The U.S.'s Auston Matthews (left), Toronto's #1 overall pick in 2016, won Olympic gold in 2026, while Canada's Connor McDavid (right), Edmonton's #1 overall pick in 2015, became the second top pick to win the Olympic scoring title.
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / ANDRE RINGUETTE
If all goes according to plan for Gavin McKenna, he won’t just be helping the Toronto Maple Leafs to win their first Stanley Cup since 1967.
The number one overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft would also love to suit up for Canada and win an Olympic gold medal at the 2030 Winter Games in France. For McKenna to achieve that ultimate IIHF dream would place him in very select company.
As fans and media sit back and analyze the long-term implications of June’s draft, it is fascinating to take stock of how first-overall NHL draft picks have fared both in Olympic and IIHF World Championship competition.
To date, only 14 #1 picks have won an Olympic gold medal: nine Canadians, two Americans, one Czech, one Swede, and one Russian.
The first #1 to achieve this feat, fittingly, was Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh, 1984). “Super Mario,” one of hockey history’s all-time greats, captained Canada to its first Olympic title in 50 years at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. He had six points in five games in his lone Olympics.
The most recent addition to this exclusive club? Jack Hughes (New Jersey, 2019). Known as a playmaking centre, he scored the thrilling overtime winner at the 2026 Milan Olympics when the U.S. defeated Canada 2-1 for its first Winter Games gold since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” in Lake Placid.
Mats Sundin (Quebec, 1989) was the first European #1 to earn Olympic gold. He retired as the all-time Toronto Maple Leafs leading scorer with 987 points and just returned to the club as a senior hockey operations advisor.
The number one overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft would also love to suit up for Canada and win an Olympic gold medal at the 2030 Winter Games in France. For McKenna to achieve that ultimate IIHF dream would place him in very select company.
As fans and media sit back and analyze the long-term implications of June’s draft, it is fascinating to take stock of how first-overall NHL draft picks have fared both in Olympic and IIHF World Championship competition.
To date, only 14 #1 picks have won an Olympic gold medal: nine Canadians, two Americans, one Czech, one Swede, and one Russian.
The first #1 to achieve this feat, fittingly, was Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh, 1984). “Super Mario,” one of hockey history’s all-time greats, captained Canada to its first Olympic title in 50 years at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. He had six points in five games in his lone Olympics.
The most recent addition to this exclusive club? Jack Hughes (New Jersey, 2019). Known as a playmaking centre, he scored the thrilling overtime winner at the 2026 Milan Olympics when the U.S. defeated Canada 2-1 for its first Winter Games gold since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” in Lake Placid.
Mats Sundin (Quebec, 1989) was the first European #1 to earn Olympic gold. He retired as the all-time Toronto Maple Leafs leading scorer with 987 points and just returned to the club as a senior hockey operations advisor.
Sweden's Mats Sundin became a member of the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2013.
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / RICHARD WOLOWICZ
This Swedish hero assisted on Nicklas Lidstrom’s early third-period winner against Finland in the gold medal game at the 2006 Olympics. Sundin is also the only #1 pick inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame (2013) so far.
The only two number one picks ever to lead the Olympics in scoring are Sundin (2002, 9 points in four games) and Connor McDavid (2026, 13 points in six games).
Only two number one picks have managed to win two Olympic gold medals. Unsurprisingly, the legendary Canadian Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh, 2005), who got the golden goal against the Americans in Vancouver in 2010, is one of them. Power forward Rick Nash (Columbus, 2002) joined Crosby on Canada’s victorious squads in 2010 and at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Crosby’s longtime teammate Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh, 2005) remains the only netminder chosen first overall to own an Olympic gold medal. Fleury, though, did not play a game in Vancouver 2010, serving as Canada’s third goalie behind Roberto Luongo and Martin Brodeur.
Importantly, Crosby is also the only member of the Triple Gold Club in this entire group of #1’s. That IIHF-created designation is reserved for players who have won the Olympics, an IIHF World Championship and a Stanley Cup.
The only two number one picks ever to lead the Olympics in scoring are Sundin (2002, 9 points in four games) and Connor McDavid (2026, 13 points in six games).
Only two number one picks have managed to win two Olympic gold medals. Unsurprisingly, the legendary Canadian Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh, 2005), who got the golden goal against the Americans in Vancouver in 2010, is one of them. Power forward Rick Nash (Columbus, 2002) joined Crosby on Canada’s victorious squads in 2010 and at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Crosby’s longtime teammate Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh, 2005) remains the only netminder chosen first overall to own an Olympic gold medal. Fleury, though, did not play a game in Vancouver 2010, serving as Canada’s third goalie behind Roberto Luongo and Martin Brodeur.
Importantly, Crosby is also the only member of the Triple Gold Club in this entire group of #1’s. That IIHF-created designation is reserved for players who have won the Olympics, an IIHF World Championship and a Stanley Cup.
Sidney Crosby joined the IIHF's Triple Gold Club at the 2015 IIHF World Championship.
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / RICHARD WOLOWICZ
It is remarkable that more number one picks have won Olympic gold than have won an IIHF World Championship (eight). The NHL first began sending players to the Men’s Worlds in 1977, whereas the first of six NHL Olympic participations to date was in 1998. And of course, the WM is an annual rather than quadrennial tournament.
The list of World Championship gold medalists who were drafted first overall includes six Canadians, a Russian, and a Swede.
Sundin leads all #1 overall picks in this category with three WM titles (1991, 1992, 1998). Ilya Kovalchuk (Atlanta, 2001) won gold twice with the Russians (2008, 2009) and Taylor Hall (Edmonton, 2010) twice with the Canadians (2015, 2016). The only #1 overall pick to win a World Championship in his draft year before actually being drafted is Canada’s Owen Power (Buffalo, 2021).
