What if...the Pens got the #1 pick in 2004

[SEALBound]

Ovechkin wouldn't have liked having Shane Endicott as his center early in his career.

 

[Roshi]

Well with #2 they chose the best player of that draft anyway

Yeah for sure. But on contrast they went on and drafted second best player with #1 on 2005.

Anze Kopitar has been phenomenal, leading his team for 2 cups with no players like generational Malkin to guide him there.

 

[Khelandros]

Yeah for sure. But on contrast they went on and drafted second best player with #1 on 2005.

Anze Kopitar has been phenomenal, leading his team for 2 cups with no players like generational Malkin to guide him there.

Ummm, Jeff Carter, Jonathon Quick, Marian Gaborik. Drew Doughty, Mike Richards,

 

[SotasicA]

Less Cups. Crosby is a complete (perfect) hockey player. Can't replace that and expect similar results.

 

[ElLeetch]

I forgot about the criteria for the balls in 2005. Jesus, talk about getting lucky. Lose the 1st pick, get the best 2nd pick in recent memory and get Crosby.

and we go from one of 4 teams with the most balls, to drafting 12th. Rangers got f***ed hard, so this #2 selection this year is a bit of a karma payoff.

 

[Roshi]

Ummm, Jjeff Carter, Jonathon Quick, Marian Gaborik. Drew Doughty, Mike Richards,

None of those guys is Genorational

 

[Beauner]

The lottery in 2005 was total bull****. The Pens were already gifted one of the top 3 players in history in the 80s and won two Cups. They should never have been first in line for the next generational player.

Their sucking in the mid-2000s had nothing to do with their sucking in the mid-80s (besides impeccable timing apparently).

 

[LeafsNation75]

They weren't. There were three other teams in the lottery that had the maximum 3 balls - Buffalo, Columbus, and the Rangers. At the time there was a *lot* of conspiracy theorizing that Crosby was being gift-wrapped to go to New York or LA (which had two balls) because coming off of the lockout, the NHL needed his star power in one of their larger media markets. Combine that with pictures that came out of Crosby wearing Kings practice gear (he was at a Kings prospect camp) and there was a LOT of thought that Pittsburgh didn't have a chance at him.

I remember reading another conspiracy that since Montreal was Crosby's favorite team growing up and the fact Montreal ended up with the 5th overall pick after just having 1 ball maximum, some people thought the NHL would fix it so he would be drafted by them.