Best player you've drafted so far?

[PM]

Valeri Saprykin! That was it haha. Also once drafted a goalie by the name of Jesus Luongo in the older games and a forward called Sidney Ovechkin. Neither lived up to their names unfortunately.

 

[RealisticLeafsFan13]

Best player I ever drafted was in the 2019 draft. A RH TWD named Steven Hunt, 5* potential, and best of all it was green. He started out on my bottom pairing at 83 overall, by the end of the season he was 93 overall on my top pairing with Morgan Rielly My team was a dynasty. Won 5 Stanley Cups in a row and 6 in 7 years.

 

[hockey17jp]

Just drafted a goalie named Henrik Backlund 1st Overall in 2019.

19 years old

74 Overall

5 Star Yellow Potential

Already up to a 77 by the start of the preseason.

UPDATE:

At the start of the 2020 season Backlund is a 90 Overall at 20 years old.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I drafted a Luke Hankinson guy in the 2017 or 2018 draft. He started at 83 overall and was 5 gold stars. He was up to 86 or 87 by the start of the season.

 

[PuqTalk]

Just drafted a goalie named Henrik Backlund 1st Overall in 2019.

19 years old

74 Overall

5 Star Yellow Potential

Already up to a 77 by the start of the preseason.

Probably makes it up to 82 by the end of the year.

 

[The Rage Kage]

Drafted a twf 1st overall 2021, can't remember his name.

Out if the draft he's 88 overall, 5 yellow stars, by the time the season starts he's 90 overall but listed as a 2nd liner (and stayed that way his whole first year). He was a point per game on my second line.

 

[GoSensGo6172]

Aaron Ekblad with the Ducks lol. Got him in my first off season and threw him into the lineup with a 76 rating with limited minutes. He put up 23 pts and a +12 that season and by that offseason he went up to an 84.
Four season later.....he's got a 50 pt season and a 40 pt season and is a 88 ovr. STUD!

 

[All Me]

i didn't draft him but a defenseman went 1st overall in the 2018 draft. He had an overall of 96 (not kidding)
TWD, 5 green stars

 

[Sundin 13]

Currently in 2023 season.

Drafted: Niita Sherbak (87), McDavid (92), William Nylander (88). Random goalie 4.5 green stars 1st overall in 2022 (87) Drasiaitl (86)

Traded for: Drouin (91) Mackinnon (90) Eberle (90)

 

[Sundin 13]

also a player drafted around 2020 1st overall, 5 green star centre now 96 overall.

 

[Crabapple]

Lawrence Quick (7th overall) in 2017 20 y/o I think 82 in his first season, bumped up to 87 in second

 

[Nikolai Koolaidman]

Earlier this year-
Ken Appleby G (1st overall) 5 Green: Ending up capping out at 97 overall, Some of his stat lines were ridiculous

 

[The Rage Kage]

Nick Schneider - 1st OA 2015 (5 Green Stars) 18 years old

Starter in the NHL at 19 years and 86 overall

At 24 years old, he has over 300 games played and over 200 wins

Has 3 vezinas, 2 Harts, 4 Conn Smythes and countless other awards, best goalie in the history of the nhl

 

[grN1g]

I must have got lucky but i deleted a monster be a gm with alot of really good generated players after the 2015 draft.

2016, cant remember first names:

-Clermont / 4.5y Stars TWD / 81 overall drafted, jumped to 88 after 2 years. (Drafted later in top10, from USA i think)
-Hecht / 4.5g goalie / 73 overall - jumps to 92 in 1 or 2 years / From Germany (top3 pick i believe)


2017, no first names:

-Kearns / 4.5y / RW SNP 78 overall i think / jumps to 83/84 after 1 year. (drafted later in top 10)


2018:

-Dipetro / 4.5y TWF Center / 81 overall drafted. (top10 i think)
-Verdino / 4.5y RW SNP(ithink) / 80 overall drafted. (between 10-17 i think)
-Garderner / 4.5y LW PLY 78 overall drafted i think. (between 15-25 i think)

and then thats when i saved a new game by mistake over this incredible run i had, Been trying to duplicate it, but in 2016 Clermont & Hecht were not in the draft

 

[Deku]

Just drafted a pretty interesting player:

1st overall - Cody Bickell: 6'6" DFD, 78 overall with 5 yellow stars.

