Hugh Jessiman makes entire first round of 2003 draft NHLers

DomY

Registered User
Aug 11, 2008
1,256
141
I find it intriguing that 50 posts in this thread and not one person has credited the 2004/05 lockout as a catalyst for these players' development. Yeah it was a sick deep draft, but every single player had a chance to play in the CHL/AHL/WJC and be a star as opposed to a fringe player on their NHL squad.
 

nanzenkills

Registered User
Jan 31, 2007
2,293
1
Ontario, California
I find it intriguing that 50 posts in this thread and not one person has credited the 2004/05 lockout as a catalyst for these players' development. Yeah it was a sick deep draft, but every single player had a chance to play in the CHL/AHL/WJC and be a star as opposed to a fringe player on their NHL squad.

If that is the case, why didn't the 2004 draft turn out better?
 

skroob**

Guest
I find it intriguing that 50 posts in this thread and not one person has credited the 2004/05 lockout as a catalyst for these players' development. Yeah it was a sick deep draft, but every single player had a chance to play in the CHL/AHL/WJC and be a star as opposed to a fringe player on their NHL squad.

The lockout and the aftermath that was the "new NHL" also hurt him because the new rules devalued his skillset. He was drafted to play pre-lockout hockey, but got caught right when the game was about to change.
 
Oct 18, 2006
14,328
1,896
Wow, he's actually played an NHL game! Good on him, I thought it eventually had to happen as he'd been bouncing from team to team. Kudos to him for persisting when many others wouldn't have. :clap:
 

Brodeur

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
25,861
15,262
San Diego
If that is the case, why didn't the 2004 draft turn out better?

Aside from Ovechkin (and possibly Malkin), the other 2004s would have had a tough time cracking the NHL immediately. They would have headed back to their junior clubs regardless of the lockout.

The OPs thought was that 2003 picks were 19/20 year olds that could have cracked their NHL clubs in limited roles in a hypothetical 2004-05 season. Ie, the Devils signed Zach Parise late in the 2003-04 regular season but didn't dress him in any playoff games (at the time, a lot of fans were clamoring for Parise to dress as a PP specialist).

Because of the lockout, Parise played in the AHL in 2004-05. For the first half of the 2005-06 season, Parise looked lost before he switched to wing. I can only imagine how bad he would have been if he had played in the NHL in 2004-05 instead.

Guys like Eric Staal, Dustin Brown, Patrice Bergeron, and Nathan Horton got the benefit of an AHL year after making the NHL in 2003-04.

---------

And getting back on subject.........Jessiman had a couple of nice shifts in the Florida/New Jersey game. Would be a nice story if he could earn himself a spot for the rest of the season.
 
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DomY

Registered User
Aug 11, 2008
1,256
141
If that is the case, why didn't the 2004 draft turn out better?

Because the 2004 draft class was unaffected by the lockout, insomuch that it is less likely that more than a small handful of these picks would have been ready for the NHL after being immediately drafted.

It can be argued that they were maybe even were worse off as a large contingent of CHL stars were unexpectedly returning to their junior teams (taking up primo ice time), and even worse, NHL stars taking up roster spots in Europe.

I can only speak for what I see, but Ryan Kesler was drafted because he was the most NHL-ready prospect with a low ceiling and little to no offensive flair. He put up 30 goals in the AHL during the lockout playing with basically nobody (Lee Goren and Jason King). No one expected him to put up the numbers he is today, but I was not surprised to see him consistently put up better goal totals after the lockout.
 

BennyBST

Registered User
Apr 16, 2007
1,990
0
Fairfield CT
I'd rather say Mark Visentin or Brock Nelson at this stage.

Care to Explain/Elaborate?

1. Visentin: How can you knock arguably the best goalie in the OHL this season?, he is most likely exceeding fans expectations. That's insane to say that about him IMO.

2. Nelson: He didn't make the US WJC by accident. He was not a reach either at #30 in an average stengthed draft as Jessimen was at #12 in the strongest draft in a decade. Nelson doesn't have "sexy" stats because he is getting 3rd line minutes at North Dakota, and it's tough to crack the top 6 when the centers in front of you are more experienced Corban Knight and Brad Malone. Next season Nelson should be the 2nd line Centerman. Let's not forget that Jessiman was more seasoned as he was selected from a D-One School vs. Nelson who came right out of Warroad HS. Nelson is super raw at this point, and only time will tell.
 

Qvist

Registered User
Apr 14, 2009
2,357
0
Hugh Jessiman will play his first NHL game tonight, which means that every player taken in the first round of the 2003 draft will have played in the NHL. That hadn't happened since the 1983 draft.

When there were only 21 players drafted in the first round, so in essence this has never happened before.
 

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