4 of the more infamous 1st round busts.

[bsl]

Our Polish style jokes are about Norwegians. When Monty Python's Life of Brian was shown in Sweden (it was banned in Norway for a short time) the ads for it went something like:
"So funny, it is banned in Norway".

I like Norway and Norwegians, worked with some when I worked as a train traffic controller and they rented 4-6 electrical train engines from Sweden and I called Oslo daily and asked what trains they were using them for (to get the kilometers). It is also one of the most beautiful countries on earth. Driving from Sweden to the west coast of Norway is just amazing, all those deep fjords and rivers.

They are also the best winter sport nation by far, about 5.2 million people and they have won the most medals in the Winter Olympics of all countries.

Hilarious. Yup. Watch our for the Norwegians.

 

[CreamOfTheCrop]

Yakupov
Guy from Atlanta
DAIGLE
Ekblad

EKBLAD.... are you for real man ?

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

for me it has to be looked at with a weighted average. If you pick 1st OA, you have to land a star player, if not it's a bust or close enough. I look at Yakupov, yes he played 350 games but had just 136 pts. If he was a 5th round pick it would be a nice win for the scouts, a 7th round pick a steal, a 2nd round pick it doesn't look so good but not terrible depending on how the draft class that year stacks up. But 1st OA? that's just not good enough.

To me if you are picking top 2 you must have a legit start, top 5 you must hit on a very good NHLer, top 10 must be a top 6/top 4/top 10ish stater, and top 15 you need to find good NHLers. Once you start getting to the 20's, you should be finding NHLers but the stats show it becomes harder. Early 2nd round you need to find NHLers, later 2nd round it clearly shouldn't be as expected to land as good of a player. Of course you have to look at the strength of that years draft overall and put it all into the proper context imo.

See, you hit the nail right here, the Habs never really had a top top 2 spot in the last 30 years. They had top 5 twice and ended up with Carey Price and Alex Galchenyuk. For some, Price is one of the best goalies that ever played. I tend to disagree but that's another topic altogether.

Now, Galchenyuk was flipped for Domi. I cannot consider Gally a bust. He never met expectations and playing terrible as of late, yet would you consider him a bust?

Most players after top 5 are considered projects and if you actually fall on a legit hockey player, then your scouts deserve credit for a job well done. Unfortunately, the Habs didn't pick so well over the years.

They hit homeruns though with Gallagher, Subban, Halak, Markov and Pacces. Plekanec, Robidas and Beauchemin became decent NHL players. Robeiro threw his career in the air.

Other players like McDonaugh and Sergachev became good players under a different scenery. Some players had a few good seasons like Theodore, Latendresse, C. Higgins, Streit, Emelin and Brisebois but eventually couldn't keep up with the pace. This is a pretty abysmal track record for a team that had so many picks but keeps striking out. Are the scouts or player development staff to blame? Even the media has had enough of the Habs inability to develop good players.

 

[montreal]

They hit homeruns though with Gallagher, Subban, Halak, Markov and Pacces. Plekanec, Robidas and Beauchemin became decent NHL players. Robeiro threw his career in the air.

Other players like McDonaugh and Sergachev became good players under a different scenery. Some players had a few good seasons like Theodore, Latendresse, C. Higgins, Streit, Emelin and Brisebois but eventually couldn't keep up with the pace. This is a pretty abysmal track record for a team that had so many picks but keeps striking out. Are the scouts or player development staff to blame? Even the media has had enough of the Habs inability to develop good players.

I don't consider Galchenyuk a bust due more to how bad the draft class is looking though I thought he would do much better in Pitt then he did so I worry about off-ice issues with him. That said if he could score 30, there should have been a way to get him to be better then he was though I feel he was handled terribly which likely didn't help matters.

Markov was a great pick when you consider how good he was vs how late he was picked. Certainly some luck involved there, I remember the hype when he came over but even then it was never that high yet he was the f***ing man for years here. Subban was also a great pick but I am shocked to see him hitting a wall this early in his career though that's just based off what others say as I haven't watched much of him at all since the trade.

I do worry that the Habs plan to stock on draft picks and prospects while trying to make the playoffs is a terrible one as I would have loved it had they had someone in charge that took the bull by the horns. Fired MB after such a terrible season 2 years ago, brought in someone better then Julien and stop with the f***ing retread coaches and just f***ing tank. Sell off Price, Petry, Tatar, etc... use the full amount of cap space to take on bad contracts for additional 1sts each year, do whatever you can to try and get a top 5 pick over several years.

