ATD 2021 Draft Summary

[ImporterExporter]

Vote for players/groups from other teams than your own.


Biggest Steal(s) of the draft:
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft:
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft:
Biggest blunder selection of the draft:
A Player finally getting respect in the draft:
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft:
A player you've discovered in this draft:
Most underrated player taken:
Most overrated player taken:
Favorite scoring line of the draft:
Favorite checking line of the draft:
Best assembled line of the draft:
Worst assembled line of the draft:
Favorite pairing of defensemen:
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen:
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals:
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals:
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft:

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Best Value: You cannot vote for players you own

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Also, feel free to add any other comments or reflections about your experience/team this year.

Click to read more...

 

[VanIslander]

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft: 77th Terry Sawchuk
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: 87th Shea Weber
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: 142nd Clint Benedict
Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Brett Lindros
A Player finally getting respect in the draft: 83rd Alex Delvecchio
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft: 151st Paul Kariya
A player you've discovered in this draft: Murray Murdoch
Most underrated player taken: Harry Watson
Most overrated player taken: Frantisek Pospisil
Favorite scoring line of the draft: Tommy Smith - Newsy Lalonde - Mickey MacKay
Favorite checking line of the draft: John Madden -Patrice Bergeron - Claude Lemieux
Worst assembled line of the draft: Robitaille - Esposito - Palffy
Favorite pairing of defensemen: Stevens - Orr
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen: Hitchman, Stewart, Conacher, Horner as a team's top 4
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals: Portland Penguins
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft: Bruce Stuart captained Ottawa to the 1909 Stanley Cup, then after they lost the next year, Stuart was given the power to assemble whatever team he wanted and he went out and got new guys and captained Ottawa to another Stanley Cup victory in 1911.

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Best Value: You cannot vote for players you own

1st round: Bobby Hull, 11th overall
2nd round: Guy Lafleur
3rd round: Martin Brodeur
4th round: Terry Sawchuk
5th round: Serge Savard
6th round: Dave Keon
7th round: Alex Maltsev
8th round: Alex Yakushev
9th round: Mickey Mackay
10th round: Babe Pratt
11th round: Harvey Pulford
12nd round: Dale Hawerchuk
13th round: Brian Propp
14th round: Gordon Roberts
15th round: Jiri Holecek
16th round: coach Gorman
17th round: Edgar Laprade
18th round: Tommy Smith
19th round: Gary Bergman
20th round: Dick Irvin
21st round: Konstantin Loktev
22nd round: Dan Bain
23rd round: Carol Vadnais
24th round: Albert Leduc

Worst value:

1st round: Lidstrom, 8th overall
2nd round: MacInnis
3rd round: Langway
4th round: Weber
5th round: Hedman
6th round: Olmstead
7th round: B.Smith
8th round: L.McDonald
9th round: Heatley
10th round: Numminen
11th round: Boyle
12th round: Roenick
13th round: Ward
14th round: Marshall
15th round: Graham
16th round: Pavelski
17th round: Redden
18th round: Jovonovski
19th round: Draisaitl
20th round: Sologubov
21st round: Svehla
22nd round: M.Richards
23rd round: Stone
24th round: Lindros

 

[Professor What]

I don't really feel like I have enough perspective to give meaningful votes to most of that, being the new guy, but I can give a reflection on my experience. There were a couple of times I got a bit stressed out over it, as you all know, but looking at it in the rearview mirror while not feeling that stress, I'll say it was a positive experience. By no means do I expect to win, but I'm fairly proud of the team I built. I do feel like I at least cobbled things together reasonably. There was one thing that I really questioned myself on at one point but that I felt fell in well. I didn't take a center until my fifth pick, and I'll admit that I wondered if that was going to end up biting me, but when I was able to maneuver to guarantee I'd get Francis and build the particular line I targeted, I have to say, it felt pretty good. I actually think the construction of my top line might be the thing I feel best about since it was something I'd started looking at pretty soon after my first pick and I actually managed to do it.

