The 2018 NHL Draft saw Rasmus Dahlin go #1 as a "perfect" defensive prospect. The round also featured Andrei Svechnikov (#2) and Quinn Hughes (#7). High-octane wingers like Brady Tkachuk (#4) and Barrett Hayton (#5) rounded out the top end. K’Andre Miller (#22) and Evan Bouchard (#10) added to the defensive depth. Later, Joel Farabee (#14) and Philipp Kurashev (120th) emerged. Overall, 2018 was a massive win for mobile defensemen. It populated the league with blue-liners who act as primary playmakers, while also providing a wave of physically dominant forwards who fit the modern mold.
Career earnings of players picked in the first round of the 2018 NHL entry draft.
| Player | Pos. | Pick # | Drafted by | Career Earnings |
Rank | Career Earnings In today's $ |
Rank |
| Rasmus Dahlin | D | 1 | Buffalo Sabres | $45,775,000 | 340 | $48,810,618 | 489 |
| Andrei Svechnikov | RW | 2 | Carolina Hurricanes | $43,775,000 | 368 | $47,115,582 | 511 |
| Jesperi Kotkaniemi | C | 3 | Montreal Canadiens | $26,922,535 | 668 | $29,580,039 | 848 |
| Brady Tkachuk | LW | 4 | Ottawa Senators | $44,775,000 | 348 | $47,814,186 | 501 |
| Barrett Hayton | C | 5 | Arizona Coyotes | $10,607,500 | 1328 | $11,345,483 | 1604 |
| Filip Zadina | RW | 6 | Detroit Red Wings | $4,697,500 | 2042 | $5,479,231 | 2344 |
| Quinn Hughes | D | 7 | Vancouver Canucks | $42,450,000 | 385 | $45,566,496 | 539 |
| Adam Boqvist | D | 8 | Chicago Blackhawks | $9,974,166 | 1369 | $10,988,131 | 1629 |
| Vitali Kravtsov | RW | 9 | New York Rangers | $2,795,000 | 2568 | $3,303,795 | 2962 |
| Evan Bouchard | D | 10 | Edmonton Oilers | $22,390,000 | 796 | $23,178,790 | 1025 |
| Oliver Wahlstrom | RW | 11 | New York Islanders | $4,556,625 | 2067 | $5,120,782 | 2422 |
| Noah Dobson | D | 12 | New York Islanders | $26,682,500 | 674 | $28,053,377 | 884 |
| Ty Dellandrea | C | 13 | Dallas Stars | $4,332,500 | 2122 | $4,504,313 | 2575 |
| Joel Farabee | LW | 14 | Philadelphia Flyers | $20,682,500 | 844 | $21,987,504 | 1058 |
| Grigori Denisenko | LW | 15 | Florida Panthers | $3,400,000 | 2366 | $3,868,074 | 2750 |
| Martin Kaut | RW | 16 | Colorado Avalanche | $2,590,000 | 2671 | $3,072,889 | 3067 |
| Ty Smith | D | 17 | New Jersey Devils | $3,365,000 | 2379 | $3,878,506 | 2745 |
| Liam Foudy | C | 18 | Columbus Blue Jackets | $2,450,000 | 2743 | $2,797,572 | 3199 |
| Rasmus Kupari | C | 20 | Los Angeles Kings | $3,665,000 | 2281 | $3,988,922 | 2717 |
| Ryan Merkley | D | 21 | San Jose Sharks | $832,500 | 4068 | $990,091 | 4436 |
| K'Andre Miller | D | 22 | New York Rangers | $18,019,000 | 933 | $18,820,920 | 1175 |
| Isac Lundestrom | C | 23 | Anaheim Ducks | $8,199,125 | 1528 | $8,918,679 | 1840 |
| Filip Johansson | D | 24 | Minnesota Wild | $0 | 6821 | $0 | 6842 |
| Jacob Bernard-Docker | D | 26 | Ottawa Senators | $4,335,000 | 2119 | $4,805,023 | 2504 |
| Nicolas Beaudin | D | 27 | Chicago Blackhawks | $1,757,500 | 3140 | $2,142,052 | 3542 |
| Nils Lundkvist | D | 28 | New York Rangers | $4,350,000 | 2111 | $4,531,241 | 2565 |
| Rasmus Sandin | D | 29 | Toronto Maple Leafs | $16,315,000 | 991 | $17,527,522 | 1243 |
| Joe Veleno | C | 30 | Detroit Red Wings | $6,136,667 | 1772 | $6,505,979 | 2157 |
| Alexander Alexeyev | D | 31 | Washington Capitals | $6,865,000 | 1679 | $7,905,842 | 1948 |