The best NHL draft pick ever at every slot from No. 1 to 224
-
Greg Wyshynski
Wayne Simmonds was drafted 61st overall in 2007 by the Los Angeles Kings. Of all the players taken at No. 61, no one had more goals (263) or points (526) in the NHL.
Wayne Simmonds. Mr. 61.
“I’ll take that. I appreciate it,” he told ESPN, with a laugh. “I remember it was a compensatory pick that Vancouver got through Anaheim.”
Good memory: The Anaheim Ducks sent the pick to the Vancouver Canucks as compensation for hiring coach Randy Carlyle, and the pick was traded to the Kings for defenseman Brent Sopel at the deadline. And that’s how Los Angeles ended up with a late second-round steal with the 61st pick.
Every slot in the annual draft has produced one or more players who made the NHL. Some are legends. Some are trivia answers.
Earlier this year, our colleague Ben Solak picked one quintessential player for every spot in the NFL draft. We’ve decided to do the same for the NHL draft, using the current format (picks 1 to 224) and ranking players since 1967 (i.e., the post-expansion era). Like Solak, we’re defining “best” as some combination of “most talented” and “most successful,” taking statistical impact, NHL awards history and career legacy into account. No ties — there can be only one essential player for each draft slot.
Points of order: For players who were drafted and then reentered the draft, we’re using their second time selected. Only NHL achievements are taken into consideration. We’ve explained our rationale for the first 100 picks; after that, we’ve explained a handful of the controversial choices and notable selections.
Like every NHL draft, we start at the top …
If this ranking had been compiled 15 years ago, there would have been little debate that Le Magnifique was the greatest first overall pick in NHL history. Lemieux played only 915 games in a career shortened by injury and illness, but he scored 1,723 points (690 goals and 1,033 assists) for a 1.88 points per game average — second only to Wayne Gretzky (1.92).
But a trio of generational talents have complicated the debate. Alex Ovechkin (Capitals, 2004) is now the all-time leading goal scorer in NHL history; Sidney Crosby (Penguins, 2005) will retire with at least three Stanley Cup wins and the reputation as his generation’s most complete player; and Connor McDavid (Oilers, 2015) has five scoring titles, three MVP awards and the third-highest points-per-game average in NHL history (1.52) for players with at least 600 games played.
We’re not saying the answer still isn’t Mario. We’re just saying there’s a conversation to be had here.
Determining the best second overall pick is just as ferocious as picking the No. 1 first overall pick. Retired star forwards such as Brendan Shanahan (Devils, 1987), Patrick Marleau (Sharks, 1997) and Daniel Sedin (Canucks, 1999). Current star forwards in Aleksander Barkov (Panthers, 2013), Gabriel Landeskog (Avalanche, 2011) and Jack Eichel (Sabres, 2015). Legendary defensemen such as Chris Pronger (Whalers, 1993), Drew Doughty (Kings, 2008) and Victor Hedman (Lightning, 2009).
In the end, this came down to Evgeni Malkin (Penguins, 2004) vs. Dionne. The case for Malkin is that he scored his 1,346 points in 1,213 games and that he earned more hardware (Calder, Conn Smythe, Hart, two scoring titles) than Dionne. But the former Kings star had 1,771 points in 1,348 games, including the sixth-highest goal total (731) ever in his Hall of Fame career — and at a time when being a Kings star didn’t exactly work in his favor from a legacy perspective. There are a lot of right answers here. Dionne, we think, is the rightest one at No. 2, but it’s extremely close when adjusted for eras.
The smooth-skating defenseman was a key player on four Stanley Cup winners, collecting a Conn Smythe and a Norris Trophy en route to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Niedermayer was a prototypical blueliner who inspired a generation of players who could fill the net as well as they could prevent goals in the other end.
That was enough to put him ahead of Denis Savard (Blackhawks, 1980), Pat LaFontaine (Islanders, 1983) and Henrik Sedin (Canucks, 1999) … but Leon Draisaitl (Oilers, 2014) is building quite a case for No. 1 at No. 3.
4. Steve Yzerman, C, Detroit Red Wings (1983)
He didn’t have the goals total of Mike Gartner (708), who was drafted fourth overall in 1979 by the Capitals, or the point total of Ron Francis (1,798), who was taken in 1981 by the Whalers. But Yzerman is seventh in career points (1,755) and 10th in career goals (692) while leading the Red Wings to three Stanley Cups — earning playoff MVP honors in 1998.
The other two were great players. Yzerman was an icon. But 10 years from now, will Yzerman concede this spot to Cale Makar (Avalanche, 2017)?
5. Jaromir Jagr, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins (1990)
What Jagr’s career totals would have looked like without his three-season detour to the KHL (2008-11) is one of the hockey’s greatest “what ifs.” From the mullet years to the MVP era to his last decade as an NHL samurai, Jagr was a one-of-one player.
Coffey was the third defenseman drafted in 1980 behind Dave Babych (Jets) and Larry Murphy (Kings). Neither of them ended up being the second leading scorer among blueliners (1,531) in NHL history and a three-time Norris winner.
The Hall of Fame forward is the only player drafted seventh overall to cross 1,000 points, earning 1,130 in 1,000 games with the Blues (and one season with the Red Wings). Quinn Hughes (Canucks, 2018) warrants a glance, but he’s got a ways to go.
When you have a 15-time Norris Trophy finalist (and five-time winner) who leads all defensemen in NHL history in scoring (1,579 points) … well, some calls are easier than others on this list.
While Rod Brind’Amour had a career worthy of Hall of Fame consideration, Leetch is already in the Hall with 1,028 points in 1,205 career games, eighth all time among defensemen.
Like Coffey, he was the third defenseman taken in his draft after Zarley Zalapski (Penguins) and Shawn Anderson (Sabres).
It took a few years before Selanne made the leap to North America after the Jets drafted him. It was worth the wait: His 76 goals in 1992-93 was one of the greatest rookie seasons in sports history, leading to a career that saw the Hall of Famer score 1,457 points in 1,451 games.
Another Finn, Mikko Rantanen (Avalanche, 2015), is building his case right now, but this is Teemu’s spot.
This was an extremely close call between Iginla and Anze Kopitar, who is 23 points away from passing Iginla’s career total (1,300). He also has two Selke trophies and two Stanley Cup wins to his credit.
But Iginla’s 625 goals in 1,554 games were what nudged him slightly ahead of the Kings star, along with being a model power forward whose dominance spanned NHL eras.
