The NHL Amateur Draft (now known as the NHL Entry Draft) was first held in 1963. From 1963 to 1968, NHL teams could sponsor a junior player, thus protecting him from the draft. In the four and a half decades since the first NHL Amateur Draft was held, only three goaltenders have been chosen first overall.

Michel Plasse became the first goaltender to be chosen first overall. The Montreal Canadiens selected Plasse in the 1968 Amateur Draft. Plasse backed up Ken Dryden with the Canadiens for two years and was used sparingly. He played ten seasons in total in the NHL with mostly expansion teams: St. Louis Blues, Kansas City Scouts, Pittsburgh Penguins, Colorado Rockies and Quebec Nordiques. Plasse is in the hockey history books as the first goaltender to score a goal. Michel accomplished the feat in 1971, while playing for the Kansas City Blues of the Central Hockey League.

It took until 2000 before another goalie went number one. Rick DiPietro was selected by the New York Islanders and remains with the team today. In 2006, DiPietro made news that rocked the hockey world when he signed a fifteen year deal with the Islanders. Injuries over the past two seasons have limited Rick to just thirteen games.

Marc-Andre Fleury, standout goalie for the Pittsburgh Penguins, was chosen first overall by Pittsburgh in 2003. Fleury has been the starting goaltender for the Penguins since the 2005-06 season. He was an integral part of the Penguins beating out the Detroit Red Wings to win the 2009 Stanley Cup.

Goalies are so scarce in the first round of the draft, that only six additional netminders have been selected in the top five since 1963. Of the six, three are currently playing in the NHL and are starting goaltenders for their teams. One of the six never played a game in the NHL.

Ray Martyniuk was selected fifth by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1970 draft. Martyniuk played professionally until the end of the 1978-79 season, but never in the NHL. He played for several teams in the CHL, AHL and IHL.

John Davidson, better known as a hockey television personality, was taken fifth overall by the St. Louis Blues in 1973. Davidson had an injury plagued NHL career from 1973-74 to 1982-83 with the Blues and the New York Rangers. Davidson was a huge reason why the Rangers made it to the Stanley Cup finals in 1979 before bowing out to the Montreal Canadiens.

Tom Barrasso was a fifth overall pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 1983. Barrasso had a very successful NHL career that spanned from 1983-84 to 2002-03. Although most of his success came with the Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins, Barrasso also tended net for the Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues. Barrasso is the all-time NHL leader for career points for a goalie with 48. He has won the Calder Trophy, Vezina Trophy, Jennings Trophy and Stanley Cup.

The New York Islanders selected Roberto Luongo fourth overall in the 1997 draft. The current star goalie for the Vancouver Canucks played one season with the Islanders before switching to the Florida Panthers. He came to Vancouver for the start of the 2006-07 season. Luongo already owns several NHL goaltending records including: most saves in a season, most shots faced in a season, most shots faced in a single playoff game, most home games played in a single season and most regular season career overtime wins.

Kari Lehtonen was taken second overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2002. Lehtonen played the bulk of games for the Thrashers from 2005-06 to 2008-09. He is currently having an exceptional season with the Dallas Stars.

Thirty-five years after taking Ray Martyniuk fifth overall, the Montreal Canadiens did it again in 2005 with Carey Price. Despite great numbers with the team since 2007-08, Price has been under constant scrutiny by the fans and media in Montreal. Price is putting up Vezina Trophy type numbers so far in the 2010-11 season and it seems to have hushed his critics for now.