The 2024 NHL Entry Draft will be the 62nd in the sport's history and is expected to be held in June 2024.

What	2024 NHL Draft
When	June 2024 (exact date TBD)
Where	TBD

Who have been the recent #1 overall picks?

Until we know who will have the #1 pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, let's take a look back at the most recent top selections.

2023	Connor Bedard (Chicago Blackhawks)
2022	Juraj Slafkovsky (Montreal Canadiens)
2021	Owen Power (Buffalo Sabres)
2020	Alexis Lafreniere (New York Rangers)
2019	Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils)
2018	Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres)
2017	Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils)
2016	Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs)
2015	Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
2014	Aaron Ekblad (Florida Panthers)
2013	Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)

How the NHL Draft order is determined

We won't know the exact order until the 2024 Draft Lottery takes place, but we know how sections of the order are broken down.

The first 16 selections will comprise the teams that did not make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It is their order that is determined through the 2024 Draft Lottery.

Following those teams are the 12 sides that lost in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, bringing us to pick #28.

Then, the teams that lost in the Conference Finals will have picks #29 and #30. Finally, the runner-up will have pick #31 with the Stanley Cup Champion having the final #32 selection.

Of course, there are trades to be considered in terms of those from the past that had future considerations for the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft or ones that are yet to come.

The NHL Draft provides future stars

We outlined some of the most recent #1 picks, but that certainly doesn't cover the amazing talent we've seen come from the NHL Draft.

Some other notable #1 selections include Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, and that's just within the last 20 years.

The NHL Draft also has plenty of depth, as we've seen some incredible superstars picked much further down the line than #1 overall.

Some of which include the all-time great goaltender Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers (205th overall), current Dallas Star Joe Pavelski (205th overall), Vezina Trophy-winner Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators (258th overall) and captain of the 2023 Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights, Mark Stone (178th overall).

Players eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft

Players born between January 1st, 2004 and September 15th, 2006 are eligible for selection in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Additionally, un-drafted, non-North American players born in 2003 are eligible for the draft; and those players who were drafted in 2022, but not signed by an NHL team and who were born after June 30th, 2004, are also eligible to re-enter.

NHL Central Scouting top picks for the 2024 draft

At this point we don't have a talent with the same type of hype as Connor Bedard, but that just makes speculating even more interesting.

As we look ahead to the 2024 NHL Draft, we still have some top prospects worth noting.

The first of which is left winger Cole Eiserman, who most recently played for the USNTDP Juniors. He brings a left-handed shot, which is unique in itself, with decent size at 5-foot-11 and just under 200 pounds.

Thanks to a whopping 154 points in 50 games, he's drawing comparisons to Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews for record performances.

We may see another Aaron Ekblad off the board #1 at the 2024 NHL Draft in terms of defenseman with Aron Kiviharju.

Like many others, he hails from Denmark and played in the Finnish Elite League. He was just 16 years old when he made his debut, and although he was selected in the 2022 USHL Futures Draft, he will still be eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft.

Trading for picks in the NHL Draft

Teams can and often trade for picks in the draft to get more selections and move up and down in the order of picks.

Following the 2023 NHL Draft and prior to the start of free agency on July 1st, 2023, no first-round picks for 2024 have traded hands.

However, 11 second-round picks, 13 third-round picks, seven fourth-round picks, seven fifth-round picks, three sixth-round picks and eight seventh-round picks have already been moved.

There is still plenty more to come as we eagerly approach the 2024 NHL Draft.