Blake Wheeler... draft reach?

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

I was going through the old tsn top 30 draft archives and saw that Wheeler wasn't even ranked in the top 30 in the 04 draft. For a guy that was picked 5th overall that would have to be considered quite the reach.

I wasn't following hockey in depth back then so my questions are how big of a reach was Wheeler considered and what was the reaction to the pick.

Here's the article if anyone is interested http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?id=10903

Click to read more...

 

[Billy Mays Here*]

That is all.

 

[Land O Lakes]

Blake was drafted out of high school after an insanely dominant year and lured comparisons to Mike Modano (who was drafted out of high school in Livonia) for having similar paths into their respective drafts.

The overall aura about him being taken this early though, at least in Minnesota -- was a combo of astonishment and agreement in Gretzky's vision with Wheeler's future. He had a bright path ahead of him and while he wasn't rated as highly in comparison to the other players on the NA rankings, it's pretty commonplace for Minnesota HS players to come out of the draft in a higher position than their ranking. Leddy is a good recent example.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

People were very surprised to see him taken that high but the consensus going into the draft was that it was a weak crop of players and there would be a lot of off the board selections. Yes, Wheeler went too high but nobody was saying "I can't believe Phoenix passed on ___" because there wasn't that star skater after Ovechkin and Malkin. Also, because Gretzky had picked Wheeler so surely he must have known something that no one else knew.

 

[TCJ]

That is all.

I was there for that. Most insane/best hockey related moment I have ever witnessed.

 

[XX]

I was going through the old tsn top 30 draft archives and saw that Wheeler wasn't even ranked in the top 30 in the 04 draft. For a guy that was picked 5th overall that would have to be considered quite the reach.

I wasn't following hockey in depth back then so my questions are how big of a reach was Wheeler considered and what was the reaction to the pick.

The Phoenix board blew a collective gasket. I openly yelled "WHO!?" because none of us had even considered him. He was a gigantic project that was going to take years to develop, but the scouts liked his upside. The NHL (and especially the Coyotes under Barnett) was still obsessed with size at the time and Wheeler could skate for his size. 04 was basically a terrible draft. I remember us all wanting Lauri Tukonen.

Anyways, he was stashed away in Phoenix' system and developed nicely. Then he spurned a better contract for a better organization (can't really blame him, looking back) and left. He has turned into a decent top 6 guy, so I feel Phoenix was vindicated for taking him so early. If you look at the draft, it's just laughable. So many busts. Zajac, Radulov and Green were basically the only gems taken after Wheeler. Drew Stafford isn't terrible, either.

Basically, everyone laughed at the time. But he ended up developing as expected. Not quite the dominant player Phoenix had envisioned, but a useful player none the less. He is super soft for his size, though. Kind of funny.

 

[bluemandan]

That is all.

OP "Why was Wheeler taken where he was despite being ranked much lower?"

Response: "Watch this video from after he was drafted!!"

 

[Xokkeu]

The Phoenix board blew a collective gasket. I openly yelled "WHO!?" because none of us had even considered him. He was a gigantic project that was going to take years to develop, but the scouts liked his upside. The NHL (and especially the Coyotes under Barnett) was still obsessed with size at the time and Wheeler could skate for his size. 04 was basically a terrible draft. I remember us all wanting Lauri Tukonen.

Anyways, he was stashed away in Phoenix' system and developed nicely. Then he spurned a better contract for a better organization (can't really blame him, looking back) and left. He has turned into a decent top 6 guy, so I feel Phoenix was vindicated for taking him so early. If you look at the draft, it's just laughable. So many busts. Zajac, Radulov and Green were basically the only gems taken after Wheeler. Drew Stafford isn't terrible, either.

Basically, everyone laughed at the time. But he ended up developing as expected. Not quite the dominant player Phoenix had envisioned, but a useful player none the less. He is super soft for his size, though. Kind of funny.

Yep, it was pretty bad after Ovechkin and Malkin. A couple of good 2nd round picks in Dubinsky, Booth, Krjeci and Goligoski. If we are redrafting the first round I'd say only Ladd, Green, Schneider and Zajac go above Wheeler, with Radulov only dropping due to the fact that he's in Russia. Stafford and Wheeler are pretty even. After that you are looking at replacement level players. Fistric, Schultz, Meszaros, Smid

 

[puckfan13]

Yep, it was pretty bad after Ovechkin and Malkin. A couple of good 2nd round picks in Dubinsky, Booth, Krjeci and Goligoski. If we are redrafting the first round I'd say only Ladd, Green, Schneider and Zajac go above Wheeler, with Radulov only dropping due to the fact that he's in Russia. Stafford and Wheeler are pretty even. After that you are looking at replacement level players. Fistric, Schultz, Meszaros, Smid

Smid and Meszaros as replacement level.. lol.

