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.
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
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
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
Ottawa's third-round pick went to Boston as the result of a trade on June 22, 1996 that sent Shawn McEachern to Boston in exchange for Trent McCleary and this pick.
Buffalo acquired this pick as compensation on September 8, 1995 after St. Louis signed free agent Dale Hawerchuk.
Dallas's third-round pick went to Washington as the result of a trade on June 22, 1996 that sent a third-round pick (# 70 overall) and a fourth-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft to Dallas in exchange for this pick.
Buffalo's third-round pick went to Florida as the result of a trade on February 1, 1996 that sent Bob Boughner to Buffalo in exchange for this pick.
Anaheim's third-round pick went to Phoenix as the result of a trade on February 7, 1996 that sent Teemu Selanne, Marc Chouinard and a third-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft to Anaheim in exchange for Chad Kilger, Oleg Tverdovsky and this pick. Winnipeg relocated to Phoenix after the 1995–96 NHL season.
Phoenix's third-round pick went to Philadelphia as the result of a trade on February 27, 1996 that sent Dominic Roussel to Winnipeg in exchange for Tim Cheveldae and this pick. Winnipeg relocated to Phoenix after the 1995–96 NHL season.
Vancouver's third-round pick went to Florida as the result of a trade on March 20, 1996 that sent Jesse Belanger to Vancouver in exchange for this pick.
Calgary's third-round pick went to Toronto as the result of a trade on June 22, 1996 that sent Dave Gagner to Calgary in exchange for this pick.
Washington's third-round pick went to Dallas as the result of a trade on June 22, 1996 that sent a third-round pick (# 58 overall) in the 1996 Entry Draft to Washington in exchange for fourth-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft and this pick.
Boston's third-round pick went to Pittsburgh as the result of a trade on August 1, 1995 that sent Kevin Stevens and Shawn McEachern to Boston in exchange for Glen Murray, Bryan Smolinski and this pick.
Florida's third-round pick went to Calgary as the result of a trade on September 29, 1994 that sent Robert Svehla and Magnus Svensson to Philadelphia in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 1997 entry draft and this pick.
Chicago's third-round pick went to Washington as the result of a trade on October 17, 1995 that sent the rights to Igor Ulanov to Chicago in exchange for this pick.
Vancouver acquired this pick as compensation on July 14, 1995 after St. Louis signed free agent Geoff Courtnall.
Colorado's third-round pick went to Washington as the result of a trade on July 12, 1995 that sent John Slaney to Colorado in exchange for this pick.
Colorado's previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on July 12, 1995 that sent Garth Snow to Philadelphia in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 1996 Entry Draft and this pick.
Tampa Bay's third-round pick went to Boston as the result of a trade on August 17, 1995 that sent David Shaw to Tampa Bay in exchange for this pick.
Tampa Bay previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on August 17, 1995 that sent Marc Bergevin and Ben Hankinson to Detroit in exchange for Shawn Burr and this pick.