 8, 1995 that sent a third-round pick in the 1995 entry draft to Dallas in exchange for this pick. New Jersey's second-round pick went to Toronto as the result of a trade on March 13, 1996 that sent Dave Andreychuk to New Jersey in exchange for Toronto's option of a fourth-round pick in the 1998 entry draft or third-round pick in the 1999 entry draft and this pick. Phoenix's second-round pick went to Los Angeles as the result of a trade on August 8, 1994 that sent Brent Thompson and cash to Winnipeg in exchange for rights to Ruslan Batyrshin and this pick. Winnipeg also had an option to swap 6th-rd picks in the 1996 Entry Draft. Winnipeg relocated to Phoenix after the 1995–96 NHL season. Vancouver's second-round pick went to New Jersey as the result of a trade on November 23, 1995 that sent Esa Tikkanen to Vancouver in exchange for this pick. St. Louis' second-round pick went to Calgary as the result of a trade on July 4, 1994 that sent Al MacInnis and a fourth-round pick in the 1997 entry draft to St. Louis in exchange for Phil Housley, a second-round pick in the 1997 entry draft and this pick. Pittsburgh's second-round pick went to New Jersey as the result of a trade on June 22, 1996 that sent a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft (# 28 overall) to Pittsburgh in exchange for a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft (# 49 overall) and this pick. Pittsburgh previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on July 8, 1995 that sent Larry Murphy to Toronto in exchange for Dmitri Mironov and this pick. Tampa Bay's second-round pick went to Chicago as the result of a trade on March 20, 1996 that sent Patrick Poulin, Igor Ulanov and a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft (# 47 overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for Enrico Ciccone and this pick. San Jose's second-round pick went to Chicago as the result of a trade on June 22, 1996 that sent a first-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft (# 21 overall) to San Jose in exchange for a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft (# 31 overall) and this pick. San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on March 16, 1996 that sent Ray Sheppard and a fourth-round pick in the a fourth-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft to Florida in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft and this pick. Tampa Bay's second-round pick went to New Jersey as the result of a trade on June 22, 1996 that sent Corey Schwab to Tampa Bay in exchange for Jeff Reese, an eighth-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft and this pick. Tampa Bay previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on March 20, 1996 that sent Enrico Ciccone and a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft (# 42 overall) to Chicago in exchange for Patrick Poulin, Igor Ulanov and this pick. Pittsburgh's second-round pick went to New Jersey as the result of a trade on June 22, 1996 that sent a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft (# 28 overall) to Pittsburgh in exchange for a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft (# 41 overall) and this pick. Philadelphia's second-round pick went to Toronto as the result of a trade on August 30, 1995 that sent a first-round and a fourth-round picks in the 1996 Entry Draft with a second-round pick in the 1997 entry draft to Philadelphia in exchange for Dmitry Yushkevich and this pick.
Round three