The 2012 NHL entry draft was the 50th NHL entry draft. The draft was held June 22–23, 2012, at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the first time that Pittsburgh hosted the draft since the 1997 NHL entry draft. The top three picks were Nail Yakupov going to the Edmonton Oilers, Ryan Murray going to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Alex Galchenyuk going to the Montreal Canadiens.

Eligibility

Ice hockey players born between January 1, 1992, and September 15, 1994, were eligible for selection in the 2012 NHL entry draft. Additionally, un-drafted, non-North American players over the age of 20 are eligible for the draft; and those players who were drafted in the 2010 NHL entry draft, but not signed by an NHL team and who were born after June 24, 1992, were also eligible to re-enter the draft.

Draft lottery

The NHL draft lottery enables a team to move up to four spots ahead in the draft. Thus, only the bottom five teams were eligible to receive the number one draft pick. Beginning with the 2013 NHL entry draft all fourteen teams not qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs will have a "weighted" chance at winning the first overall selection. The Edmonton Oilers won the 2012 draft lottery that took place on April 10, 2012, thus moving them up from the second pick to the first pick.

Top prospects

Selections by round

Round one

Round two

Round three

Round four

Round five

Round six

Round seven

Draftees based on nationality

North American draftees by state/province