The NHL draft 1998 featured Vincent Lecavalier going first overall but it is best known for the Detroit Red Wings drafting Pavel Datsyuk in the sixth round at #171 overall.
Other featured draft picks in the 1998 entry draft are Brad Richards being drafted in the third round at #64 overall and the Montreal Canadiens drafting Andrei Markov in the sixth round at #162 overall.
NHL Draft 1998 Round 1 Results
| Pick | Player | Nationality | NHL team | College/junior/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vincent Lecavalier (C) |  Canada | Tampa Bay Lightning (from Florida via San Jose) | Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL) |
| 2 | David Legwand (C) |  United States | Nashville Predators (from Tampa Bay via San Jose) | Plymouth Whalers (OHL) |
| 3 | Brad Stuart (D) |  Canada | San Jose Sharks (from Nashville) | Regina Pats (WHL) |
| 4 | Bryan Allen (D) |  Canada | Vancouver Canucks | Oshawa Generals (OHL) |
| 5 | Vitali Vishnevski (D) |  Russia | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | Torpedo Yaroslavl (Russia) |
| 6 | Rico Fata (RW) |  Canada | Calgary Flames | London Knights (OHL) |
| 7 | Manny Malhotra (C) |  Canada | New York Rangers | Guelph Storm (OHL) |
| 8 | Mark Bell (C) |  Canada | Chicago Blackhawks (from Toronto) | Ottawa 67s (OHL) |
| 9 | Michael Rupp (LW) |  United States | New York Islanders | Erie Otters (OHL) |
| 10 | Nikolai Antropov (C) |  Kazakhstan | Toronto Maple Leafs (from Chicago) | Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan) |
| 11 | Jeff Heerema (RW) |  Canada | Carolina Hurricanes | Sarnia Sting (OHL) |
| 12 | Alex Tanguay (C) |  Canada | Colorado Avalanche (from San Jose) | Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) |
| 13 | Michael Henrich (RW) |  Canada | Edmonton Oilers | Barrie Colts (OHL) |
| 14 | Patrick DesRochers (G) |  Canada | Phoenix Coyotes | Sarnia Sting (OHL) |
| 15 | Mathieu Chouinard (G) |  Canada | Ottawa Senators | Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) |
| 16 | Eric Chouinard (C) |  Canada | Montreal Canadiens | Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) |
| 17 | Martin Skoula (D) |  Czech Republic | Colorado Avalanche (from Los Angeles) | Barrie Colts (OHL) |
| 18 | Dmitri Kalinin (D) |  Russia | Buffalo Sabres | Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia) |
| 19 | Robyn Regehr (D) |  Canada | Colorado Avalanche (from Boston) | Kamloops Blazers (WHL) |
| 20 | Scott Parker (RW) |  United States | Colorado Avalanche (from Washington) | Kelowna Rockets (WHL) |
| 21 | Mathieu Biron (D) |  Canada | Los Angeles Kings (from Colorado) | Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) |
| 22 | Simon Gagne (C) |  Canada | Philadelphia Flyers (from Philadelphia via Tampa Bay) | Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) |
| 23 | Milan Kraft (RW) |  Czech Republic | Pittsburgh Penguins | Keramika Plzen (Czech Republic) |
| 24 | Christian Backman (D) |  Sweden | St. Louis Blues | Vastra Frolunda HC (Sweden) |
| 25 | Jiri Fischer (D) |  Czech Republic | Detroit Red Wings | Hull Olympiques (QMJHL) |
| 26 | Mike Van Ryn (D) |  Canada | New Jersey Devils | University of Michigan (CCHA) |
| 27 | Scott Gomez (C) |  United States | New Jersey Devils (from Dallas) | Tri-City Americans (WHL) |