Curious as to why he busted so badly for going 1st overall. What were his fatal flaws? Attitude issues, poor hockey IQ? Poor effort?
Nope, none of that stuff - in fact, later in his career with the Blues he was known to be a clutch guy with good hockey sense. I think there were a few factors, but they were more external/cultural than anything else:
1. In the early 80s, 18-20 year olds were typically stepping right up from junior & playing for the big club, with no development time in the AHL, they were just mostly expected to essentially slot into their projected positions immediately. The expectations
placed upon young players at times during this period were sometimes unrealistic (see Brian Lawton as the perfect example). Basically, they were pushing him too fast.
2. The Habs had long coveted a big center, & they drafted Wickenheiser over Quebecois superstar Denis Savard. Fans were really upset, which added to the pressure on Wickenheiser. They would actually boo him in the Forum.
3. The Habs were arguably the deepest team in the league already at all positions, & Wickenhesier had to compete with several established veterans who could play center, including Pierre Larouche, Pierre Mondou, Doug Risebrough & Doug Jarvis, as well as against another young player in Keith Acton, who actually spent two years developing in Nova Scotia before cracking the Habs' lineup.
4. The Habs were a cesspool of drama for a few years, in the locker room & in management, which probably didn't help.