The 1991 NHL entry draft was the 29th draft for the National Hockey League. It was held on June 22 at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. A total of 264 players were drafted. The worst team in the previous 1990–91 season, the Quebec Nordiques, was given the first overall pick while the expansion San Jose Sharks held the second overall pick.
The draft was famous for the controversy surrounding star first overall draft pick, touted by some observers to be The Next One, Eric Lindros, who was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques but immediately refused to sign a contract. What followed (in 1992) was one of the biggest trades in NHL history, which the Philadelphia Flyers used to acquire Lindros, in the process trading away future superstar Peter Forsberg.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Ray Whitney, who retired after the 2013–14 season.
Selections by round Club teams in North America unless otherwise noted.
Round one
# Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 1 Eric Lindros (C) Quebec Nordiques Oshawa Generals (OHL) 2 Pat Falloon (RW) San Jose Sharks Spokane Chiefs (WHL) 3 Scott Niedermayer (D) New Jersey Devils (from Toronto)1 Kamloops Blazers (WHL) 4 Scott Lachance (D) New York Islanders Boston University (Hockey East) 5 Aaron Ward (D) Winnipeg Jets University of Michigan (CCHA) 6 Peter Forsberg (C) Philadelphia Flyers Modo Hockey (Sweden) 7 Alek Stojanov (RW) Vancouver Canucks Hamilton Dukes (OHL) 8 Richard Matvichuk (D) Minnesota North Stars Saskatoon Blades (WHL) 9 Patrick Poulin (LW) Hartford Whalers Saint-Hyacinthe Laser (QMJHL) 10 Martin Lapointe (RW) Detroit Red Wings Laval Titan (QMJHL) 11 Brian Rolston (RW) New Jersey Devils Detroit Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL) 12 Tyler Wright (C) Edmonton Oilers Swift Current Broncos (WHL) 13 Philippe Boucher (D) Buffalo Sabres Granby Bisons (QMJHL) 14 Pat Peake (C) Washington Capitals Detroit Compuware Ambassadors (OHL) 15 Alexei Kovalev (RW) New York Rangers Dynamo Moscow (USSR) 16 Markus Naslund (LW) Pittsburgh Penguins Modo Hockey (Sweden) 17 Brent Bilodeau (D) Montreal Canadiens Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) 18 Glen Murray (RW) Boston Bruins Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 19 Niklas Sundblad (RW) Calgary Flames AIK IF (Sweden) 20 Martin Rucinsky (RW) Edmonton Oilers (from Los Angeles)2 HC CHZ Litvinov (Czechoslovakia) 21 Trevor Halverson (RW) Washington Capitals (from St. Louis)3 North Bay Centennials (OHL) 22 Dean McAmmond (C) Chicago Blackhawks Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) Reference: Toronto's first-round pick went to New Jersey as the result of a trade on October 16, 1989, that sent Tom Kurvers to Toronto in exchange for this pick. Los Angeles' first-round pick went to Edmonton as the result of a trade on August 9, 1988, that sent Wayne Gretzky, Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley to Los Angeles in exchange for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, cash, Los Angeles' first-round pick in the 1989 entry draft, first-round pick in the 1993 entry draft and this pick. Washington acquired this pick with first-round picks in the 1992 entry draft, 1993 entry draft, 1994 entry draft and 1995 entry draft as compensation on July 16, 1990, after St. Louis signed free agent Scott Stevens.