I don't think I've ever seen a 5 star defender, much less a defensive defender, so I am very interested to see how this will play out.

 

[Engebretson]

I just saw a DFD go in the late 1st round, forgot his name but he was 6'10 and 266 lbs

I was definitely going to pick him up if he got to my next pick. Should have taken him just for fun.

 

[The Rage Kage]

Why aren't there 5 red star players? I think they should be in the later rounds

 

[Deku]

I just saw a DFD go in the late 1st round, forgot his name but he was 6'10 and 266 lbs

I was definitely going to pick him up if he got to my next pick. Should have taken him just for fun.

In the same GM mode that I referenced above, I actually have a 6'10" 4 yellow star defender developing in the minors. He might actually make the team at the same time as Cody Bickell.

 

[CraigsList]

For some reason, Ekblad and Sam Reinhart were only ranked like #15 and 16 in my 2014 draft. So, I took advantage of that and got both of them.

Ekblad puts up 35-45 points a year, solid defensively.

Sam Reinhart I think was the better acquisition, he consistently puts up 60-70 points on a yearly basis.

Also, since I had one Reinhart, I was able to manage a trade with the Isles and got Griffin as well. The Reinhart bros have done me proud thus far . I have a pretty solid top 4 with Brodie - Gio and Reinhart - Ekblad.

 

[Deku]

Just drafted a pretty interesting player:

1st overall - Cody Bickell: 6'6" DFD, 78 overall with 5 yellow stars.

I don't think I've ever seen a 5 star defender, much less a defensive defender, so I am very interested to see how this will play out.

Follow-up to this...

After one season in the juniors, Cody Bickell is now on my NHL roster. Within that one year he improved from a 78 rating to an 87 rating! He even grew an inch, he is 6'7" now.
He's got 5 star skating (88 speed) which is remarkable for his size. He also has a 5 star physical category and a 4.5 star defensive category (94 defensive awareness).
His offensive game isn't great yet but he does have a hard shot. Only 73 offensive awareness though. I wonder if his offensive game will develop because he is 5 stars, or if he will only improve defensively since he is a DFD.

Should be fun to use this guy and see how good he gets

 

[Engebretson]

2018 #5 overall: Steven McGratten C, 6'5 232 lbs, 84 ovr after the draft and 86 ovr to start the season centering my 2nd line. Dudes stats are ridiculous for a 19 year old.

Actually, I didn't draft him, but traded for him. Draft pick values are always so high before the player is selected, and after the player is picked the value goes down. I ended up trading Charlie Coyle (84 ovr) and Olli Maatta (81 ovr) for McGratten. Value was equal but before the draft it wasn't even close. Plus Maatta was RFA and wanting a big contract. Ended up shedding most of Coyle's contract too.

 

[The Rage Kage]

Wouldn't say he's the best player I've ever drafted, but he's the best player I've drafted in the third round.

Bobby Macintyre 67th overall of the 2014 draft. 3.5 Yellow star sniper. Drafted at 61 overall.

At 22 years old he's 87 overall will all 99's in his shooting category and has had two point per game seasons.

 

[badams326]

2017 #1 Overall: Miroslav Meizi 4.5 Green Star PLY. Started out at 79 Overall, fast forward 3 years later and he's 89 overall.

2017 #2 Overall: Torsten Alfredsson, 5 Gold Star SNP. Started out at 73 Overall, he ended up tying Drouin for goals in his 1st season.

2017 #3 Overall: Petr Hlavic: 4.5 Gold Star DFD. Started out, like Meizi, at 79, 6'9 beast of a defenseman.

^ I drafted those 3 guys (all in the same draft class)

 

[gibber1600]

Isn't it actually yellow, not gold? Also, green is higher than yellow, correct?[

I also find this whole color system goofy.

 

[GinoLucia2217]

Josh Hainsey 6'6 230 pond TWD 4.5 gold but get this. HES FROM NORTH KOREA! Started out at 86 overall