Sorry thought you meant that Saku actually played with. Grabovski like the others was out of the NHL within 5-years of Koivu’s exit from Habs.
Price & Halak… only ones he played w that had a special 10+ year NHL career
Yeah, the point is that there were alot of interesting guys in the pipeline back then and there are also a number of intriguing prospects today.
Out of the fraction that "make it", there could be guys with short careers and great peaks, and there could be guys who have their career cut short by injury.
It takes a certain aligning of the stars to hit on a Carey Price kind of career, although he didn't exactly get to choose his exit plan either.
Grabo had a place in this league but he just had physical ailments make the decision on his behalf to exit. Subban and McDonagh were a couple of the better dmen of their time despite differing styles. Pacioretty was one of the best goal scorers of his time.
Making it to the NHL is hard enough, but a player's vitality in the league is always fragile. While there are certain things in your control, only the ones with a great deal of fortune will have a long career and get to choose their exit.