No one else drafted 12th overall has broken 500 goals or 1,000 points. Hossa did both (525, 1,134) in 1,309 NHL games, while playing the kind of two-way game on the wing that earned him Selke votes. It took him a few tries to raise the Stanley Cup, but he ended up doing it three times with Chicago.
13. Dustin Brown, RW, Los Angeles Kings (2003)
Craig Janney (Bruins, 1986) had more points (751), but no one scored more goals as a No. 13 pick than Brown, the former captain of the Kings. We’ll go ahead and assume that no one drafted 13th overall has a statue built in their honor outside of an NHL arena.
Brian Propp (Flyers, 1979) and Rick Middleton (Rangers, 1973) both have legitimate claims at being the quintessential No. 14, but give us Gonchar. The defenseman had 811 points in 1,301 games, the most played by a 14th overall pick. He never won a Norris, but he snagged a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009.
OK, now we can embrace debate. There are three other players all extremely worthy of being Mr. 15, including:
-
Al MacInnis, the Hockey Hall of Famer with a booming slap shot and 1,274 career points, third all time among defensemen.
-
Joe Sakic, the Hockey Hall of Famer with 1,641 points in 1,378 career games, tops among players selected in this spot.
-
Erik Karlsson of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the presumptive Hockey Hall of Famer with three Norris Trophy wins.
But we’re going with the late Mike Bossy, the Hockey Hall of Famer who scored 573 goals in 752 games in a career cut short by injury. “He has to go down as one of the greatest goal scorers ever,” said Wayne Gretzky, who knew a thing or 894 about scoring goals.
No player drafted at No. 16 has scored more than 400 goals — except for Andreychuk, who scored 640 of them as one of the NHL’s greatest net-front players in history.
The embodiment of the Flyers aesthetic, Clark had 1,210 points and 1,453 penalty minutes in 1,144 during his Hall of Fame career, leading Philly to its only two Stanley Cup wins. Stick tap to Zach Parise, who scored more goals (434) than any other 17th overall pick.
18. Ken Daneyko, D, New Jersey Devils (1982)
He may not rank within the top 15 scorers among 18th overall picks, but Daneyko was a bruising defensive defenseman who helped anchor three Stanley Cup championships with the Devils.
Former Devil Petr Sykora (721) had the most points, and former Bruin Glen Murray (314) had the highest goal total.
Many believe that Keith Tkachuk (Jets, 1990) belongs in the Hall of Fame after amassing 1,065 career points. Ditto Ryan Getzlaf (Ducks, 2003), who missed the cut in his first year of eligibility but had 1,019 points in 1,157 career games.
But Vasilevskiy has two Stanley Cup wins, a Conn Smythe, a Vezina and 331 victories in 540 regular-season games.
20. Martin Brodeur, G, New Jersey Devils (1990)
Larry Robinson is one of the greatest defensemen in NHL history, with two Norris wins and six (!) Stanley Cup wins with the Montreal Canadiens. He also won a Stanley Cup as a coach in 2000 with the Devils, with a plucky ingenue named Martin Brodeur between the pipes.
The argument for Robinson here is a solid one. But he didn’t rewrite the record books like Brodeur did, as the NHL career leader in wins (691), games played (1,266) and shutouts (a remarkable 125). He won the Cup three times and the Vezina four times in a Hall of Fame career.
21. Kevin Lowe, D, Edmonton Oilers (1979)
Clear call here. Lowe was a cornerstone defenseman for the Oilers’ dynasty and won a sixth Stanley Cup with the unofficial extension of that dynasty: Mark Messier’s 1994 New York Rangers.
22. Bryan Trottier, C, New York Islanders (1974)
Trottier was an MVP star for the Islanders during their four straight Stanley Cups (1979-83) and then later contributed to the Penguins’ back-to-back Stanley Cup wins (1990-92). With 524 goals, 1,425 points and a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame, an easy call.
The man they called “The Wizard” gets the nod over Todd Bertuzzi (Islanders, 1993) as the only player selected 23rd overall that crested over 1,000 points. Whitney finished with 1,064 points in 1,330 games, with 385 goals, playing for eight teams in his 22-season career.
24. Daniel Briere, C, Phoenix Coyotes (1996)
This is a fun spot in the first round.
There’s Doug Jarvis (Canadiens, 1975), a four-time Stanley Cup champion who reigned as the NHL’s “iron man” before Keith Yandle and then Phil Kessel lapped his record.
There’s a gaggle of recent forwards who all had their virtues: T.J. Oshie (Blues, 2005), Alex Steen (Maple Leafs, 2002), Mike Richards (Flyers, 2003) and Mikael Backlund (Flames, 2007), who actually has the most games played (1,066) of anyone drafted here.
But Briere leads in goals (307) and points (696) in fewer games (973) than Oshie (1,010), and his playoff numbers (116 points in 124 games) were stellar.
25. David Pastrnak, RW, Boston Bruins (2014)
The Bruins winger is just 756 games into his career, but has 126 more goals than the next best scorer at No. 25: Brendan Morrow with 265, having been drafted by the Stars in 1997.
Pastrnak has the 11th highest points-per-game average among active players (min. 600 games). Defenseman Mark Howe (Bruins, 1974) had a Hall of Fame career, but we’re serving Pasta here.
26. Claude Lemieux, RW, Montreal Canadiens (1983)
If this was a list of the most hated players drafted at each position, Lemieux wins in a walk. But there are three players with 700-plus points drafted 26th overall: Lemieux (786), David Perron (784), taken by St. Louis in 2007; and Zigmund Palffy (713), taken by the Islanders in 1991.
Claude gets to the nod for his postseason heroics in winning four Stanley Cups, including the Conn Smythe with the Devils in 1995.
Among active players, John Carlson (Capitals, 2008) has had the most impressive career. But Nieuwendyk leads in points (1,126) and goals (564) and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.
While we lament that Justin Williams was drafted 28th overall instead of seventh and thus won’t get the nod, Perry has 448 goals and 935 points that’s seen him journey from a Hart Trophy win in 2011 to his prestige pest days in his late 30s. “The Worm” has earned top billing here.
29. Danny Gare, RW, Buffalo Sabres (1974)
Teppo Numminen (Winnipeg, 1986) has the longevity. Stephane Richer (Montreal, 1984) has the 421 career goals. Mike Green (Washington, 2004) had a three-season run of brilliance, finishing second for the Norris twice. But if we’re going with a player who did a lot during a small stretch, then Gare’s 354 goals in 827 career games — including hitting 50 goals twice — gets the nod. (And apologies to the 5-foot-9 forward for referring to it as a “small stretch.”)