Round two # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 23 Ray Whitney (LW) San Jose Sharks Spokane Chiefs (WHL) 24 Rene Corbet (LW) Quebec Nordiques Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) 25 Eric Lavigne (D) Washington Capitals (from Toronto via Quebec)1 Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) 26 Zigmund Palffy (RW) New York Islanders HK Nitra (Czechoslovakia) 27 Steve Staios (D) St. Louis Blues (from Winnipeg)2 Niagara Falls Thunder (OHL) 28 Jim Campbell (RW) Montreal Canadiens (from Philadelphia)3 Northwood School (USHS–NY) 29 Jassen Cullimore (D) Vancouver Canucks Peterborough Petes (OHL) 30 Sandis Ozolinsh (D) San Jose Sharks (from Minnesota)4 Dinamo Riga (USSR) 31 Martin Hamrlik (D) Hartford Whalers AC ZPS Zlin (Czechoslovakia) 32 Jamie Pushor (D) Detroit Red Wings Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) 33 Donevan Hextall (LW) New Jersey Devils Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) 34 Andrew Verner (G) Edmonton Oilers Peterborough Petes (OHL) 35 Jason Dawe (RW) Buffalo Sabres Peterborough Petes (OHL) 36 Jeff Nelson (C) Washington Capitals Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) 37 Darcy Werenka (D) New York Rangers Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) 38 Rusty Fitzgerald (C) Pittsburgh Penguins East High School (USHS–MN) 39 Mike Pomichter (C) Chicago Blackhawks (from Montreal)5 Springfield Olympics (NEJHL) 40 Jozef Stumpel (C) Boston Bruins HK Nitra (Czechoslovakia) 41 Francois Groleau (D) Calgary Flames Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) 42 Guy Leveque (C) Los Angeles Kings Cornwall Royals (OHL) 43 Craig Darby (C) Montreal Canadiens (from St. Louis via Vancouver)6 Albany Academy (USHS–NY) 44 Jamie Matthews (C) Chicago Blackhawks Sudbury Wolves (OHL) Reference: Quebec's second-round pick went to Washington as the result of a trade on June 22, 1991, that sent Mikhail Tatarinov to Quebec in exchange for this pick. Quebec previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on November 17, 1990, that sent Aaron Broten, Lucien DeBlois and Michel Petit to Toronto in exchange for Scott Pearson, Toronto's second-round pick in the 1992 entry draft and this pick. Winnipeg's' second-round pick went to St. Louis as the result of a trade on June 17, 1989, that sent Greg Paslawski and St. Louis's third-round pick in 1989 entry draft to Winnipeg in exchange for Winnipeg's third-round pick in 1989 entry draft and this pick. Philadelphia's' second-round pick went to Montreal as the result of a trade on March 5, 1991, that sent Mark Pederson to Philadelphia in exchange for this pick. Minnesota's' second-round pick went to San Jose as the result of a trade on May 31, 1991, that sent future considerations (San Jose's promised to Minnesota not to draft Mike Craig in the 1991 NHL dispersal draft) to Minnesota in exchange for Minnesota's first-round pick in the 1992 entry draft and this pick. Montreal's' second-round pick went to Chicago as the result of a trade on June 29, 1990, that sent Denis Savard to Montreal in exchange for Chris Chelios and this pick. Vancouver's second-round pick went to Montreal as the result of a trade on March 6, 1990, that sent Jyrki Lumme to Vancouver in exchange for this pick. Vancouver previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade with St. Louis on March 6, 1990, that sent that sent Harold Snepsts, Rich Sutter and Vancouver's second-round pick in the 1990 entry draft to St. Louis in exchange for Adrien Plavsic, St. Louis' first-round pick in the 1990 entry draft and this pick.
Round three # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 45 Dody Wood (C) San Jose Sharks Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) 46 Rich Brennan (D) Quebec Nordiques Tabor Academy (USHS–MA) 47 Yanic Perreault (C) Toronto Maple Leafs Trois-Rivieres Draveurs (QMJHL) 48 Jamie McLennan (G) New York Islanders Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) 49 Dmitri Filimonov (D) Winnipeg Jets Dynamo Moscow (USSR) 50 Yanick Dupre (LW) Philadelphia Flyers Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) 51 Sean Pronger (C) Vancouver Canucks Bowling Green State University (CCHA) 52 Sandy McCarthy (RW) Calgary Flames (from Minnesota)1 Laval Titan (QMJHL) 53 Todd Hall (D) Hartford Whalers Hamden High School (USHS–CT) 54 Chris Osgood (G) Detroit Red Wings Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) 55 Fredrik Bremberg (RW) New Jersey Devils Djurgardens IF (Sweden) 56 George Breen (RW) Edmonton Oilers Cushing Academy (USHS–MA) 57 Jason Young (LW) Buffalo Sabres Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 58 Steve Konowalchuk (LW) Washington Capitals Portland Winter Hawks (WHL) 59 Michael Nylander (C) Hartford Whalers (from the Rangers)2 Huddinge IK (Sweden) 60 Shane Peacock (D) Pittsburgh Penguins Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) 61 Yves Sarault (LW) Montreal Canadiens Saint-Jean Lynx (QMJHL) 62 Marcel Cousineau (G) Boston Bruins Beauport Harfangs (QMJHL) 63 Brian Caruso (LW) Calgary Flames University of Minnesota Duluth (WCHA) 64 Kyle Reeves (RW) St. Louis Blues (from Los Angeles)3 Tri-City Americans (WHL) 65 Nathan LaFayette (C) St. Louis Blues (from St. Louis via Montreal)4 Cornwall Royals (OHL) 66 Bobby House (RW) Chicago Blackhawks Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) Reference: Minnesota's third-round pick went to Calgary as the result of a trade on March 5, 1991, that sent Marc Bureau to Minnesota in exchange for this pick. The Rangers' third-round pick went to Hartford as the result of a trade on July 7, 1990, that sent Jody Hull to the Rangers in exchange for Carey Wilson and this pick. Los Angeles' third-round pick went to St. Louis as the result of a trade on November 10, 1989, that sent Brian Benning to Los Angeles in exchange for this pick. St. Louis' third-round pick was re-acquired as the result of a trade on December 12, 1989, that sent Todd Ewen to Montreal in exchange for future considerations (this pick). Montreal previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade with St. Louis on January 16, 1989, that sent that sent Mike Lalor and Montreal's 1st-rd pick in the 1990 entry draft in exchange for St. Louis' 1st-rd pick - 1990 entry draft and this pick.
