The 1997 NHL Entry Draft was the 35th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 21, 1997.
The last active player from the 1997 draft class was Joe Thornton, who retired in 2023.
Selections by round
Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.
Round one
Toronto's first-round pick went to the Islanders as the result of a trade on March 13, 1996 that sent Wendel Clark, Mathieu Schneider and D.J. Smith to Toronto in exchange for Sean Haggerty, Darby Hendrickson, Kenny Jonsson and this pick. Carolina's first-round pick went to Boston as the result of a trade on August 26, 1994 that sent Glen Wesley to Hartford in exchange for first-round picks of the 1995 Entry Draft and the 1996 Entry Draft along with this pick. Hartford relocated to Carolina after the 1996-97 NHL season. St. Louis' first-round pick went to Los Angeles as the result of a trade on February 27, 1996 that sent Wayne Gretzky to St. Louis in exchange for Craig Johnson, Patrice Tardif, Roman Vopat, a fifth-round pick of the 1996 Entry Draft and this pick. St. Louis' first-round pick was re-acquired as the result of a trade with Edmonton on August 4, 1995 that sent Curtis Joseph and the rights to Mike Grier to Edmonton in exchange a first-round pick in the 1997 Entry Draft and this pick. Edmonton previously acquired this pick and a first-round pick in the 1997 Entry Draft as compensation on July 28, 1995 after St. Louis signed free agent Shayne Corson. Detroit's first-round pick went to Hartford as the result of a trade on October 9, 1996 that sent Brian Glynn and Brendan Shanahan to Detroit in exchange for Paul Coffey, Keith Primeau and this pick. Hartford relocated to Raleigh to become the Carolina Hurricanes after the 1996–97 NHL season. Carolina's acquired first-round pick went to San Jose as the result of a trade on June 21, 1997 that sent a second-round in the 1997 Entry Draft and a third-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Carolina in exchange for this pick. Hartford's previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on December 15, 1996 that sent Paul Coffey and a third-round pick in the 1997 Entry Draft to Philadelphia in exchange for Kevin Haller, a seventh-round pick in the 1997 Entry Draft and this pick. Hartford relocated to Raleigh to become the Carolina Hurricanes after the 1996–97 NHL season.
Round two
Toronto's first-round pick went to Philadelphia as the result of a trade on August 30, 1995 that sent Dmitry Yushkevich and a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft to Toronto in exchange for a first-round and a fourth-round picks in the 1996 Entry Draft along with this pick. Carolina's second-round pick went to Vancouver as the result of a trade on December 19, 1995 that sent Jeff Brown and a third-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to Hartford in exchange for Jim Dowd, Frantisek Kucera and this pick. Hartford relocated to Raleigh to become the Carolina Hurricanes after the 1996–97 NHL season. St. Louis' second-round pick went to Calgary as the result of a trade on July 4, 1994 that sent Al MacInnis and a fourth-round pick in the 1997 Entry Draft to St. Louis in exchange for Phil Housley, a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft and this pick. Carolina's second-round pick went to Calgary as the result of a trade on March 5, 1997 that sent Steve Chiasson and a third-round pick in the 1997 Entry Draft to Hartford in exchange for Hnat Domenichelli, Glen Featherstone, a third-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft and this pick. Hartford relocated to Raleigh to become the Carolina Hurricanes after the 1996–97 NHL season. Hartford previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on December 19, 1995 that sent Jocelyn Lemieux and a second-round pick in the 1998 Entry Draft to New Jersey in exchange for Jim Dowd and this pick.