 

[ImporterExporter]

I don't really feel like I have enough perspective to give meaningful votes to most of that, being the new guy, but I can give a reflection on my experience. There were a couple of times I got a bit stressed out over it, as you all know, but looking at it in the rearview mirror while not feeling that stress, I'll say it was a positive experience. By no means do I expect to win, but I'm fairly proud of the team I built. I do feel like I at least cobbled things together reasonably. There was one thing that I really questioned myself on at one point but that I felt fell in well. I didn't take a center until my fifth pick, and I'll admit that I wondered if that was going to end up biting me, but when I was able to maneuver to guarantee I'd get Francis and build the particular line I targeted, I have to say, it felt pretty good. I actually think the construction of my top line might be the thing I feel best about since it was something I'd started looking at pretty soon after my first pick and I actually managed to do it.

Don't feel like you have to fill this out or fill it out completely. If there are some questions you think you have a good handle on, please share your thoughts. We only grow by continuing the dialogue.

You did a great job for your first go. I genuinely mean that. Lindsay-Francis-Richard is a fantastic top line. Really has everything you want to see in a top shelf scoring unit. You have a strong top 6. D corps that is solid enough, with a nice balance of skillsets. You protected Esposito well in net with Tiny Thompson. It's a really solid 1st attempt. As I've said before, better than mine certainly!

 

[ted2019]

Lolz at Weber being biggest draft reach.

 

[nabby12]

Lolz at Weber being biggest draft reach.

Lolz at you being the guy who picked him.

 

[rmartin65]

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft: There are a couple good ones. Gardiner/Vezina... MSL
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: Gary Suter
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: I'll have to ponder this a bit more in depth
Biggest blunder selection of the draft:
A Player finally getting respect in the draft: There are some modern player who are finally starting to go where they should.
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft:
A player you've discovered in this draft:
Most underrated player taken:
Most overrated player taken:
Favorite scoring line of the draft:
Favorite checking line of the draft:
Best assembled line of the draft:
Worst assembled line of the draft:
Favorite pairing of defensemen:
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen:
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals:
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals:
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft:

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Best Value: You cannot vote for players you own

1st round: Mikita
2nd round: Nighbor
3rd round: Hall
4th round: St. Louis
5th round: Ullman
6th round: Gardiner
7th round: Thornton
8th round: Reardon
9th round: White
10th round: Ragulin
11th round: Armstrong
12nd round: Tarasov
13th round: -
14th round: Kapustin
15th round: -
16th round: McDavid
17th round: -
18th round: Ramsey
19th round: -
20th round: Sullivan
21st round: Balon
22nd round: Patrick
23rd round: Stuart
24th round: -
25th round:

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I'll double back to this later.

 

[Professor What]

I will say that I think the biggest value of this draft might have been Jiri Holecek. When I chose Esposito, I was debating between taking him where I did or going for Holecek a round or two later. I finally decided I didn't think Holecek would be there when I would have planned to take him, so I went with Esposito. Well, Holecek was there, and remained there for a while, so I planned to pick him when I went for my backup. I was all excited thinking I was about to get a steal when he was snagged something like three or four picks before I could get him, so I got scooped on my steal.

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

Lolz at Weber being biggest draft reach

Lolz at you being the guy who picked him.

Pick 4 (87 OA)=Shea Weber: Felt a little 'reach-y' at the time... but that was before I knew how sharp the supply-curve for Defencemen was bending. He was picked a bit later than Langway, and Stewart-- and a case could be made that he's better than either of those guys.

In a world where Jack Stewart went 68 Overall, Shea Weber at 87 is NOT unreasonable, in context.

 

[ResilientBeast]

In a world where Jack Stewart went 68 Overall, Shea Weber at 87 is NOT unreasonable, in context.

Jack Stewart ahead of Clapper is madness

 

[Dreakmur]

Jack Stewart ahead of Clapper is madness

Yeah, Jack Stewart is a guy who should have fallen as guys like Doughty, Keith, Weber, and probably Karlsson have passed him bye.

 

[ted2019]

Lolz at you being the guy who picked him.