The 17-year NHL defenseman has more points (647) than anyone else drafted 30th overall, which included an 83-point campaign in 1980-81 that earned him the Norris Trophy with the Penguins. As a coach, best known for struggling with a toaster on HBO 24/7.
31. Dave ‘Tiger’ Williams, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs (1974)
Felix Potvin (Maple Leafs, 1990) and Jacob Markstrom (Panthers, 2008) are two goalies taken at No. 31 that offer compelling cases. But Tiger Williams was that rare breed of NHL enforcer that could drop the gloves while putting up points (513 in his career). And boy, could he drop the gloves: Williams had 3,971 penalty minutes in his 962-game career, the most in NHL history. (Given the current state of the league, is that an unbreakable record?)
32. Tony McKegney, LW, Buffalo Sabres (1978)
The 13-year veteran scored 320 goals in 912 games and was a trailblazer: In 1987-88 with the Blues, McKegney became the first Black player in NHL history to score 40 goals in a season.
This came down to two forwards with strong defensive pedigrees: O’Reilly and John Tonelli (Islanders, 1977), a key player in the Isles’ four-Cup dynasty who went on to be a productive player for the Kings later in his career.
But given that O’Reilly has a Selke, a Conn Smythe and is just 12 points behind Tonelli despite not playing in the high-scoring 1980s, he gets the call.
34. Doug Weight, C, New York Rangers (1990)
As we enter the wilderness of second-round selections, some of these choices are going to become starker. Like Doug Weight, for example, finishing his 19-year NHL career with 1,033 points while no one else drafted at No. 34 had more than 283 (Steve Leach).
35. Pelle Lindbergh, G, Philadelphia Flyers (1979)
In 1985, Lindbergh led the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Final and won the Vezina Trophy after a 40-win season. Five months later, the 26-year-old died in a single-car accident. He was posthumously chosen for the 1986 NHL All-Star Game via a fan vote.
He played just 157 games in the NHL — a fraction of the time spent by Marc-Edouard Vlasic (Sharks, 2005) and Matt Cullen (Ducks, 1996), who were also taken 35th overall. But Lindbergh’s legacy is still felt in Philadelphia, an all-too-brief flash of goaltending brilliance.
36. Rod Langway, D, Montreal Canadiens (1977)
There’s a reason Langway was known as the “Secretary of Defense” during his 11 seasons with the Washington Capitals. He was one of the best defensive defensemen of all time, winning the Norris Trophy twice during a Hall of Fame run of 15 seasons.
Stick tap to former Rangers and Kings forward Tomas Sandstrom, who had 394 goals and 856 to lead all 36th overall picks.
37. Mats Naslund, LW, Montreal Canadiens (1979)
“Le Petit Viking” belongs in the pantheon of underrated NHL nicknames and was completely approprié for Naslund, who was listed at 5-foot-7 during his nine-season career with the Canadiens. He scored 634 points in 651 NHL games, winning the Stanley Cup in 1986.
Josi won the Norris Trophy in 2020 and was a finalist for the award three times. He has 724 points in 962 games with Nashville, including a 96-point season in 2021-22 that remains the second-highest single-season total since 1994.
39. Charlie Simmer, LW, California Golden Seals (1974)
Simmer isn’t our choice just for the sheer novelty of having a Golden Seal pick in the ranking. He scored 342 goals in 712 NHL games, including back-to-back 56-goal seasons for the Kings, where he was a member of the Triple Crown line.
But keep an eye on Alex DeBrincat (Blackhawks, 2016) and Jason Robertson (Stars, 2017), current stars with plenty of runway left in their careers.
40. Chris Chelios, D, Montreal Canadiens (1981)
While it’s surreal to think about Chelios as a plucky rookie, he was in fact drafted as a 19-year-old by the Canadiens in 1981. He’d go on to play 1,651 games in the NHL, including seven of them as a 48-year-old (!) with the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009-10.
Chelios entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013 as one of the greatest two-way defensemen in history, winning the Norris Trophy three times.
41. Dale Hunter, C, Quebec Nordiques (1979)
As much as we’d love to honor ESPN’s own Kevin Weekes (Panthers, 1993) at this selection, Hunter is the obvious call. He’s a 200-foot player who amassed 1,020 points in 1,407 NHL games — and, more infamously, 3,365 penalty minutes. He was part of a loaded 1979 draft that also included …
42. Neal Broten, C, Minnesota North Stars (1979)
… who was drafted right after Hunter to end the second round of that draft. Broten was star center for the North Stars, with 923 points in 1,099 career games overall, and helped the Devils win the Cup in 1995. But his greatest hockey legacy was a member of the 1980 Miracle on Ice team for USA Hockey.
43. P.K. Subban, D, Montreal Canadiens (2007)
Current Ducks GM Pat Verbeek (Devils, 1982) had a stellar NHL career, with 522 goals in 1,424 games as “The Little Ball of Hate” for five different teams. But we’ll give the edge to Subban here for his Norris Trophy win in 2013 and his three times as a finalist. The star defenseman had 467 points in 834 career games before his retirement in 2022.
44. Guy Carbonneau, C, Montreal Canadiens (1979)
Yet another son of ’79 makes the cut. Carbonneau made the Hockey Hall of Fame soaked in Montreal mystique, winning the Selke Trophy thrice out of six times as a finalist, and playing an important role on three Stanley Cup championships — two with the Habs and one with the Stars. Speaking of Selke-winning French Canadian centers …
At this point they should just rename the Selke Trophy “The Bergeron,” as the former Bruins captain won the best defensive forward award six times out of 12 seasons as a finalist. He had 1,040 points in 1,294 games for the Bruins — including 427 goals. A legendary player, and not just in Boston.
46. Bob Probert, LW, Detroit Red Wings (1983)
When Probert was 16 years old, he scored 60 goals and had 100 points for a team in Windsor. That’s just a reminder of what made Probert something beyond the NHL’s heavyweight champion for about a decade: He could also generate some offense for the Red Wings and Blackhawks, with 384 points in 935 games. But in the end, it was his fighting prowess that made him a legend on the ice, with 3,300 career penalty minutes — second all time to Tiger Williams.
47. Tyler Toffoli, C, Los Angeles Kings (2010)
Toffoli, now with the Sharks, not only scored more goals (290) than anyone drafted 47th overall in the NHL, but has the fifth-most goals in his entire draft class.