Round four # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 67 Kerry Toporowski (D) San Jose Sharks Spokane Chiefs (WHL) 68 Dave Karpa (D) Quebec Nordiques Ferris State University (NCAA) 69 Terry Chitaroni (C) Toronto Maple Leafs Trois-Rivieres Draveurs (QMJHL) 70 Milan Hnilicka (G) New York Islanders Poldi SONP Kladno (Czechoslovakia) 71 Igor Kravchuk (D) Chicago Blackhawks (from Winnipeg)1 CSKA Moscow (USSR) 72 Peter Ambroziak (LW) Buffalo Sabres (from Philadelphia)2 Ottawa 67's (OHL) 73 Vladimir Vujtek (LW) Montreal Canadiens (from Vancouver)3 Tri-City Americans (WHL) 74 Mike Torchia (G) Minnesota North Stars Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 75 Jim Storm (LW) Hartford Whalers Michigan Technological University (WCHA) 76 Mike Knuble (RW) Detroit Red Wings Kalamazoo Wings (IHL) 77 Brad Willner (D) New Jersey Devils Richfield High School (USHS–MN) 78 Mario Nobili (LW) Edmonton Oilers Longueuil College Francais (QPJHL) 79 Keith Redmond (LW) Los Angeles Kings (from Buffalo)4 Bowling Green University (CCHA) 80 Justin Morrison (C) Washington Capitals Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) 81 Alexei Zhitnik (D) Los Angeles Kings (from the Rangers via Minnesota)5 Sokil Kyiv (USSR) 82 Joe Tamminen (C) Pittsburgh Penguins Virginia High School (USHS–MN) 83 Sylvain LaPointe (D) Montreal Canadiens Clarkson University (ECAC) 84 Brad Tiley (D) Boston Bruins Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) 85 Steve Magnusson (C) Calgary Flames Anoka High School (USHS–MN) 86 Aris Brimanis (D) Philadelphia Flyers (from Los Angeles)6 Bowling Green University (CCHA) 87 Grayden Reid (C) St. Louis Blues Owen Sound Platers (OHL) 88 Zac Boyer (RW) Chicago Blackhawks Kamloops Blazers (WHL) Reference: Winnipeg's fourth-round pick went to Chicago as the result of a trade on December 14, 1990, that sent Mike Eagles to Winnipeg in exchange for this pick. Philadelphia's fourth-round pick went to Buffalo as the result of a trade on March 5, 1990, that sent Kevin Maguire and Buffalo's second-round pick in the 1990 entry draft to Philadelphia in exchange for Jay Wells and this pick. Vancouver's fourth-round pick went to Montreal as the result of a trade on January 12, 1990, that sent Gerald Diduck to Vancouver in exchange for this pick. Buffalo's fourth-round pick went to Los Angeles as the result of a trade on October 4, 1989, that sent Dean Kennedy to Buffalo in exchange for this pick. Minnesota's fourth-round pick went to Los Angeles as the result of a trade on June 22, 1991, that sent Todd Elik to Minnesota in exchange for Randy Gilhen, Charlie Huddy, Jim Thomson and this pick. Minnesota previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on March 6, 1990, that sent Mike Gartner to the Rangers in exchange for Ulf Dahlen, the Rangers' fourth-round pick in the 1990 entry draft and future considerations (this pick).