I know, a player who is one of the very few RH defensemen who can play top line minutes being a "reach"

 

[Claude The Fraud]

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft: Glenn Hall
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: Gary Suter
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Connor McDavid
Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Brett Lindros (Sorry tabness...)
A Player finally getting respect in the draft:
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft:
A player you've discovered in this draft: Red Sullivan
Most underrated player taken: Ted Kennedy
Most overrated player taken: Taylor Hall
Favorite scoring line of the draft: Michel Goulet - Marcel Dionne - Guy Lafleur
Favorite checking line of the draft: Bob Gainey - Joel Otto - Dirk Graham
Best assembled line of the draft: Too many to list only one
Worst assembled line of the draft: Luc Robitaille - Phil Esposito - Ziggy Palffy
Favorite pairing of defensemen: Scott Stevens - Bobby Orr
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen: Jean-Guy Talbot - Brian Campbell
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals: Ottawa Senators
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals: Pittsburgh AC
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft:

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Best Value: You cannot vote for players you own

1st round: Eddie Shore
2nd round: Frank Nighbor
3rd round: Henri Richard
4th round: Ken Dryden
5th round: Serge Savard
6th round: Dave Keon
7th round: Alexander Maltsev
8th round: Yvan Cournoyer
9th round: Patrice Bergeron
10th round: Toe Blake, coach
11th round: Georges Armstrong
12nd round: Igor Larionov
13th round: Dean Prentice
14th round: Mike Gartner
15th round: Georges Hainswoth
16th round: Connor McDavid
17th round: Butch Goring
18th round: Dino Ciccarelli
19th round: Ron Ellis
20th round: Dale Hunter
21st round: Rogie Vachon
22nd round: Reggie Leach
23rd round: Steve Duchesne
24th round: Vladimir Dzurilla

Worst value:

1st round: Alex Ovechkin
2nd round: Paul Coffey
3rd round: Rod Langway / Jack Stewart ( Rod Langway is my pick and as much as I like him, he shouldn't be draft so high. But I wanted a stay-at-home and if I hadn't drafted him, someone else would have.)
4th round: Elmer Lach
5th round: Luc Robitaille
6th round: Rob Blake
7th round: Patrick Elias
8th round: Marty Barry
9th round: Dany Heatley
10th round: Lionnel Hitchman
11th round: Ziggy Palffy
12th round: Mike Grant
13th round: Don Luce
14th round: Joel Otto
15th round: Red Dutton
16th round: Rob Ramage
17th round: Pit Lepine
18th round: Ed Jovanovski
19th round: Sandis Ozolinsh
20th round: Jean Pronovost
21st round: Wendel Clark
22nd round: Réjean Houle
23rd round: Bill Hajt
24th round: Brett Lindros

 

[Dreakmur]

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft: Glenn Hall - 4th best goalie fell a long way.
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: Jack Stewart - quite a few better defensemen available.
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Joe Malone - last of the good offensive #1 pivots.
Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Luc Robitaille - with Esposito and Jagr, a different kind of forward was needed.
A Player finally getting respect in the draft: Shea Weber
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft: ----
A player you've discovered in this draft: ----
Most underrated player taken: Marcel Dionne
Most overrated player taken: Frank Nighbor
Favorite scoring line of the draft: Toe Blake-Steven Stamkos-Gordie Howe
Favorite checking line of the draft: Craig Ramsay-Ryan Kesler-Jere Lehtonen
Best assembled line of the draft: Ted Lindsey-Ron Francis-Maurice Richard
Worst assembled line of the draft: Luc Robitaille-Phil Esposito-Ziggy Palffy
Favorite pairing of defensemen: Scott Stevens-Bobby Orr
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen: Marcel Pronovost-Eddie Shore
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals: Montreal Canadiens
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals: New Jersey Swamp Devils
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft: ----

 

[VanIslander]

Several quotes atest to Pronovost's developed commitment to defensive play, to his hard-hitting reliable play.

His poised defensive presence allowed the team’s offensive stars to take more risks in the attacking zone. While Kelly received a ton of media attention due to his flashier play, Pronovost was just as integral to the team’s success.

Pronovost would let Shore rush and cover for him.

A young Pronovost rushed but he became more of a checking defenseman on teams that didn't need him to rush.

Note: The Jackal blueline is full of guys known for offensive and defensive ability. No specialists here. Everyone has to check well, skate and handle the puck.