But now we just have to wait and see how it all pans out and hope that they have hit on several prospects from the likes of Caufield, Kotka, Suzuki, Romanov, Norlinder, Struble, Brook, Ylonen, Primeau, etc... There's certainly a lot to like there but I just wish we could have a 1st OA just once (though hopefully not in a shit draft year like '12)

 

[Toene]

My uncle and my dad were hall of fame players at Loyola in the 50's. My uncle was a really good player. Like close to NHL good. I remember going to a game with him in Edmonton in the early 80's. The Oilers were insanely good of course. But he insisted on calling Coffey 'Coughup.' Out loud. When the crowd was quiet. My uncle was an old fashioned player. Big tough guy. Montreal guy. Had watched Doug Harvey and all that I guess. Great fun.

Nice. My gramps went to Loyola college in the late 40s-early 50s.

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

I don't consider Galchenyuk a bust due more to how bad the draft class is looking though I thought he would do much better in Pitt then he did so I worry about off-ice issues with him. That said if he could score 30, there should have been a way to get him to be better then he was though I feel he was handled terribly which likely didn't help matters.

Markov was a great pick when you consider how good he was vs how late he was picked. Certainly some luck involved there, I remember the hype when he came over but even then it was never that high yet he was the f***ing man for years here. Subban was also a great pick but I am shocked to see him hitting a wall this early in his career though that's just based off what others say as I haven't watched much of him at all since the trade.

I do worry that the Habs plan to stock on draft picks and prospects while trying to make the playoffs is a terrible one as I would have loved it had they had someone in charge that took the bull by the horns. Fired MB after such a terrible season 2 years ago, brought in someone better then Julien and stop with the f***ing retread coaches and just f***ing tank. Sell off Price, Petry, Tatar, etc... use the full amount of cap space to take on bad contracts for additional 1sts each year, do whatever you can to try and get a top 5 pick over several years.

But now we just have to wait and see how it all pans out and hope that they have hit on several prospects from the likes of Caufield, Kotka, Suzuki, Romanov, Norlinder, Struble, Brook, Ylonen, Primeau, etc... There's certainly a lot to like there but I just wish we could have a 1st OA just once (though hopefully not in a shit draft year like '12)

I remember the Wings of the 90s. They never had first overall picks but managed to build contenders with late picks year after year. The Lightning have done the same recently. Obviously, all good things come to an end and the Wings are dwelling in the gutter for some time now.

 

[montreal]

I remember the Wings of the 90s. They never had first overall picks but managed to build contenders with late picks year after year. The Lightning have done the same recently. Obviously, all good things come to an end and the Wings are dwelling in the gutter for some time now.

the wings certainly struck gold with their Swedish scout who nailed some amazing picks yet for us he's done jack shit. But the wings likely wouldn't have won 3 cups without that 4th OA pick in Yzerman, what a great pick that one was.

TB has clearly had great success at the draft, we'll see if they can get some cups of it, or how the more recent years end up but they appear to be one of the best, not that having a 1st and 2nd OA in back to back drafts wasn't huge for them but that Point pick, what a find as only 3 players from the '14 draft have more points then him.

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

the wings certainly struck gold with their Swedish scout who nailed some amazing picks yet for us he's done jack shit. But the wings likely wouldn't have won 3 cups without that 4th OA pick in Yzerman, what a great pick that one was.

TB has clearly had great success at the draft, we'll see if they can get some cups of it, or how the more recent years end up but they appear to be one of the best, not that having a 1st and 2nd OA in back to back drafts wasn't huge for them but that Point pick, what a find as only 3 players from the '14 draft have more points then him.

Let's not forget also that the Lightning had top 2 back to back picks.

 

[DAChampion]

Let's not forget also that the Lightning had top 2 back to back picks.

In good years.

Even with a 1st and 2nd, one could do a lot worse than Stamkos and Hedman.

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

In good years.

Even with a 1st and 2nd, one could do a lot worse than Stamkos and Hedman.

In recent years, the only player that really was a true bust was Yakupov. Daigle, Nugent-Hopkins and Stefan didn't live up to expectations.

 

[Fixxer]

In recent years, the only player that really was a true bust was Yakupov. Daigle, Nugent-Hopkins and Stefan didn't live up to expectations.