48. Mark Messier, C, Edmonton Oilers (1979)
Messier was the 27th forward taken in the 1979 NHL draft. The Vancouver Canucks selected goalie Ken Ellacott (12 career games) one pick ahead of Messier, who finished his Hall of Fame career with 1,887 points in 1,756 games, including 694 goals. But hey, at least the Canucks eventually ended up with Messier, right? Uh … right?
49. Shea Weber, D, Nashville Predators (2003)
Weber was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last year after 1,038 games with the Predators and the Canadiens. He was a three-time Norris finalist who amassed 589 points and 224 goals, thanks in part to his booming slap-shot.
One name to watch among current players: Roope Hintz, drafted 49th overall in 2015 by the Stars, who has 377 points in 468 career NHL games.
50. Milan Lucic, LW, Boston Bruins (2006)
The hulking forward had 586 points in his 17-year NHL career, nearly 200 more points than the next highest total at No. 50 (Steve Chiasson, 398). Despite his rep, Lucic didn’t have the most penalty minutes (1,301) for players drafted 50th overall. That honor goes to a defenseman named Glen Cochrane, who ran up a rather impressive 1,556 PIMs in just 411 games, most of them with the Flyers.
51. Patrick Roy, G, Montreal Canadiens (1984)
Craig Billington played 332 NHL games. Daryl Reaugh played 27 games, before becoming a beloved commentator. What they have in common: Both were selected in the 1984 draft ahead of Patrick Roy, the third-winningest goalie of all time (551 victories) who win four Stanley Cups, three Conn Smythes and three Vezinas on the way to the Hall of Fame.
Stick tap to Patrik Elias, the perpetually overlooked Devils forward drafted 50th in 1994, who finished with 408 goals and 1,025 points in 1,240 games. Another stick tap to Butch Goring (375 career goals), considered the last piece of the puzzle for the Islanders’ four-Stanley Cup dynasty.
Crawford backstopped Chicago to a pair of Stanley Cup championships but had underappreciated regular-season numbers: 260 wins in 488 games with a .917 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average. Those stats give him the edge over Bill Ranford, whom the Oilers drafted in 1985 at No. 52. Ranford led them to the 1990 Stanley Cup, winning the Conn Smythe.
53. Nicklas Lidstrom, D, Detroit Red Wings (1989)
Bob Kellogg (48th, Blackhawks) and Veli-Pekka Kautonen (50th, Flames) were the two defensemen taken directly before Lidstrom in the third round in 1989. They played a combined total of zero games in the NHL. Lidstrom played 1,564 in the regular season, 263 more in the postseason and retired as one of the league’s greatest defenseman of all time.
Lidstrom won the Norris Trophy seven times, the Stanley Cup four times and the 2002 Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. And 52 players were selected before he was.
54. Duncan Keith, D, Chicago Blackhawks (2002)
Keith will enter the Hockey Hall of Fame this year after a career that saw him win the Norris twice and the Stanley Cup three times with the Blackhawks. He had 646 points in 1,256 games, averaging 24:40 in ice time during his career.
Also in the conversation: Goalie Chris Osgood, who ranks 15th in NHL history in career wins (401) having won the Stanley Cup three times — twice as a starter.
The winger was a consistent performer for the Sabres and Minnesota Wild for 15 seasons, ranking ahead of all other 55th overall picks in goals (293), points (727) and games played (1,060).
56. Zdeno Chara, D, New York Islanders (1996)
There are three players with a claim at being Mr. 56. Winger Kevin Dineen (Whalers, 1982) scored more goals (355) and tallied more points (760) than any other player drafted here. Hall of Fame goalie Mike Vernon (Flames, 1981) won the Stanley Cup twice along with the 1997 Conn Smythe with Detroit.
But they’re both in the shadow (quite literally) of Chara, the 6-foot-9 defenseman entering the Hall of Fame this year. He had 680 points in 1,680 games, most of them with the Bruins. He’s a one-of-a-kind talent and a mythological athlete, although that would come years after the Islanders flipped him to Ottawa in the Alexei Yashin trade.
57. Troy Murray, C, Chicago Blackhawks (1980)
While Jyrki Lumme (Canadiens, 1986) has a compelling case as solid all-around defenseman for 15 seasons, Murray leads all No. 57’s in goals (230) and points (584) and won the Selke in 1985-86. In classic Selke fashion, it was also the season he hit his career high in points (99). Murray won his only Stanley Cup with Colorado in 1996.
58. Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning (2011)
Please recall back in 2011 that some NHL teams were hesitant about drafting Russian players because they feared the KHL would throw enough money at them to keep them from leaving for North America.
But Lightning GM Steve Yzerman knew from Russian players, thanks to his days playing with them in Detroit. So when Kucherov dropped to No. 58, he and his scouting staff pounced.
The rest is history: 994 points in 803 career games with three scoring titles. Kucherov won the Hart Trophy in 2018-19 and helped Tampa to back-to-back Stanley Cups — which he celebrated in rather memorable ways.
59. Billy Smith, G, New York Islanders (1970)
“Battlin’ Billy” was in that classic mold of 1980s goalies that defended their crease by any means necessary. That mindset led to 305 wins in 679 games for the Islanders, earning one Vezina Trophy and the Conn Smythe in 1983, the last of the four straight Stanley Cups that Smith earned with the Isles.
60. Ray Sheppard, RW, Buffalo Sabres (1984)
Sheppard scored 122 more goals (357 in total) than center Tom Fergus (Bruins, 1980), the other scorer in the conversation at No. 60. But Ray gets the nod here thanks in part to that 52-goal season he had in Detroit (1993-94) — even if his greatest legacy with the Wings was as the guy the traded to San Jose for the great Igor Larionov.
61. Wayne Simmonds, RW, Los Angeles Kings (2007)
Simmonds was consistent goal-scorer and truculent winger for about 11 of his 15 NHL seasons, finishing with 263 goals and 526 points in 1,037 games. While he had the best offensive stats, Simmonds trailed in games played to Craig Ludwig (Canadiens, 1980) with 1,256 appearances and Alex Goligoski (Penguins, 2004), who finished with 1,078 games.
62. Kris Letang, D, Pittsburgh Penguins (2005)
While another Penguins draft pick in 2005 got most of the attention, they snagged a cornerstone for their three Stanley Cup wins in the Sidney Crosby era with Letang. The defenseman has played 1,161 games over 19 seasons. His 772 points are fourth among active NHL defensemen.
