1978 NHL Draft
Ryan Walter in the 1978 NHL Draft
Washington Capitals selected Ryan Walter 2nd overall in the 1978 NHL Draft.
It was the first of the 19 picks Washington Capitals made in the draft. Of the 234 players selected in 1978, 95 have played in the NHL regular season. Only 4 of them have played more games than his 1003, and only 4 have scored more points than his 646.
- Overall pick
- 2
- Round and pick
- Round 1, pick 2
- Drafting team
- WSHWashington Capitals
- Date
- Age at the draft
- 20 years
The picks around it
Picks 1–5 in the 1978 draft
- 1Bobby SmithC1077 GP · 1036 PMNSMinnesota North Stars
- 2Ryan WalterC1003 GP · 646 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 3Wayne BabychR519 GP · 438 PSTLSt. Louis Blues
- 4Bill DerlagoC555 GP · 416 PVANVancouver Canucks
- 5Mike GillisL246 GP · 76 PCLRColorado Rockies
Games and points are NHL regular season to date.
Place in the draft class
Where he came in the 1978 class
2nd
of 234 players selected
2nd
of 146 forwards selected
Counted in draft order across the whole draft. The position is the one listed at the draft.
First off the board
- 1Bobby SmithC1077 GP · 1036 PMNSMinnesota North Stars
- 2Ryan WalterC1003 GP · 646 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 3Wayne BabychR519 GP · 438 PSTLSt. Louis Blues
- 4Bill DerlagoC555 GP · 416 PVANVancouver Canucks
- 5Mike GillisL246 GP · 76 PCLRColorado Rockies
- 6Behn WilsonD601 GP · 359 PPHIPhiladelphia Flyers
- 7Ken LinsemanC860 GP · 807 PPHIPhiladelphia Flyers
- 8Danny GeoffrionR111 GP · 52 PMTLMontréal Canadiens
- 9Willie HuberD655 GP · 321 PDETDetroit Red Wings
- 10Tim HigginsR706 GP · 352 PCHIChicago Blackhawks
+ 224 more
After the draft
The road to the NHL
Ryan Walter made his NHL debut on October 25, 1978, 132 days after the draft.
1003
Games
264
Goals
382
Assists
646
Points
NHL regular season to date.
The team's draft
Washington Capitals picks in the 1978 draft
- 2Ryan WalterC1003 GP · 646 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 18Tim CoulisL47 GP · 9 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 20Paul MulveyL225 GP · 81 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 23Paul MacKinnonD147 GP · 28 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 38Glen CurrieC326 GP · 118 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 45Jay JohnstonD8 GP · 0 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 55Bengt-Åke GustafssonL629 GP · 554 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 71Lou FranceschettiL459 GP · 140 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 88Vincent MagnanLWSHWashington Capitals
- 105Mats HallinC152 GP · 31 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 122Richard SiroisGWSHWashington Capitals
- 139Denis PomerleauRWSHWashington Capitals
- 156Barry HeardGWSHWashington Capitals
- 172Mark ToffoloDWSHWashington Capitals
- 187Paul HoganLWSHWashington Capitals
- 189Steve BargerRWSHWashington Capitals
- 202Rod PacholzukDWSHWashington Capitals
- 213Wes JarvisC237 GP · 86 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 215Ray IrwinDWSHWashington Capitals