In addition, Sundin is the only #1 pick to top the Worlds scoring race twice, in 1991 (12 points) and 1998 (11 points). The others are Crosby in 2006 (16 points), Kovalchuk in 2010 (12 points), and the U.S.’s Patrick Kane (20 points).
Gavin McKenna has plenty of work ahead in both NHL and IIHF competition. But he’s also got a ton of inspiration from the greats who came before him. Here is a summary of their IIHF feats.
#1 Overall NHL Draft Picks Who Won Olympic Gold
Players are listed chronologically by draft year alongside the NHL club that picked them. Their nationalities are also specified, as well as the years in which they won Olympic gold.
Mario Lemieux, CAN (Pittsburgh, 1984) – 2002 OG
Mats Sundin, SWE (Quebec, 1989) – 2006 OG
Owen Nolan, CAN (Quebec, 1990) – 2002 OG
Eric Lindros, CAN (Quebec, 1991) – 2002 OG
Roman Hamrlik, CZE (Tampa Bay, 1992) – 1998 OG
Ed Jovanovski, CAN (Florida, 1994) – 2002 OG
Joe Thornton, CAN (Boston, 1997) – 2010 OG
Ilya Kovalchuk, RUS (Atlanta, 2001) – 2018 OG
Rick Nash, CAN (Columbus, 2002) – 2010, 2014 OG
Marc-Andre Fleury, CAN (Pittsburgh, 2003) – 2010 OG
Sidney Crosby, CAN (Pittsburgh, 2005) – 2010, 2014 OG
John Tavares, CAN (NY Islanders, 2009) – 2014 OG
Auston Matthews, USA (Toronto, 2016) – 2026 OG
Jack Hughes, USA (New Jersey, 2019) – 2026 OG
#1 Overall NHL Draft Picks Who Won IIHF World Championship Gold
Players are listed chronologically by draft year alongside the NHL club that picked them. Their nationalities are also specified, as well as the years in which they won World Championship gold.
Mats Sundin, SWE (Quebec, 1989) – 1991, 1992, 1998 WM
Owen Nolan, CAN (Quebec, 1990) – 1997 WM
Ilya Kovalchuk, RUS (Atlanta, 2001) – 2008, 2009 WM
Taylor Hall, CAN (Edmonton, 2010) – 2015, 2016 WM
Nathan MacKinnon, CAN (Colorado, 2013) – 2015 WM
Aaron Ekblad, CAN (Florida, 2014) – 2015 WM
Connor McDavid, CAN (Edmonton, 2015) – 2016 WM
Owen Power, CAN (Buffalo, 2021) – 2021 WM
The list of World Championship gold medalists who were drafted first overall includes six Canadians, a Russian, and a Swede.
Sundin leads all #1 overall picks in this category with three WM titles (1991, 1992, 1998). Ilya Kovalchuk (Atlanta, 2001) won gold twice with the Russians (2008, 2009) and Taylor Hall (Edmonton, 2010) twice with the Canadians (2015, 2016). The only #1 overall pick to win a World Championship in his draft year before actually being drafted is Canada’s Owen Power (Buffalo, 2021).
In addition, Sundin is the only #1 pick to top the Worlds scoring race twice, in 1991 (12 points) and 1998 (11 points). The others are Crosby in 2006 (16 points), Kovalchuk in 2010 (12 points), and the U.S.’s Patrick Kane (20 points).
Gavin McKenna has plenty of work ahead in both NHL and IIHF competition. But he’s also got a ton of inspiration from the greats who came before him. Here is a summary of their IIHF feats.
#1 Overall NHL Draft Picks Who Won Olympic Gold
Players are listed chronologically by draft year alongside the NHL club that picked them. Their nationalities are also specified, as well as the years in which they won Olympic gold.
Mario Lemieux, CAN (Pittsburgh, 1984) – 2002 OG
Mats Sundin, SWE (Quebec, 1989) – 2006 OG
Owen Nolan, CAN (Quebec, 1990) – 2002 OG
Eric Lindros, CAN (Quebec, 1991) – 2002 OG
Roman Hamrlik, CZE (Tampa Bay, 1992) – 1998 OG
Ed Jovanovski, CAN (Florida, 1994) – 2002 OG
Joe Thornton, CAN (Boston, 1997) – 2010 OG
Ilya Kovalchuk, RUS (Atlanta, 2001) – 2018 OG
Rick Nash, CAN (Columbus, 2002) – 2010, 2014 OG
Marc-Andre Fleury, CAN (Pittsburgh, 2003) – 2010 OG
Sidney Crosby, CAN (Pittsburgh, 2005) – 2010, 2014 OG
John Tavares, CAN (NY Islanders, 2009) – 2014 OG
Auston Matthews, USA (Toronto, 2016) – 2026 OG
Jack Hughes, USA (New Jersey, 2019) – 2026 OG
#1 Overall NHL Draft Picks Who Won IIHF World Championship Gold
Players are listed chronologically by draft year alongside the NHL club that picked them. Their nationalities are also specified, as well as the years in which they won World Championship gold.
Mats Sundin, SWE (Quebec, 1989) – 1991, 1992, 1998 WM
Owen Nolan, CAN (Quebec, 1990) – 1997 WM
Ilya Kovalchuk, RUS (Atlanta, 2001) – 2008, 2009 WM
Taylor Hall, CAN (Edmonton, 2010) – 2015, 2016 WM
Nathan MacKinnon, CAN (Colorado, 2013) – 2015 WM
Aaron Ekblad, CAN (Florida, 2014) – 2015 WM
Connor McDavid, CAN (Edmonton, 2015) – 2016 WM
Owen Power, CAN (Buffalo, 2021) – 2021 WM