63. David Krejcí, C, Boston Bruins (2004)
The Bruins center, who played 16 seasons in the NHL, was the easy call here with 231 goals and 555 assists (786 points) in 1,032 games. His Czech countryman Tomas Fleischmann (Red Wings, 2002) is second in all of those categories (657 games, 137 goals and 335 points) among the players selected 63rd overall.
64. Brad Richards, C, Tampa Bay Lightning (1998)
While there are some familiar names at No. 64 — like defenseman Tyson Barrie (Avalanche, 2009), goalie Jimmy Howard (Red Wings, 2003) and 1980’s star Kent Nilsson (Flames, 1976) — Richards was on another level.
He had 932 points in 1,126 games, winning a Stanley Cup (and the Conn Smythe) in 2004 with Tampa Bay, and a second Cup with Chicago in 2015. He was also the subject of a wild 2011 free agent courtship that saw several teams pitch him in person — the Kings presented him with video-taped pitches from Wayne Gretzky and Kobe Bryant, for example. He ended up signing a nine-year, $60 million deal with the Rangers.
65. Kirk Maltby, LW, Edmonton Oilers (1992)
Maltby wins over a thin field at No. 65 with the most games played (1,072) and having played a key role on The Grind Line, the Red Wings’ incredible checking line. Maltby won the Cup four times with Detroit.
66. Adam Fox, D, Calgary Flames (2016)
Due respect to John Ogrodnick (Red Wings, 1979) and his 402 career goals, we’ve seen enough from Fox to confidently put him on top here.
The Rangers defenseman had 396 points in 431 games over six seasons, having already won the Norris Trophy once and finishing second for the award two years later.
67. Mark Recchi, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins (1988)
Considering that Recchi has more career points (1,533) than every other player in the 1988 NHL draft class, we’d say he’s a suitable choice at No. 67. The Hall of Fame induction doesn’t hurt, either.
68. Tony Amonte, RW, New York Rangers (1988)
Another easy call: Amonte played 1,174 games and tallied 416 goals and 900 points over 15 seasons. No one else at No. 68 has more than 237 points (Craig Rivet) or 77 goals (Nick Cousins).
69. Jari Kurri, RW, Edmonton Oilers (1980)
Here’s a nice fact we didn’t learn until doing this project: Two of the Edmonton dynasty’s most iconic players were both drafted by the Oilers at No. 69 overall.
Hockey Hall of Famer Glenn Anderson was taken 69th in 1979, eventually scoring 1,099 points and winning six Stanley Cups. Kurri won five Stanley Cups during his career, but his legacy is as Wayne Gretzky’s wingman. Kurri scored 601 goals in 1,251 games. He netted 139 of those goals in a two-year span (1984-86) with the Gretzky Oilers.
70. Rob Blake, D, Los Angeles Kings (1988)
Blake’s 777 career points rank 22nd all time among defensemen. He won the Norris in 1998 and was a finalist three times. Blake won the Stanley Cup in 2001 with Colorado, and was eventually inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He’s certainly earned this spot … but we would be remiss to not acknowledge the awesomeness that was Gilles Meloche (Blackhawks, 1970) and his Cleveland Barons’ goalie mask. Or his North Stars goalie mask. Or his Golden Seals goalie mask.
71. Brad Marchand, LW, Boston Bruins (2006)
The reappraisal of Marchand as one of the best left wings of his generation was cemented by his incredible run with the Stanley cup champion Panthers last season. In 16 seasons, Marchand has 424 goals and 980 points in 1,100 games played.
Boston knew it was getting a player with, ahem, a unique brand of whimsy when they drafted Marchand. No one could have predicted the totality of his game, whose success has him primed for a potential spot in the Hall of Fame.
72. Jonathan Quick, G, Los Angeles Kings (2005)
There are legit arguments for goalie John Vanbiesbrouck (Rangers, 1981) and forward Chris Drury (Nordiques, 1994) to get the top spot at No. 72. But Quick had a dominant run for the Kings last decade, backstopping them to two Stanley Cup wins and capturing the Conn Smythe in 2012. He was a finalist for the Vezina twice and is currently the leader in wins (404) among American-born goalies.
73. Bernie Nicholls, C, Los Angeles Kings (1980)
Nicholls finished his career with 1,209 points (475 goals, 734 assists) in 1,127 games during his 18-year NHL career. Considering that’s 1,021 points greater than the next highest scorer at No. 73 (Jim Korn) … yeah, this is Bernie’s spot.
74. Sergei Fedorov, C, Detroit Red Wings (1989)
So how did one of the most talented skaters in NHL history in both ends of the ice end up going 74th overall in 1989? It was the Soviet Union thing. The Russians remained the great unknown even though their skills evident in tournaments like world juniors and the world championships. The Sabres waited until Round 5 to draft Alex Mogilny in 1988, and the Red Wings waited until the fourth round to select Fedorov — the first Soviet selected in that draft.
Detroit’s wager paid off: Fedorov had 1,179 points in 1,248 games playing both as a forward and a defenseman, winning the Stanley Cup three times, the Selke twice and the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1994.
75. Dave Ellett, D, Winnipeg Jets (1982)
At the risk of anger the Jim Peplinski (Flames, 1979) and Pavel Buchnevich (Rangers, 2013) backers, will give this ranking to Ellett, a solid if completely unspectacular defenseman who amassed 568 points in 1,129 games over 16 seasons with five teams.
76. Mike Knuble, RW, Detroit Red Wings (1991)
While no other player in this draft spot had more 63 goals, Knuble tallied 278 times in 1,068 games during his 16-year NHL career. Many of those goals were scored in and around the crease, where Knuble forged his reputation.
“I’ll be talking to young players and I draw the East Coast of the United States. I draw Florida and then I draw Cuba and then a draw a big shark further away,” Knuble told ESPN earlier this year. “And I’m like, ‘If all the fish are right here between Florida and Cuba, why would you be swimming all the way over here if you’re a shark and you’re hungry? All the fish are right here! Go to where the fish are!'”
77. Jake Guentzel, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins (2013)
One of 12 players even drafted from the Nebraska-Omaha college hockey program, Guentzel has more goals (268 in 600) than any other player drafted 77th overall. Sure, he’s played with some remarkable talents during his career — first on Sidney Crosby’s wing, now with Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov — but his production earned him the right to play with them.
78. Ilya Sorokin, G, New York Islanders (2014)
His last two seasons with the Isles have been a little disconcerting, but there’s no denying his talent. Sorokin was the runner-up for the Vezina in 2022-23. He has 125 wins in 253 career games, with a .916 save percentage and a 2.58 goals-against average.
