1997 NHL Draft
Joe Thornton in the 1997 NHL Draft
Boston Bruins selected Joe Thornton first overall in the 1997 NHL Draft.
It was the first of the 12 picks Boston Bruins made in the draft. Of the 246 players selected in 1997, 101 have played in the NHL regular season. Only one of them has played more games than his 1714, and none has scored more points than his 1539.
- Overall pick
- 1
- Round and pick
- Round 1, pick 1
- Drafting team
- BOSBoston Bruins
- Date
- Age at the draft
- 17 years
The picks around it
Picks 1–4 in the 1997 draft
- 1Joe ThorntonC1714 GP · 1539 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 2Patrick MarleauC1779 GP · 1197 PSJSSan Jose Sharks
- 3Olli JokinenC1231 GP · 750 PLAKLos Angeles Kings
- 4Roberto LuongoG1044 GP · 489 WNYINew York Islanders
Games and points are NHL regular season to date.
Place in the draft class
Where he came in the 1997 class
1st
of 246 players selected
1st
of 136 forwards selected
Counted in draft order across the whole draft. The position is the one listed at the draft.
First off the board
- 1Joe ThorntonC1714 GP · 1539 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 2Patrick MarleauC1779 GP · 1197 PSJSSan Jose Sharks
- 3Olli JokinenC1231 GP · 750 PLAKLos Angeles Kings
- 4Roberto LuongoG1044 GP · 489 WNYINew York Islanders
- 5Eric BrewerD1009 GP · 271 PNYINew York Islanders
- 6Daniel TkaczukC19 GP · 11 PCGYCalgary Flames
- 7Paul MaraD734 GP · 253 PTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 8Sergei SamsonovL888 GP · 571 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 9Nick BoyntonD605 GP · 144 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 10Brad FerenceD250 GP · 34 PVANVancouver Canucks
+ 236 more
After the draft
The road to the NHL
Joe Thornton made his NHL debut on October 8, 1997, 109 days after the draft.
1714
Games
430
Goals
1109
Assists
1539
Points
NHL regular season to date.
The team's draft
Boston Bruins picks in the 1997 draft
- 1Joe ThorntonC1714 GP · 1539 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 8Sergei SamsonovL888 GP · 571 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 27Ben ClymerR438 GP · 129 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 54Mattias KarlinCBOSBoston Bruins
- 63Lee GorenR67 GP · 9 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 81Karol BartanusRBOSBoston Bruins
- 135Denis TimofeevDBOSBoston Bruins
- 162Joel TrottierRBOSBoston Bruins
- 180Jim BaxterDBOSBoston Bruins
- 191Antti LaaksonenL483 GP · 168 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 218Eric Van AckerDBOSBoston Bruins
- 246Jay HendersonL33 GP · 4 PBOSBoston Bruins