 

[Dreakmur]

Several quotes atest to Pronovost's developed commitment to defensive play, to his hard-hitting reliable play.

Pronovost would let Shore rush and cover for him.

A young Pronovost rushed but he became more of a checking defenseman on teams that didn't need him to rush.

Note: The Jackal blueline is full of guys known for offensive and defensive ability. No specialists here. Everyone has to check well, skate and handle the puck.

Two reckless physical players who both like to join the rush. Yes, both are capable defensively, but if either one has to play safe, it takes away from their game.

 

[VanIslander]

Pronovost reckless???????!!!

Use sources or retract.

 

[RustyRazor]

I'll just pick some stuff I liked.

Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Scott Stevens
A player you've discovered in this draft: Lionel Hitchman
Favorite scoring line of the draft: Aside from those already mentioned, I like Ovechkin - Oates - Hextall quite a bit
Favorite checking line of the draft: Madden - Bergeron - Lemieux
Favorite pairing of defensemen: Stevens and Orr is pretty terrific
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals: Guelph Platters

 

[Dreakmur]

Craig Ramsay-Ryan Kesler-Jere Lehtonen is the best checking line of the draft, and it’s not even remotely close.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Stream-of-consciousness style:

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft: Dit Clapper, Terry Sawchuk, Serge Savard
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: X
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Russell Bowie, Joe Malone, Herbie Lewis, many others.
Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Paul Kariya, Jacques Laperrière, Frank Brimsek, Pierre Pilote (all blunders in context, not value-wise)
A Player finally getting respect in the draft: Mark Messier, Yvan Cournoyer, Marian Hossa
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft: X
A player you've discovered in this draft: Learned a bit more on Mickey Mackay's multipositionality
Most underrated player taken: Yvan Cournoyer, Bobby Bauer
Most overrated player taken: Tony Esposito, Dominik Hasek
Favorite scoring line of the draft: Just to go for the non-obvious, I have a soft spot for LL's Delvecchio-Trottier-Kurri. Also for Ovechkin-Oates-Hextall Sr. I love a lot of scoring lines in this draft though.
Favorite checking line of the draft: Ramsay-Kesler-Lehtinen is perfect in terms of pure checking.
Best assembled line of the draft: Lewis-Sakic-Broadbent, just love it for some reason, better than the sum of its parts.
Worst assembled line of the draft: Kariya-Boucher-Iginla (because of Kariya)
Favorite pairing of defensemen: Again going for the non-obvious, Potvin-Weber. Congrats to all who managed to reunite real-life partners too.
Most puzzling pairing of defensemen: X
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals: X
Team in the other conference you wouldn't want to meet in the finals: X
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft: X

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Best Value: You cannot vote for players you own

1st round: Shore
2nd round: Esposito
3rd round: Apps Sr.
4th round: Clapper/Sawchuk (HM Kennedy)
5th round: Savard
6th round: Martinec/Lindros
7th round: Cowley/Krutov
8th round: Cournoyer/Perreault
9th round: Mackay/Flaman
10th round: Fredrickson/Lemaire
11th round: X
12nd round: Getzlaf
13th round: Keats
14th round: Kapustin
15th round: Bauer
16th round: X
17th round: Imlach

Worst value:

1st round: Hasek
2nd round: MacInnis
3rd round: Langway/Stewart
4th round: Brimsek context-wise/Dionne
5th round: Quackenbush
6th round: G.Suter

Have to go, maybe I'll fill the rest later.

 

[tinyzombies]

I'll just pick some stuff I liked.

Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: Scott Stevens
A player you've discovered in this draft: Lionel Hitchman
Favorite scoring line of the draft: Aside from those already mentioned, I like Ovechkin - Oates - Hextall quite a bit
Favorite checking line of the draft: Madden - Bergeron - Lemieux
Favorite pairing of defensemen: Stevens and Orr is pretty terrific
Team in the other conference it'd be interesting to meet in the finals: Guelph Platters

Stevens-Orr? That's insane. I tender my resignation.

 

[The Macho King]

Stevens-Orr? That's insane. I tender my resignation.