Should this spot have gone to Shayne Gostisbehere, (Flyers, 2012) who leads all skaters at 78th overall in points (412)? An argument could be made.
79. Brayden Point, C, Tampa Bay Lightning (2014)
One of the great draft steals of the last 15 years. Point has the third highest points of anyone in the 2014 NHL draft behind Draisaitl and Pastrnak. He’s a two-time Stanley Cup winner, a legit No. 1 center and a 200-foot player. No other skater at No. 79 is even in the conversation.
80. Esa Tikkanen, LW, Edmonton Oilers (1983)
Every Stanley Cup champion needs an agitating pest … or in the case of the Florida Panthers, 18 of them. Tikkanen was that pest for the 1980s Oilers and the 1994 Rangers, but he could play some puck, too: 630 points in 877 career games.
His presence on the Gretzky Oilers earned him the nickname “The Grate One.” He was known to speak a Finnish-English hybrid language dubbed “Tikkanese” that would infuriate and confound opponents (and often teammates, too).
81. Steve Kasper, C, Boston Bruins (1980)
Arguments can be made for Joe Juneau (Bruins, 1988) who had 572 points in 828 games but could never deliver on the promise of this rookie season; as well as the delightfully named Ron Tugnutt (Nordiques, 1986), who took his lumps in the inaugural seasons for both the Mighty Ducks and the Blue Jackets.
But we’ll go with Kasper, who had 468 points in 821 career games and won a Selke for the Bruins in 1981-82.
82. Carter Verhaeghe, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs (2013)
This is a tough one, because Verhaeghe doesn’t have the work history of Brian Gionta (Devils, 1998) or Adam Henrique (Devils, 2008), two former Devils that made their marks in the NHL over lengthy careers.
Verhaeghe is entering his seventh NHL season, but has three Stanley Cup rings and the reputation as a clutch playoff performer. His regular-season stats are too shabby either: Verhaeghe has 147 goals in 411 career games, part of his 302 career points.
83. Anton Stastny, LW, Quebec Nordiques (1979)
You might be more familiar with Anton’s brother, Hall of Famer Peter Stastny, or his nephew Paul Stastny. But Anton had himself a tidy nine-year NHL career: 636 points in 650 games, all of them with the Nords.
Fun fact: Stansty was originally drafted at No. 198 overall by the Flyers in 1978, but the pick was ruled ineligible because the NHL felt 19-year-old Anton was too young to be drafted. Nice try, though.
84. Alan Kerr, RW, New York Islanders (1982)
Well, it took 84 picks but we finally landed on a spot that has the depth of a puddle. Kerr played 391 games in the NHL, hitting 24 goals and 58 points in career best season. He managed to miss the entirety of the Islanders dynasty before leaving the NHL in 1993. Nicolas Deslauriers (Kings, 2009), Alexei Emelin (Canadiens, 2004) and Scott Wedgewood (Devils, 2010) were the other options.
85. Sergei Zubov, D, New York Rangers (1990)
The NHL was still getting its head around Russian players in the draft back in 1990. Only two Soviet players were taken before Zubov: Vyacheslav Kozlov by Detroit at No. 45 and Alex Zhamnov by Winnipeg at No. 77. Neither of them had the Hall of Fame career that Zubov had for the Rangers, Stars and Penguins, with 771 points in 1,068 games.
86. Petr Klima, LW, Detroit Red Wings (1983)
Blues defenseman Colton Parayko (2012) deserves consideration here, but we’ll give this spot to Klima, who scored 313 goals in 786 games with five teams over 13 seasons. He scored 130 of them with the Red Wings and another 119 with the Oilers.
87. Milan Hejduk, RW, Quebec Nordiques (1994)
With a healthy goalie stick tap the great Dane Frederik Andersen, drafted by Anaheim in 2012 with 308 wins in 517 games, Hejduk is the obvious choice here. The career Avalanche winger had 805 points in 1,020 games, leading the league with 50 goals in 2002-03 and leading the playoffs with 16 assists when Colorado won the Cup in 2001.
88. Jere Lehtinen, RW, Minnesota North Stars (1992)
Assuming the risk of making things awkward when we bump into Ray Ferraro at the ESPN cafeteria — as he was drafted 88th overall in 1982 and had a brilliant 18-season career with 898 points — Lehtinen is remembered as one of the best defensive wingers in league history.
Lehtinen won the Selke Trophy three times and was a finalist six times, scoring 514 points in 875 games along the way. He’s the last winger to win the Selke back in 2003. (Also in consideration: Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, drafted in 2011.)
89. Alex Mogilny, RW, Buffalo Sabres (1988)
The Sabres took a chance that Mogilny would find a way to North America. Once he did, the winger had 1,032 points in 990 in what we can thankfully now say was a Hall of Fame career.
90. Walt Poddubny, LW, Edmonton Oilers (1980)
While his career was cut short by knee injuries, Poddubny had 422 points in 486 games, playing the majority of them with the Maple Leafs and Rangers. Also under consideration: Eric Daze (Blackhawks, 1993), who had more goals (226) than any other Mr. 90.
91. Marc Savard, C, New York Rangers (1995)
Savard was a 90-point center in the NHL for the Thrashers and Bruins. He ended up with 706 points in 807 games, in a career cut short by concussions. Runner-up: Longtime Canucks defenseman Alex Edler (2004).
92. Casey Cizikas, C, New York Islanders (2009)
Cizikas has 262 points in 897 career games with the Islanders. No one else drafted 92nd overall has hit triple digits in points.
93. Braden Holtby, G, Washington Capitals (2008)
The goalie who backstopped the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup was outstanding in the regular season — 299 wins in 513 games and the Vezina in 2015-16 — and the playoffs, where he had a career save percentage of .926. Great guitarist, too.
Both Savard and Chris Kelly (Senators, 1999) were important pieces of Stanley Cup-winning teams, but we’ll give this spot to the defensive defenseman who helped the Lightning raise the Cup in 2021.
95. Patrick Sharp, LW, Philadelphia Flyers (2001)
Valtteri Filppula (Red Wings, 2002) played the most games (1,056) of anyone drafted at No. 95, but Sharp leads in goals (287), points (620) and Stanley Cups (3).
With 366 points in 797 games, Pageau has been a consistent offensive performer during his 13-year NHL career.
97. Johan Franzen, RW, Detroit Red Wings (2004)
When the Red Wings are praised for their draft success during the glory years, it’s picks like Franzen: 370 points in 602 games, leading Detroit with 13 goals in 16 games during their 2008 Cup win.
