1998 NHL Entry Draft
The NHL Entry Draft in 1998, the annual talent contraction of the National Hockey League, was held on 27 June 1998 in Marine Midland Arena in the U.S. instead of Buffalo in New York State.
A total of 258 players were taken in nine rounds. The draft year in which the top pick Vincent Lecavalier also developed into one of the most successful players, was one of the better 1990s. Other available talents were Alex Tanguay and Scott Gomez. Only one player, who was elected in the first round, came to no NHL game. The Tampa Bay Lightning picked up next to Lecavalier in the third round with Brad Richards another player who was part of the backbone of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2004. At position 171, a player was pulled with Pavel Datsyuk, who was for two years in the offer and should advance to become one of the best two-way forwards of the league later.