The 1998 NHL entry draft was the 36th draft for the National Hockey League. It was held on June 27 at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. A total of 258 players were drafted.
The last active players in the NHL from this draft class were Francois Beauchemin, Mike Fisher and Brian Gionta, who all retired after the 2017–18 season.
Selections by round Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.
Round one
Pick Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 1 Vincent Lecavalier (C) Tampa Bay Lightning (from Florida via San Jose)1 Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL) 2 David Legwand (C) Nashville Predators (from Tampa Bay via San Jose)2 Plymouth Whalers (OHL) 3 Brad Stuart (D) San Jose Sharks (from Nashville)3 Regina Pats (WHL) 4 Bryan Allen (D) Vancouver Canucks Oshawa Generals (OHL) 5 Vitali Vishnevski (D) Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Torpedo Yaroslavl (Russia) 6 Rico Fata (RW) Calgary Flames London Knights (OHL) 7 Manny Malhotra (C) New York Rangers Guelph Storm (OHL) 8 Mark Bell (C) Chicago Blackhawks (from Toronto)4 Ottawa 67s (OHL) 9 Michael Rupp (LW) New York Islanders Erie Otters (OHL) 10 Nikolai Antropov (C) Toronto Maple Leafs (from Chicago)5 Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan) 11 Jeff Heerema (RW) Carolina Hurricanes Sarnia Sting (OHL) 12 Alex Tanguay (C) Colorado Avalanche (from San Jose)6 Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) 13 Michael Henrich (RW) Edmonton Oilers Barrie Colts (OHL) 14 Patrick DesRochers (G) Phoenix Coyotes Sarnia Sting (OHL) 15 Mathieu Chouinard (G) Ottawa Senators Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) 16 Eric Chouinard (C) Montreal Canadiens Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 17 Martin Skoula (D) Colorado Avalanche (from Los Angeles)7 Barrie Colts (OHL) 18 Dmitri Kalinin (D) Buffalo Sabres Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia) 19 Robyn Regehr (D) Colorado Avalanche (from Boston)8 Kamloops Blazers (WHL) 20 Scott Parker (RW) Colorado Avalanche (from Washington)9 Kelowna Rockets (WHL) 21 Mathieu Biron (D) Los Angeles Kings (from Colorado)10 Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) 22 Simon Gagne (C) Philadelphia Flyers (from Philadelphia via Tampa Bay, compensatory)11 Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 23 Milan Kraft (RW) Pittsburgh Penguins Keramika Plzen (Czech Republic) 24 Christian Backman (D) St. Louis Blues Vastra Frolunda HC (Sweden) 25 Jiri Fischer (D) Detroit Red Wings Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) 26 Mike Van Ryn (D) New Jersey Devils University of Michigan (CCHA) 27 Scott Gomez (C) New Jersey Devils (from Dallas)12 Tri-City Americans (WHL) San Jose's acquired first-round pick went to Tampa Bay as the result of a trade on March 24, 1998, that sent Bryan Marchment and David Shaw to San Jose in exchange for Andrei Nazarov and Tampa Bay's conditional right to swap first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft (this pick). San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on November 13, 1997, that sent Viktor Kozlov and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Florida in exchange for Dave Lowry and this pick. San Jose's acquired first-round pick went to Nashville as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998, that sent a first-round (# 3 overall) and second-round picks in the 1998 Entry Draft to San Jose in exchange for a third-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick. San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on March 24, 1998, that sent Bryan Marchment and David Shaw to San Jose in exchange for Andrei Nazarov and Tampa Bay's conditional right to swap first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft (this pick). Nashville's first-round pick went to San Jose as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998, that sent a first-round (# 2 overall) and third-round picks in the 1998 Entry Draft to Nashville in exchange for a second-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick. Toronto's first-round pick went to Chicago as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998, that sent a first-round pick (# 10 overall), a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Toronto in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick. Chicago's first-round pick went to Toronto as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998, that sent a first-round pick (# 8 overall) and a fourth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Chicago in exchange for a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft along with this pick. San Jose's first-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on November 20, 1997, that sent Mike Ricci and a second-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to San Jose in exchange for Shean Donovan and this pick. Los Angeles' first-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on June 20, 1996, that sent Eric Lacroix and a first-round pick (# 21 overall) in the 1998 Entry Draft to Los Angeles in exchange for Stephane Fiset and this pick. Boston's first-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on November 22, 1996, that sent Anders Myrvold and Landon Wilson to Boston in exchange for this pick. Washington's first-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on November 2, 1996, that sent Curtis Leschyshyn and Chris Simon to Washington in exchange for Keith Jones, a fourth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick. Colorado's first-round pick went to Los Angeles as the result of a trade on June 20, 1996, that sent Stephane Fiset and a first-round pick (# 17 overall) in the 1998 Entry Draft to Los Angeles in exchange for Eric Lacroix and this pick. Philadelphia's first-round pick was re-acquired as the result of a trade on August 20, 1997, that sent Karl Dykhuis and Mikael Renberg to Tampa Bay in exchange for first-round picks in the 1999 entry draft, 2000 entry draft and 2001 entry draft along with this pick. Tampa Bay previously acquired this pick along with first-round picks in the 1999 entry draft, 2000 entry draft and 2001 entry draft as compensation on August 20, 1997, after Philadelphia signed Group II free agent Chris Gratton. Dallas' first-round pick went to New Jersey as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998, that sent a two second-round picks (# 39 and # 57 overall) in the 1998 Entry Draft to Dallas in exchange for this pick.