98. Craig Smith, C, Nashville Predators (2009)
This is as good a time as any to acknowledge that Craig Smith has had himself an underappreciated career: 452 points in 987 games, including 220 goals, over 14 years.
99. Juuse Saros, G, Nashville Predators (2013)
The Predators found the best goalie in the 2013 draft at No. 99, as Saros blossomed into a games-hogging goaling with 202 wins in 391 career games for Nashville. Stick tap to Shawn Horcoff (Oilers, 1998), who had 511 points in a solid 1,008-game NHL career.
100. Garry Galley, D, Los Angeles Kings (1983)
Galley was a serviceable defenseman who had some big offensive years with the Flyers and Sabres, skating in 1,149 games over a lengthy 17-year career.
Outside the top 100
101. Michal Handzus, C, St. Louis Blues (1995)
102. Mattias Ekholm, D, Nashville Predators (2009)
103. Thomas Steen, C, Winnipeg Jets (1979)
104. Johnny Gaudreau, LW, Calgary Flames (2011)
The late Blue Jackets star wasn’t even in the building when the Flames drafted “Johnny Hockey” in the fourth round. His lack of size — NHL Central Scouting listed him at 5-foot-6 — scared off many teams, but Calgary felt his dazzling offensive skills were worth the risk.
He scored 743 points in 763 games — including 243 goals, 117 more than Marcus Foligno (Sabres, 2009) — in an all-too-brief superstar career. Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed on Aug. 29, 2024, when police said they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while they were riding bicycles.
105. Keith Yandle, D, Phoenix Coyotes (2005)
106. Aaron Broten, LW, Colorado Rockies (1980)
107. Kirk McLean, G, New Jersey Devils (1984)
108. Kevin Stevens, LW, Los Angeles Kings (1983)
109. Paul MacLean, RW, St. Louis Blues (1978)
110. Shawn McEachern, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins (1987)
111. Miroslav Satan, RW, Edmonton Oilers (1993)
While Jeremy Swayman (Bruins, 2017) could eventually challenge for Mr. 111 honors, all hail Miro Satan and his 735 points in 1,050 career games over 14 seasons.
112. Viktor Arvidsson, C, Nashville Predators (2014)
113. Pavel Bure, LW, Vancouver Canucks (1989)
Bure is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame thanks to 437 goals in 702 games, but he became a member of the Canucks thanks to their “man in Moscow,” as Brian Burke called him.
After Bure slipped past the first three rounds, he was only eligible to be drafted if he had played at least 11 games with the Central Red Army team.
While the rest of the NHL believed he fell short of that benchmark, the Canucks had it on good authority that Bure had actually hit the mark thanks to nine league games and two international exhibition games. The NHL agreed, and over the loud (and quite vulgar!) protestations from other general managers, the Canucks selected Bure at No. 113 overall.
114. T.J. Brodie, D, Calgary Flames (2008)
115. Ryan Malone, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins (1999)
Kiprusoff, who won the Vezina once in three times nominated, was the 12th goaltender drafted in 1995. He was traded to Calgary in 2003 for a second-round pick that became defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
117. Brett Hull, RW, Calgary Flames (1984)
Hockey nepotism hadn’t worked for Brett Hull. The son of Hall of Famer Bobby Hull was passed over in the entirety of the previous two NHL drafts until the Flames took a chance on him in the sixth round in 1984.
After 741 goals and 1,391 career points, he was a Hall of Famer, too.
118. Igor Shesterkin, G, New York Rangers (2014)
119. Ron Hextall, G, Philadelphia Flyers (1982)
120. Steve Larmer, RW, Chicago Blackhawks (1980)
121. Rick Tocchet, RW, Philadelphia Flyers (1983)
122. Dmitri Yushkevich, D, Philadelphia Flyers (1991)
123. Zach Hyman, LW, Florida Panthers (2010)
124. Marty Turco, G, Dallas Stars, 1994
125. Reggie Lemelin, G, Philadelphia Flyers (1974)
126. Gustav Forsling, D, Vancouver Canucks (2014)
127. Ryan Callahan, RW, New York Rangers (2004)
128. Brian Mullen, RW, Winnipeg Jets (1980)
129. Jamie Benn, LW, Dallas Stars (2007)
The only player in the 2007 draft that’s played more games and scored more points than Benn (956 points in 1,192 games) is Patrick Kane, taken first overall.
There were 12 goalies taken ahead of Hellebuyck in 2012. While some of had outstanding careers in their own right — Andrey Vasilevskiy, Matt Murray, Frederik Andersen — none of them have a hat trick of Vezina trophies like the Jets netminder.
131. John Klingberg, D, Dallas Stars (2010)
132. Andy Moog, G, Edmonton Oilers (1980)
Alfredsson was surprised when he drafted in the sixth round, because he was “oblivious there was a draft,” he told the Ottawa Sun. But while he was under the radar for most teams, the Senators pounced on the future Hall of Famer.
134. Doug Gilmour, C, St. Louis Blues (1982)
The Hockey Hall of Famer ended up with more points (1,414) than anyone else in the 1982 NHL draft.
135. Kirill Kaprizov, LW, Minnesota Wild (2015)
136. Mike York, LW, New York Rangers (1997)
137. Carson Soucy, D, Minnesota Wild (2013)
138. Ryan Miller, G, Buffalo Sabres (1999)
139. Pat Boutette, C, Toronto Maple Leafs (1972)
140. Dave Brown, RW, Philadelphia Flyers (1982)
141. Jake Muzzin, D, Pittsburgh Penguins (2007)
142. Nathan Gerbe, LW, Buffalo Sabres (2005)
143. Stu Grimson, LW, Calgary Flames (1985)
144. Garry Howatt, LW, New York Islanders (1972)
146. Brian Willsie, RW, Colorado Avalanche (1996)
147. Brendan Gallagher, RW, Montreal Canadiens (2010)
148. Troy Terry, RW, Anaheim Ducks (2015)
149. Jim Dowd, C, New Jersey Devils (1987)
150. Mikhail Grabovski, C, Montreal Canadiens (2004)
151. Kevin Bieksa, D, Vancouver Canucks (2001)
152. Anders Lee, LW, New York Islanders (2009)
154. Brett Clark, D, Montreal Canadiens (1996)
155. Travis Moen, LW, Calgary Flames (2000)
156. Peter Bondra, RW, Washington Capitals (1990)
Who knew there would be a vigorous debate at No. 156?
