Best VAN draft picks, selections 1-30

[Jyrki21]

It would be interesting to start a new series of threads (one at a time) with a poll where we can vote on the best player we ever drafted (wether they ended up playing for us or not ) at round #9, #8, #7... and so on...

I guess that might be a little time consuming if there isn't a website that lists our draft history organized by rounds. I've been looking, but haven't found one yet.

As I noted in that thread, the data is there at HockeyDB, and I have organized it in Excel for everyone to ogle.

Picks are organized in groups of 30, rather than what round they were at the time (as though the league always had 30 teams).

They are color-coded for position, and ordered in descending number of games played.

Picks 1-30 (Current 1st round):

I have done this for each block of 30 -- do people want runoff polls like we do for prospect rankings? This one will obviously be the most hotly contested. Who is the best, for whoever they ended up playing?

EDIT: Or if we want to do this in descending order (so that first round comes last) we can start with Round 9 and scrap this one. But hint: Hansen has it running away.

Click to read more...

 

[Jyrki21]

Also, since some will undoubtedly claim either team or recency bias against those who vote for a Sedin over Neely, I invite them to consider the era that each played in, and how many of Neely's goals would be less automatic with today's level of defense and goaltending. He was a "disappointment" for the Canucks despite a 16-goal rookie season and 20-goal sophomore season, remember.

 

[KeninsFan]

No disrespect to Daniel Sedin but you can't say no to a HHOF bound franchise C.

 

[Kickassguy]

Are we assessing by their value to Vancouver, specifically? Or their overall contributions to the league, regardless of whether that was in VAN or not?

 

[Intoewsables]

Are we assessing by their value to Vancouver, specifically? Or their overall contributions to the league, regardless of whether that was in VAN or not?

I believe it's the latter.

 

[Jyrki21]

Are we assessing by their value to Vancouver, specifically? Or their overall contributions to the league, regardless of whether that was in VAN or not?

I was using Eddy Punch Clock's post as the springboard -- "Best player", whether or not they even played a minute for the Canucks. Technically this could be, like, Brock Boeser, but I am considering at least a de facto minimum of games played.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Tough call between Hank and Neely for me. Homer vote for Hank, for sure, although I also believe there's something to be said for having a lengthy career (which, I understand, can be impacted by the style of game one plays).

 

[Kickassguy]

I was using Eddy Punch Clock's post as the springboard -- "Best player", whether or not they even played a minute for the Canucks. Technically this could be, like, Brock Boeser, but I am considering at least a de facto minimum of games played.

Ah, gotcha.

Neely/Hank will be a tough call for most, I think. Went Neely but that may just be nostalgia.

 

[y2kcanucks]

No disrespect to Daniel Sedin but you can't say no to a HHOF bound franchise C.

Didn't realize we had one.

Anyway, I think you gotta go Henrik here. The deciding factor for me is that Neely's career was cut short to injury.

 

[TARS]

Didn't realize we had one.

Does 1000 points, a Hart and an Art Ross not get you in?

I think they'll both get in eventually.

 

[Josepho]

RJ Umberger

 

[banme*]

Jake Virtanen.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Henrik will get into the HOF one minute before Daniel.
It's the way it's always been.

 

[RandV]

Guess I didn't read the quote in the thread, and I took value by draft position into account.

 

[alternate]

I voted Kesler but I misunderstood the question. I thought we were voting on which 1st rounder was the "best" pick, not which became the best player. Sedins were obvious picks at the time (so not best pick) but yeah, Henrik is the best player we've drafted in the 1st round. So ignore the tick beside Kesler.

And please remove Nedved.

 

[Fat Tony]

Am I missing something? Why isn't Bure eligible for this thread?

Edit - I'm an illiterate.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Am I missing something? Why isn't Bure eligible for this thread?

Edit - I'm an illiterate.

This is the best pick made in the first round, from 1st overall to 30th overall.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

Depends on the context. Either one of the Sedins are easily the best players we've drafted within the criteria, but Kesler or Schneider wins best value pick.

 

[Fat Tony]

This is the best pick made in the first round, from 1st overall to 30th overall.

That's where I announce I'm illiterate.

 

[monster_bertuzzi]

lol@Henrik being so far ahead of Daniel.

 

[Mark Messier]

Trevor Linden is in 2nd wut?

 

[Ernie]

Trevor Linden is in 2nd wut?

He should come fourth in this poll, after the Sedins and Neely. You could arguably slot Kesler, Ohlund and Schneider ahead of him too, actually.

 

[Freakshow]

It's obviously Henrik. You win with franchise centers, he's the best center to ever play for the team.

 

[Dissonance]

Not sure I can vote in this poll. Still too stunned to learn that Jassen Cullimore ended up playing 812 NHL games.


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(More seriously, Henrik.)

 

[Hit the post]

I still remember J.J. Daigneault's draft day selection - when he was in crutches. Seemed fitting for the Canucks (granted he did end up with a fairly lengthy NHL career).