2004 NHL entry draft
player selection draft
The 2004 NHL entry draft was the 42nd draft for the National Hockey League. It was held on June 26 and 27, 2004 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is especially notable because it was the last NHL event to take place before the beginning of the 2004–05 NHL lockout, which canceled all the games scheduled for that season.
As of 2026, the remaining active players in the NHL from this draft are Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin.
Final central scouting rankings
Skaters
Goaltenders
Selections by round
Round one
The Columbus Blue Jackets' first-round pick went to the Carolina Hurricanes as the result of a trade on June 26, 2004 that sent Carolina's first-round pick in 2004 (8th overall) and Toronto's second-round pick in 2004 (59th overall) to Columbus in exchange for this pick.
The Carolina Hurricanes' first-round pick went to the Columbus Blue Jackets as the result of a trade on June 26, 2004 that sent Columbus' first-round pick in 2004 (4th overall) to Carolina in exchange for Toronto's second-round pick in 2004 (59th overall) and this pick.
The Calgary Flames' first-round pick went to the New York Rangers as the result of a trade on June 25, 2004 that sent Toronto's first-round pick in 2004 (24th overall) and New York's compensatory second-round pick in 2004 (46th overall) to Calgary in exchange for Calgary's eighth-round pick in 2004 (247th overall) and this pick.
The Dallas Stars' first-round pick went to the New Jersey Devils as the result of a trade on June 26, 2004 that sent New Jersey's first-round pick in 2004 (22nd overall) and their third-round pick in 2004 (88th overall) to Dallas in exchange for this pick.
The New Jersey Devils' first-round pick went to the San Jose Sharks as the result of a trade on June 26, 2004 that sent San Jose's first-round pick in 2004 (28th overall) and San Jose's compensatory second-round and third-round picks in 2004 (52nd and 91st overall) to Dallas in exchange for Dallas' fifth-round pick in 2004 (153rd overall) and this pick.
Dallas previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on June 26, 2004 that sent Dallas' first-round pick in 2004 (20th overall) to New Jersey in exchange for New Jersey's third-round pick in 2004 (88th overall) and this pick.
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