Defensemen Brian Campbell (Sabres, 1997) had 504 points in 1,082 games while Jared Spurgeon (Islanders, 2008) has been rock-solid over 867 games. Patrick Lalime played 444 games and earned Vezina attention as a starting goalie for Ottawa. But Bondra has 503 career goals and 892 points in 1,081 games, most of them with the Capitals. He crossed 50 goals twice in his run.
157. Cam Atkinson, RW, Columbus Blue Jackets (2008)
158. Ian Laperriere, RW, St. Louis Blues (1992)
159. Brandon Hagel, LW, Buffalo Sabres (2016)
160. Josh Manson, D, Anaheim Ducks (2011)
161. Darcy Kuemper, G, Los Angeles Kings (2009)
Kuemper’s Vezina contention and his Stanley Cup win with the Avalanche give him the edge over Mike Smith (Stars, 2001) despite having fewer career wins.
162. Jesper Bratt, LW, New Jersey Devils (2016)
163. Linus Ullmark, G, Buffalo Sabres (2012)
164. Todd Marchant, C, New York Rangers (1993)
165. Byron Ritchie, C, Hartford Whalers (1995)
166. Theo Fleury, RW, Calgary Flames (1987)
168. Carl Hagelin, LW, New York Rangers (2007)
169. Vinnie Hinostroza, C, Chicago Blackhawks (2012)
170. Darren Van Impe, D, New York Islanders (1993)
171. Luc Robitaille, LW, Los Angeles Kings (1984)
What could prevent Pavel Datsyuk (Red Wings, 1998) from staking his claim as the best NHL players ever drafted at 171 after 918 points in 953 games, multiple Selke wins and a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame?
That would be Luc Robitaille, who had 1,394 points in 1,431 games and remains 13th in NHL history in goals scored (668). The two were teammates with the Red Wings at the end of Robitaille’s career and the start of Datsyuk’s.
172. Dennis Seidenberg, D, Philadelphia Flyers (2001)
173. Nick Bonino, C, San Jose Sharks (2007)
174. Andrew Brunette, LW, Washington Capitals (1993)
175. Patrik Sundström, C, Vancouver Canucks (1980)
176. Marek Zidlicky, D, New York Rangers (2001)
177. Ladislav Nagy, LW, St. Louis Blues (1997)
178. Mark Stone, RW, Ottawa Senators (2010)
Stone has the fifth most points (634) and the best plus-minus (+141) in the 2010 NHL draft class.
179. Pavel Kubina, D, Tampa Bay Lightning (1996)
180. Gary Suter, D, Calgary Flames (1984)
181. Hakan Loob, RW, Calgary Flames (1980)
182. Erik Haula, LW, Minnesota Wild (2009)
183. Kelly Miller, LW, New York Rangers (1982)
184. Iiro Pakarinen, RW, Florida Panthers (2011)
185. Jim Thomson, RW, Washington Capitals (1984)
186. Stephane Yelle, C, New Jersey Devils (1992)
187. Mark Osiecki, D, Calgary Flames (1987)
189. Gord Murphy, D, Philadelphia Flyers (1985)
190. Shawn Thornton, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs (1997)
191. Martin Erat, RW, Nashville Predators (1999)
192. Jussi Jokinen, LW, Dallas Stars (2001)
193. Brooks Laich, C, Ottawa Senators (2001)
194. Matt Roy, D, Los Angeles Kings (2015)
195. Fernando Pisani, RW, Edmonton Oilers (1996)
196. Arturs Irbe, G, Minnesota North Stars (1989)
197. Gord Sherven, C, Edmonton Oilers (1981)
198. Bret Hedican, D, St. Louis Blues (1988)
199. Dominik Hasek, G, Chicago Blackhawks (1983)
Anytime you can draft one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history during the 10th round, you simply must do it. The Blackhawks would wait until 1990-91 for Hasek to show up in the NHL. With Ed Belfour ahead of him on the depth chart, they traded him to Buffalo in 1992.
200. Sergei Kostitsyn, LW, Montreal Canadiens (2005)
201. Justin Braun, D, San Jose Sharks (2007)
202. Kevin Miller, C, New York Rangers (1984)
203. Igor Ulanov, D, Winnipeg Jets (1991)
204. Tomas Kaberle, D, Toronto Maple Leafs (1996)
205. Henrik Lundqvist, G, New York Rangers (2000)
In 2003, the Sharks drafted Joe Pavelski at 205th overall out of the USHL. By the time he retired, he had amassed 1,086 points (with 476 goals) in 1,332 games. He was a star … but he wasn’t The King.
The Rangers drafted Lundqvist in 2000 after 21 other goaltenders had been selected. Only one (Ilya Bryzgalov) played more than 400 games, while 13 of them never made the NHL. Lundqvist played 887 games, won 459 of them along with a Vezina Trophy in a 15-year Hockey Hall of Fame career. A classic, and oft-cited, diamond in the rough.
206. MacKenzie Weegar, D, Florida Panthers (2013)
207. Hal Gill, D, Boston Bruins (1993)
208. Ondrej Palat, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning (2011)
209. Scott Wilson, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins (2011)
While Dave Taylor (Kings, 1975) has a stellar career (1,069 points in 1,111 games), Zetterberg gets the nod for his 13-season run with the Red Wings that included the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2008.
211. Erik Condra, RW, Ottawa Senators (2006)
212. Radim Vrbata, RW, Colorado Avalanche (1999)
213. Alexei Gusarov, D, Quebec Nordiques (1988)
214. Igor Larionov, C, Vancouver Canucks (1985)
After mentoring Pavel Bure in Vancouver and Sergei Makarov in San Jose, the legendary Soviet player was acquired by Detroit to help form their “Russian Five.” He’d win three Stanley Cups with the Wings.
Also under consideration: Uwe Krupp (Buffalo 1983), one of the better defensive defensemen of his generation.
216. Anton Stralman, D, Toronto Maple Leafs (2005)
217. Tim Thomas, G, Quebec Nordiques (1994)
The two-time Vezina winner with the Boston Bruins was a ninth-round pick by Quebec. He wouldn’t make the NHL until 2002.
218. Johan Hedberg, G, Philadelphia Flyers (1994)
219. Evgeni Nabokov, G, San Jose Sharks (1994)
220. Anson Carter, RW, Quebec Nordiques (1992)
222. Jonas Hoglund, LW, Calgary Flames (1992)
223. Craig Adams, RW, Hartford Whalers (1996)