Round two Pick Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 28 Ramzi Abid (LW) Colorado Avalanche (from Tampa Bay)1 Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL) 29 Jonathan Cheechoo (RW) San Jose Sharks (from Nashville)2 Belleville Bulls (OHL) 30 Kyle Rossiter (D) Florida Panthers Spokane Chiefs (WHL) 31 Artem Chubarov (C) Vancouver Canucks Dynamo Moscow (Russia) 32 Stephen Peat (RW) Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Red Deer Rebels (WHL) 33 Blair Betts (C) Calgary Flames Prince George Cougars (WHL) 34 Andrew Peters (LW) Buffalo Sabres (from New York Rangers)3 Oshawa Generals (OHL) 35 Petr Svoboda (D) Toronto Maple Leafs BK Havlickuv Brod (Czech Republic) 36 Chris Nielsen (C) New York Islanders Calgary Hitmen (WHL) 37 Christian Berglund (C) New Jersey Devils (compensatory)4 Farjestad BK (Sweden) 38 Philippe Sauve (G) Colorado Avalanche (from Chicago)5 Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL) 39 John Erskine (D) Dallas Stars (from Carolina via New Jersey)6 London Knights (OHL) 40 Randy Copley (LW) New York Rangers (compensatory)7 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL) 41 Maxym Linnik (D) St. Louis Blues (from San Jose via Detroit)8 St. Thomas Stars (GOJHL) 42 Jason Beckett (D) Philadelphia Flyers (from Edmonton)9 Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) 43 Ossi Vaananen (D) Phoenix Coyotes Jokerit (Finland) 44 Mike Fisher (C) Ottawa Senators Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 45 Mike Ribeiro (C) Montreal Canadiens Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL) 46 Justin Papineau (C) Los Angeles Kings Belleville Bulls (OHL) 47 Norm Milley (RW) Buffalo Sabres Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 48 Jonathan Girard (D) Boston Bruins Laval Titan College Francais (QMJHL) 49 Jomar Cruz (G) Washington Capitals Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) 50 Jaroslav Kristek (RW) Buffalo Sabres (from Colorado via San Jose)10 HC Zlin (Czech Republic) 51 Ian Forbes (D) Philadelphia Flyers Guelph Storm (OHL) 52 Bobby Allen (D) Boston Bruins (from Washington; compensatory)11 Boston College (Hockey East) 53 Steve Moore (C) Colorado Avalanche (compensatory)12 Harvard University (ECAC) 54 Alexander Zevakhin (LW) Pittsburgh Penguins CSKA Moscow (Russia) 55 Ryan Barnes (LW) Detroit Red Wings (from St. Louis)13 Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 56 Tomek Valtonen (LW) Detroit Red Wings Ilves (Finland) 57 Tyler Bouck (RW) Dallas Stars (from New Jersey)14 Prince George Cougars (WHL) 58 Chris Bala (LW) Ottawa Senators (from Dallas via Philadelphia)15 Harvard University (ECAC) Tampa Bay's second-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on July 29, 1996, that sent Craig Wolanin to Tampa Bay in exchange for this pick. Nashville's second-round pick went to San Jose as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998, that sent a first-round (# 2 overall) and third-round picks in the 1998 Entry Draft to Nashville in exchange for a first-round pick (# 3 overall) in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick. The Rangers' second-round pick went to Buffalo as the result of a trade on September 29, 1997, that sent Pat LaFontaine to the Rangers in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2000 entry draft and this pick. New Jersey acquired this pick as compensation after failing to sign their first-round pick in the 1996 entry draft (Lance Ward). Chicago's second-round pick went to Colorado as the result of a trade on July 10, 1996, that sent Tuomas Gronman to Chicago in exchange for this pick. New Jersey's acquired second-round pick went to Dallas as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998, that sent a first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to New Jersey in exchange for a second-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft (# 57 overall) and this pick. New Jersey previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on December 19, 1995, that sent Jim Dowd and a second-round pick in the 1997 entry draft to Hartford in exchange for Jocelyn Lemieux and this pick. The Rangers acquired this pick as compensation on July 30, 1997, after Vancouver signed free agent Mark Messier. Detroit's acquired second-round pick went to St. Louis as the result of a trade on June 27, 1998, that sent second-round (# 55 overall) and fourth-round picks in the 1998 Entry Draft to Detroit in exchange for this pick. Detroit previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on August 18, 1997, that sent Mike Vernon and a fifth-round pick in the 1999 entry draft to San Jose in exchange for a second-round pick in the 1999 entry draft and this pick. Edmonton's second-round pick went to Philadelphia as the result of a trade on March 24, 1998, that sent Janne Niinimaa to Edmonton in exchange for Dan McGillis and this pick. San Jose's acquired second-round pick went to Buffalo as the result of a trade on June 18, 1998, that sent Steve Shields and a fourth-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to San Jose in exchange for Kay Whitmore, a fifth-round pick in the 2000 entry draft and this pick. San Jose previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on November 20, 1997, that sent Shean Donovan and a first-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Colorado in exchange for Mike Ricci and this pick. Washington's second-round pick went to Boston as the result of a trade on March 1, 1997, that sent Adam Oates, Bill Ranford and Rick Tocchet to Washington in exchange for Jason Allison, Jim Carey, Anson Carter, a third-round pick in the 1997 entry draft and this pick. This pick was a conditional pick and the conditions was if Washington were able to re-sign Rick Tocchet as a free agent. He signed with the Phoenix Coyotes on July 23, 1997, and Washington got a compensation pick in the 1998 Entry Draft that still went to Boston to complete the trade. Colorado acquired this pick as compensation after failing to sign their first-round pick in the 1996 entry draft (Peter Ratchuk).