How many times has the top rated Dman during his draft year become the best Dman from that draft class? Not very often. Dahlia should become the best of that class but for all we know some guy drafted in the 3rd round could become that player. I think Bouchard coild put up better numbers over his career due to the Mcdavid factor.
Interesting question.
2016: Juolevi - no (Sergachev or McAvoy)
2015: Hanifin - no (Werenski or Provorov)
2014: Ekblad - yes
2013: Jones - yes
2012: Murray - no (Lindholm, Reilly or Trouba)
2011: Larsson - no (Hamilton)
2010: Gudbranson - no (Fowler?)
2009: Hedman - yes
2008: Doughty - close. Can debate Karlsson
2007: Alzner - no (Subban)
2006: E. Johnson - yes
2005: J. Johnson - no (Letang or Vlasic)
2004: Barker - no (Green)
2003: Suter - maybe? Close between him, Weber and recently Burns
2002: Bouwmeester - no (Keith)
2001: Komisarek - no (probably Hamhuis)
2000: Klesla - no (Visnovsky)
That's as far back as I wanted to look haha. The bold are the guys I can remember having a tonne of hype as franchise type guys going into their draft years like Dahlin has had. But I was only 12 in 2000, so my memory might not be as good as I think it is for all of these years.
The hype for Dahlin is probably the highest since Hedman? Although the hype for Ekblad was pretty high to.
Obviously pretty early for the last few years.