I wonder if Hischier will have a similar career as RNH.

 

[montreal]

Let's not forget also that the Lightning had top 2 back to back picks.

it was right in my post,

not that having a 1st and 2nd OA in back to back drafts wasn't huge for them

 

[bsl]

the wings certainly struck gold with their Swedish scout who nailed some amazing picks yet for us he's done jack shit. But the wings likely wouldn't have won 3 cups without that 4th OA pick in Yzerman, what a great pick that one was.

TB has clearly had great success at the draft, we'll see if they can get some cups of it, or how the more recent years end up but they appear to be one of the best, not that having a 1st and 2nd OA in back to back drafts wasn't huge for them but that Point pick, what a find as only 3 players from the '14 draft have more points then him.

This always pisses people off but I consider Yzerman as good as Gretzky. The guy was a monster player.

 

[montreal]

This always pisses people off but I consider Yzerman as good as Gretzky. The guy was a monster player.

he was one of my all time favorite players, the only non Habs jersey I ever owned but he wasn't on their level it was the Wayne and Mario show as those guys were just not human. Yzerman was one of the best players in the league, the other 2 could be the greatest of all time or certainly right up there.

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

it was right in my post,

My apologies, I didn't really go through all of it.

 

[Wats]

Not so much this.

I'd even go as far as saying Drouin would have developed into a better player if he stayed in Tampa as well.

 

[Vachon23]

Fisher over Giroux will always hurt me alote. Giroux was so good with Gatineau I never understood that selection, if there is reason why Fisher flop and I think he would have been an NHLer of he didn’t lost his mother. The other pick that I hate was the McCarron pick. Drafting a guy with no skills in the 1st round was really bad

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Fisher over Giroux will always hurt me alote. Giroux was so good with Gatineau I never understood that selection, if there is reason why Fisher flop and I think he would have been an NHLer of he didn’t lost his mother. The other pick that I hate was the McCarron pick. Drafting a guy with no skills in the 1st round was really bad

There are many draft picks that I hated... mostly the defenseman in the mid/late first round: Fischer, Tinordi, Beaulieu, Juulsen. I remember us focusing on defenseman those draft years. All of them have disappointed and are considered wasted picks.

 

[26Mats]

There are many draft picks that I hated... mostly the defenseman in the mid/late first round: Fischer, Tinordi, Beaulieu, Juulsen. I remember us focusing on defenseman those draft years. All of them have disappointed and are considered wasted picks.

Juulsen still has a shot. But yeah, it was annoying to hear MB after the Juulsen draft say "I told Trevor to get me a defenseman in the 1st round."

 

[Jerryvvv]

in 2-3 years KK can be added to this list

 

[NotProkofievian]

Nobody traded up to nab him.....it’s not like it was Anthony Mantha dropping 7 spots......the guy just turned out to be great

Pastrnak is a good case study. He never did anything in any of the international tournaments. However, he was an absolute killer in league play and always played way ahead of his age group. He was a golden boy for the czechs. He and William Nylander own the two best U18 records in Allsvenskan history. He (24), William Nylander (8), Jakub Vrana (13), and Kevin Fiala (11) were the best U17 players in the J20 that year.

There are a few guys in this upcoming draft who have similar pedigrees. Holtz and Raymond are record holders in the swedish system. Both Jan Mysak and John-Jason Peterka crushed the new Czech U19 league last year. Mysak played a fairly sizeable role for his Czech club as a 16 year old. Peterka played the whole year with his DEL club this year.

 

[Kimota]

Fisher over Giroux will always hurt me alote. Giroux was so good with Gatineau I never understood that selection, if there is reason why Fisher flop and I think he would have been an NHLer of he didn’t lost his mother. The other pick that I hate was the McCarron pick. Drafting a guy with no skills in the 1st round was really bad

Remember this well and I could not understand why NOBODY was talking about Giroux, not even the french channels. maybe Gainey slipped them a few bucks so they don't talk about him. lol

 

[Jerryvvv]

Selecting David Fischer over Claude Giroux is unforgivable.

so is chucky over Morgan Reilly

 

[PavelBrendl]

so is chucky over Morgan Reilly

That's more of a hindsight thing. At the time, I think it was really easy to get excited about Galchenyuk. Yes he had lost a season to injury but the numbers he put up as a rookie in the OHL were incredible.

 

[Newfoundland]

KK is trending that way @MTLManagment