| 1973 NHL amateur draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Date(s) | May 15, 1973 |
| Location | Mount Royal Hotel Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Overview | |
| 168 total selections in 13 rounds | |
| First selection |  Denis Potvin(New York Islanders) |
| Hall of Famers | 3 |
The 1973 NHL amateur draft was the 11th NHL entry draft. It was the first to be held on a separate day from other league activities on May 15, 1973, at the Mount Royal Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, so it would not overshadow the rest of the league meetings. Previously, the league had held the amateur draft in mid-June. It also marks the second time the meeting took place at the Mount Royal Hotel rather than the Queen Elizabeth Hotel.
Eligible for the draft were all amateur players born before January 1, 1954. The NHL paid a lump sum to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to support major junior hockey as a group. Teams could offer a player a contract at any time after the draft without risking re-entry in a future NHL draft.
The last active players in the NHL from this draft class were Lanny McDonald and Bob Gainey, who both retired after the 1988–89 season.