 

[Xokkeu]

Smid and Meszaros as replacement level.. lol.

Well I mean besides the perennial Norris Trophy potential.

 

[Billy Mays Here*]

OP "Why was Wheeler taken where he was despite being ranked much lower?"

Response: "Watch this video from after he was drafted!!"

The video had nothing to do with the OP's question. It's just an awesome Blake Wheeler moment.

 

[Jaykay]

He was absurdly good and fun to watch in high school, but everyone around here was still shocked that he went as high as he did. Most guys playing in high school during their draft year don't go that high; especially guys who have to play in the USHL the next year.

 

[Jaykay]

Blake was drafted out of high school after an insanely dominant year and lured comparisons to Mike Modano (who was drafted out of high school in Livonia) for having similar paths into their respective drafts.

What??? I believe Modano played in the Dub for two years before he was drafted.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Huge reach and he was only mediocre for the Gophers, frustrating to watch because you could see the physical attributes but he couldn't quite put it together. NHL practices and work ethic have turned him into a great player though, he knew how to find open ice around the net and now he has the consistency to bury it. Out of the players I consistently see (many gophers) I would say Bjugstad is a good comparable within current prospects in terms of play and relative draft value.

 

[kingsfan]

It was a stretch at the time, but many draft guys at the time said he was the player to watch for in terms of making a huge jump and teams had him all over the place in their draft listings. IIRC, Bob MacKenzie said he could go as high as 4th, but could fall right out of the first round, but the consensus was mid-1st.

Looking at how the top 45 picks have panned out, Wheeler isn't worthy of 5th overall, but he's arguably worth a top-10 pick, so it's hard to say Phoenix did terrible with that pick. At worst he was drafted slightly to high, but given the way he's improved, especially since leaving Boston, it's quite possible Wheeler will still validate his draft position when all is said and done. He is only 26 and a lot of the other guys from that first round are either out of the NHL altogether, or fading fast (Wolski).

 

[MrFunnyWobbl]

Not that much of a reach.

 

[Devilspuppet666]

What??? I believe Modano played in the Dub for two years before he was drafted.

you, are correct my friend

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

It was viewed as a huge reach at the time, and earned the Yotes a very poor "draft grade" (hahaha).

Ironically it was one of the better picks of the first round.

 

[Brodeur]

I vaguely recall that there was at least some slack given to the pick because Dave Draper was heading the Phoenix draft effort. Draper spent the 90s as a scout with Quebec/Colorado, so there was a feeling that he knew what he was doing.

 

[Gwyddbwyll]

The draft class was such a bad one that scouts started to look anywhere and everywhere for players. Wheeler literally came from not even being on the draft board in the first half of the season to one of the fastest risers in the last few weeks before the draft. He was generally around #35. That doesnt mean a lot, the other big riser was Kyle Wharton. Some teams like to take late developers.

I think it also came out that two other NHL teams wanted to take Wheeler at around 10-15, the Isles were definitely one and I think the others were Dallas and Minnesota. The Coyotes were heavily criticised for not moving down the board to select him later but it wasnt really much of an option nor was there much of a trade return in doing so.

 

[MeowLeafs]

OP "Why was Wheeler taken where he was despite being ranked much lower?"

Response: "Watch this video from after he was drafted!!"

I thought he posted the video because of the whole "reach" thing. Dunno, I thought it was kinda clever.

 

[TheHudlinator]

It was a huge reach not a huge bust but there were better players taken after him.

 

[AmericanDream]

It was a huge reach not a huge bust but there were better players taken after him.

not many players picked in the top 30 after Wheeler I would pick before him right now. maybe 1-2 guys. the second round has some solid players, but Wheeler is still improving so not sure if he has peaked like some others might have.

 

[tfong]

The telltale signs of Mark Jankowski?

 

[TheHudlinator]

not many players picked in the top 30 after Wheeler I would pick before him right now. maybe 1-2 guys. the second round has some solid players, but Wheeler is still improving so not sure if he has peaked like some others might have.

From the first round I would pick
Smid
Stafford
Radulov
Zajac
Schneider
Green

I think he is behind these players from the first round and I am not convinced Wheeler is getting better.