The 2005 NHL Draft, known as the "Crosby Sweepstakes," saw Sidney Crosby go #1 to Pittsburgh. The round was stacked with Carey Price (#5), Anze Kopitar (#11), and Tuukka Rask (#21). Bobby Ryan (#2) and Jack Johnson (#3) were also top picks. The draft’s depth was exceptional, featuring Kris Letang (62nd), Jonathan Quick (72nd), and Ben Bishop (85th). Overall, 2005 saved the league post-lockout. It provided the NHL with its new face in Crosby and a cohort of elite goaltenders and defensemen who would dominate the league's awards and championships for the next fifteen years.
Career earnings of players picked in the first round of the 2005 NHL entry draft:
| Player | Pos. | Pick # | Drafted by | Career Earnings |
Rank | Career Earnings In today's $ |
Rank |
| Sidney Crosby | C | 1 | Pittsburgh Penguins | $165,670,244 | 3 | $221,532,291 | 3 |
| Bobby Ryan | RW | 2 | Anaheim Ducks | $61,558,598 | 179 | $83,132,946 | 190 |
| Jack Johnson | D | 3 | Carolina Hurricanes | $54,248,780 | 245 | $70,729,823 | 268 |
| Benoit Pouliot | LW | 4 | Minnesota Wild | $17,606,909 | 944 | $24,312,129 | 987 |
| Carey Price | G | 5 | Montreal Canadiens | $128,769,512 | 10 | $160,147,022 | 17 |
| Gilbert Brule | C | 6 | Columbus Blue Jackets | $7,050,000 | 1660 | $10,669,985 | 1659 |
| Jack Skille | RW | 7 | Chicago Blackhawks | $5,557,927 | 1863 | $7,832,059 | 1957 |
| Devin Setoguchi | RW | 8 | San Jose Sharks | $13,346,098 | 1141 | $19,098,495 | 1164 |
| Brian Lee | D | 9 | Ottawa Senators | $3,050,000 | 2471 | $4,343,291 | 2612 |
| Anze Kopitar | C | 11 | Los Angeles Kings | $141,369,878 | 5 | $181,220,029 | 7 |
| Marc Staal | D | 12 | New York Rangers | $58,739,756 | 208 | $78,413,849 | 213 |
| Martin Hanzal | C | 17 | Phoenix Coyotes | $34,863,415 | 519 | $47,202,703 | 509 |
| Ryan Parent | D | 18 | Nashville Predators | $1,615,000 | 3251 | $2,421,681 | 3388 |
| Jakub Kindl | D | 19 | Detroit Red Wings | $11,814,634 | 1237 | $16,234,461 | 1296 |
| Tuukka Rask | G | 21 | Toronto Maple Leafs | $63,643,780 | 169 | $84,938,866 | 180 |
| Matt Lashoff | D | 22 | Boston Bruins | $575,000 | 4503 | $849,869 | 4754 |
| Niclas Bergfors | F | 23 | New Jersey Devils | $1,400,000 | 3442 | $2,081,372 | 3562 |
| T.J. Oshie | C | 24 | St. Louis Blues | $70,375,610 | 125 | $89,201,475 | 158 |
| Andrew Cogliano | C | 25 | Edmonton Oilers | $34,570,610 | 523 | $45,929,769 | 529 |
| Matt Pelech | D | 26 | Calgary Flames | $338,049 | 5064 | $474,555 | 5488 |
| Joe Finley | D | 27 | Washington Capitals | $307,317 | 5137 | $431,414 | 5584 |
| Matt Niskanen | D | 28 | Dallas Stars | $43,254,268 | 378 | $58,166,474 | 371 |
| Steve Downie | RW | 29 | Philadelphia Flyers | $11,292,683 | 1267 | $15,925,323 | 1307 |