I imagine the forward depth had to take at least a little bit of a ding to make that happen, but that might be the best pairing I've seen in a full scale ATD in my *checks notes* three years.

 

[ChiTownPhilly]

Biggest Steal(s) of the draft: Lindros: Round 6, 132 overall.
Biggest Reach(es) of the draft: Gary Suter, one pick before Lindros
Smartest/best strategic pick in the draft: TDMM doing TDMM things by picking Maltsev in Round 7
Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Brett Lindros. If a Forward gets injured, we're going with seven Defencemen. If two Forwards go out under COVID-protocol, Brett actually has to be assigned ice-time.
A player always taken too high, finally getting picked where he should in the draft: Tony Esposito.
A player you've discovered in this draft: Veniamin Alexandrov- (discovered... even if not selected).
Most underrated player taken: C. Conacher/Seibert
Most overrated player taken: Crosby/Mikita
A funny/dramatic story (related to the ATD) you've learned about since the start of the draft: Butch Bouchard telling the crime lords where to get off.
[Peripheral note: when I took Suchý in Round seven, the other consideration was Bouchard. My team would have taken a very different shape if I'd gone the other way.]

Best Value: You cannot vote for players you own

1st round: Morenz- taken after lesser players selected, AND received assets for doing so.
2nd round: Makarov
3rd round: Apps
4th round: Mahovlich [Not sure about pairing him with Ratelle... but that's nothing to do with the pick.]
5th round: Joe Malone
6th round: Lindros, natch
7th round: Maltsev
8th round: Toews (called overrated for so long that he's now underrated)
9th round: Gilbert/MacKay
10th round: Fredrickson
11th round: Lehtinen/Armstrong
12nd round: Hawerchuk
13th round: Tikkanen
14th round: Duncan
15th round: Holeček
16th round: Trotz
17th round: Panarin
18th round: Goyette
19th round: Pat Burns
20th round: Worsley
21st round: Vachon
22nd round: Houle
23rd round: Seiling
24th round: Carlyle
25th round: Moran

Boldest selections:

1st round: Mikita
2nd round: Yzerman
3rd round: Stewart
4th round: Niedermayer
5th round: Kasatonov
6th round: Gary Suter
7th round: Billy Smith
8th round: Cournoyer
9th round: Keith Tkachuk
10th round: Horner
11th round: Brind'Amour
12th round: Worters
13th round: (nothing of note...)
14th round: Lundqvist [what does one call picking the back-up Goaltender in Rd 14 if not bold?]
15th round: LaFontaine
16th round: P.K. Subban
17th round: K. Stevens
18th round: Beck
19th round: Kostka (in a 24-pick draft... interesting)
20th round: Mats Naslund
21st round: Svehla (not an unworthy player... but 2 spare Ds/1 spare Forward arc-lights the Brett Lindros debacle)
22nd round: Pit Martin
23rd round: Byfuglien
24th round: Brett Lindros
25th round: Barrasso

 

[Dreakmur]

Boldest selections:
16th round: P.K. Subban

Poor Pernell-Karl is taking a beating!

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

Stream-of-consciousness style:

Biggest blunder selection of the draft: Paul Kariya, Jacques Laperrière, Frank Brimsek, Pierre Pilote (all blunders in context, not value-wise)

Worst assembled line of the draft: Kariya-Boucher-Iginla (because of Kariya)

Would be interested to hear you elaborate on this. By inserting Kariya I definitely did not re-create the Bread Line (which it may have looked like I was trying to do when I took Iginla), but I think the line works fine as a scoring focused line, not meant to go power vs. power (the Henri Richard line is meant to match up against the other teams best).

As far as scoring line chemistry goes, Boucher is the defensive conscience, Iginla the physical presence, and Kariya is basically all offence and was really needed for my PP (although the team he Captained to Game 7 of the Cup Final was fairly defensive and coached by Mike Babcock). I think Boucher is a center that would work well with Kariya's style/creativity. While Boucher is certainly a playmaker first, it's important that he's not the type who needs to be carrying the puck all the time, the Bread Line was known for their complex offensive plays with multiple passes between players. Kariya is a balanced player offensively, which is also important, if he was all playmaker the line wouldn't work, but Kariya was a strong goal scorer.