Unexpectedly Good Players

[DeysArena]

We have so many threads about draft busts or players who never reached their potential. I decided to make one celebrating the guys we never saw coming or the guys that we believed in when nobody else did.

Nobody expected anything from Tomas Kaberle when he was drafted in the eighth round, but he became a great blue-line passer for the Leafs under Pat Quinn.

Who else is there?

Click to read more...

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Jesper Bratt for NJ

went from a 6th round pick a few years ago to basically a 2nd line wing pretty much out of nowhere

 

[BlueBaron]

Is there anything more satisfying than a late pick turning into a star?

For a 5th round pick Zach Hyman turned out pretty well.

Funny side thought. How many times has a teams last pick been better than it's first I wonder?

 

[Hockey Stick]

Jake Evans

 

[cudi]

Nick Paul cleared waivers like 75 times and now he might be the Sens most consistent forward game in game out.

He's a funny case though, when he went to Ottawa in the Spezza trade, we expected him to be good. When he failed to cement himself as a full time NHLer most fans lost hope and didnt expect much. Now he's arrived years later.

Either way, good on Paul for staying focused on his goal.

 

[heretik27]

Hellebyuck was passed over in his draft year and taken in the 5th round by the Jets a year later. We've always had high expectations for him, but I'd say we're pretty happy he panned out.

 

[Bedards Dad]

Justin Holl has been a very pleasant surprise this year.

 

[BurgoShark]

Nick Paul cleared waivers like 75 times and now he might be the Sens most consistent forward game in game out.

He's a funny case though, when he went to Ottawa in the Spezza trade, we expected him to be good. When he failed to cement himself as a full time NHLer most fans lost hope and didnt expect much. Now he's arrived years later.

Either way, good on Paul for staying focused on his goal.

Yep. Paul has played his way in to ED protection imo.

Hoffman is another example of an Ottawa player who passed through waivers and went on to become a very good player.

 

[heretik27]

Nick Paul cleared waivers like 75 times and now he might be the Sens most consistent forward game in game out.

He's a funny case though, when he went to Ottawa in the Spezza trade, we expected him to be good. When he failed to cement himself as a full time NHLer most fans lost hope and didnt expect much. Now he's arrived years later.

Either way, good on Paul for staying focused on his goal.

He looked like one of the only Ottawa players who showed up to play against the Jets a few weeks back from memory. Broke up a few plays in the neutral zone and was buzzing around pretty good.

 

[cudi]

He looked like one of the only Ottawa players who showed up to play against the Jets a few weeks back from memory. Broke up a few plays in the neutral zone and was buzzing around pretty good.

He's got some Mark Stone qualities. Obviously not nearly as good, but plays a similar style.

 

[miscs75]

Ottawa fans may know best but would JG Pageau fall into this category?

 

[Khelandros]

Patric Hornqvist

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

My man Victor Olofsson is a goal scoring machine. 7th round I believe? He’s turned into a solid overall top 6 winger with an absolutely lethal shot.

 

[cudi]

Ottawa fans may know best but would JG Pageau fall into this category?

JG has always been a great player. Maybe he's just more in the spotlight now getting the respect he's always deserved. How he's playing isn't new, though.

 

[GOALOFSSON]

My man Victor Olofsson is a goal scoring machine. 7th round I believe? He’s turned into a solid overall top 6 winger with an absolutely lethal shot.

Was 3rd in pp goals or something behind Pasta/Drai since he entered the league as of a couple of days ago.

 

[voxel]

Jamie Benn?

Glencross for the Oilers... picked him up for nothing. Him and Brodziak were magic together for that single season.

Players drafted by Oilers that never played for them that were good recently.... Marino and Erik Gustafsson.

 

[ESH]

Giordano’s career path is basically unprecedented

 

[MartinS82]

John Marino for the Pens. I know he gets talked about a lot, but before last season he wasn't even on the radar to make the team. More of a "We need some players for the AHL too" type of pick up.

Teddy Blueger is another that is just always doing the right thing on the ice.

 

[Mrb1p]

Andrei Markov was drafted as a center in the 6th round and became a top 10 D.

 

[Devils090]

Andy Greene was an undrafted free agent and had a very good career

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Is there anything more satisfying than a late pick turning into a star?

For a 5th round pick Zach Hyman turned out pretty well.

Funny side thought. How many times has a teams last pick been better than it's first I wonder?

I still cannot believe TB got Braydent Point and Nikita Kucherov outside the 1st round. This won them the cup!

 

[YoSoyLalo]

colin blackwell is basically MSL 2.0

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

Patric Hornqvist

Came here to say this. Horny was THE last person taken in the entirety of the draft that year

 

[BlueBaron]

I still cannot believe TB got Braydent Point and Nikita Kucherov outside the 1st round. This won them the cup!

Good drafting outside the first round has always been a Cup winning secret. I'd be surprised if any Cup winner didn't have a couple gems.

 

[TheMule93]

Tyler Bertuzzi for Detroit