Who does the most with least?... i.e., what teams draft best without top picks??

[Scouter]

I somewhat disagree when it comes to Nashville, while they are quite strong at drafting D men they have proven to be quite weak when it comes to drafting top 6 forwards, they have never gotten someone with elite skill.

 

[jimmythescot]

I thought I'd join in with current Canucks, and the former Canucks that I remember:

Current:
Bieksa 5th round
Burrows undrafted
Edler 3rd round
Hansen 9th round
Raymond 2nd round
Tanev undrafted

Late first round (not sure where the line is drawn)
Kesler 23rd overall
Schneider 26th overall


Former Canucks:
Michael Grabner (14th overall)
RJ Umberger (16th overall, I wouldn't include these two in this topic, but I didn't want to leave this part of the list as a bunch of agitators)
Mike Brown 5th round (fairly recent)
Jarkko Ruutu 3rd round (ages ago)
Matt Cooke 6th round (ages ago)


Wow. Other than the guys left we really sucked at drafting past #16 overall.

 

[hallhopkinseberle]

nashville since 2000 with atleast 20 games played
lindback great goalie
nick spaling
andres thuresson
blake geoffrion third line centre
cody franson top 4 d man
cal o reilly
patric hornqvist top 6 goalscorer
pekka rinne top 3 goaltenders in the league
mike santorelli
shea weber top 3 d man in the league
kevin klein
alexander sulzer
brandon segal
jordin tootoo third line tough guy
matt hendricks

 

[Hawkster]

Chicago - Outside of the 1st round since '01.

Craig Anderson - Rd 3 (73rd)
Duncan Keith - Rd 2 (54th)
James Wisniewski - Rd 5 (156th)
Adam Burish - Rd 9 (282nd)
Corey Crawford - Rd 2 (52nd)
Dustin Byfuglien - Rd 8 (245th)
Dave Bolland - Rd 2 (32nd)
Bryan Bickell - Rd 2 (41st)
Jake Dowell - Rd 5 (140th)
Troy Brouwer - Rd 7 (214th)
Niklas Hjalmarsson - Rd 4 (108th)

Two recent draftees that have had a small taste of the regular season and now have some play off experience..

2008 - Ben Smith - Rd 6 (169th)
2009 - Marcus Kruger - Rd 5 (149th)

Others - Mike Blunden (Rd 2) Lasse Kukkonen (Rd 5) and Chris Porter (Rd 9) have played 50+ NHL games.

Not huge in numbers, but there are some good players in there, including a Norris trophy winner.

 

[Joey24]

Ducks who have gotten guys like Perry, Getzlaf, Fowler, and Palmieri.

Yea but Flower dropped big time in his draft year so I don't think it was a matter of great drafting rather then great luck. Getzlaf I also thought would have been gone earlier between 3 - 7 when he was still on the board much like Flower the ducks snagged him up with 19th pick. Ryan was the 5th ranked north American skater and considering Horton went third and he was ranked the 4th best skater in N/A makes no sense why Ryan fell to 19th. Perry was I think was pegged as a early to mid second prospect, snagging him with the 28th pick looks pretty sweet atm. That draft pretty much built the foundation of the Ducks we see today. Kudos to the ducks for picking Flower and Getzlaf but I think that was more a circumstance of luck on their part that those players were still on the board when they picked considering they should have gone much much earlier. Perry imo is the only pick they kinda took that was pegged as a later round prospect so this is a gem find. None the less some solid drafting for the Ducks with these guys.

 

[darth5]

No offense, but the 2003 1st round was so good you could basically throw a dart at the top 30 and get some serviceable NHLers

That 2003 draft has to have been one of the deepest in modern times. Amazing the number of players from that draft that are now starters around the league. Nashville alone has 4 defenceman from that draft. 18 NHL allstars, and 16 of those in the first two rounds.

 

[windflare]

Regier has drafted very well outside of the 1st round, atleast one impact player every draft year/potential impact player for 2007 and later:
1997 - Tallinder (2nd), Afinogenov (3rd), Campbell (6th); 1998 - Kotalik (6th);
1999 - Miller (5th); 2000 - Gaustad (7th); 2001 - Roy, Pominville, Thorburn (all 2nd);
2002 - Wideman (8th); 2003 - MacArthur (3rd), Hejda (4th);
2004 - Kaleta (6th), Sekera (3rd); 2005 - Gragnani (3rd), Butler (4th), Gerbe (5th);
2006 - Weber, Enroth (both 2nd); 2007 - Brennan, Schiestel (both 2nd), Tropp (3rd), Byron (6th);
2008 - Adam (2nd), Crawford (6th); 2009 - McNabb (3rd), Foligno (4th);

His first round picks have been hot and cold, considering the Sabres had exactly one top 10 pick since he has been GM, I'd say he's done ok. That 2008 draft certainly makes up for some of the busts he's drafted over the years.

97, 01 and 05 has been very kind to you guys.

 

[Gnashville]

I somewhat disagree when it comes to Nashville, while they are quite strong at drafting D men they have proven to be quite weak when it comes to drafting top 6 forwards, they have never gotten someone with elite skill.

It's not like those guys grow on trees, they are usually gone after the 5th pick but Alex Radulov would qualify if he was still here

 

[Talks to Goalposts]

Leafs non-1st round draft picks from the 2001-2007 drafts who are currently NHL regulars (i.e. no prospects, which is why I didn't include the more recent drafts):

Nikolai Kulemin - 2nd round, 44th overall
Matt Stajan - 2nd round, 57th overall
Jay Harrison - 3rd round, 82nd overall
James Reimer - 4th round, 99th overall
Kyle Wellwood - 5th round, 134th overall
Viktor Stalberg - 6th round, 161st overall
Ian White - 6th round, 191st overall
Carl Gunnarsson - 7th round, 194th overall
Anton Stralman - 7th round, 216th overall

Nothing special, but not terrible either. Have some decent prospects from outside the 1st round in recent years too, like Greg McKegg, Brad Ross, Jesse Blacker, Jerry D'Amigo, etc.

Generally speaking the Leafs drafting in terms of finding players with the picks they've had in the last decade has been much better than their detractors would have you believe. Their Achilles heel has alway been that they're traded away too many picks to have a chance of being really successful at the draft table.

 

[Scouter]

It's not like those guys grow on trees, they are usually gone after the 5th pick but Alex Radulov would qualify if he was still here

Yeah, I forgot about Rads, too bad they lost him, I wonder if there is a chance he will be back, maybe he doesn't like Nashville's hard working defence first system.

And no, elite skill can be found anywhere, you just have to know here to look.

 

[Gnashville]

Yeah, I forgot about Rads.

And no, elite skill can be found anywhere, you just have to know here to look.

There is only 2 or 3 players max in each draft class (2003 being the exception) that I would consider "elite" and most have been gone before the Preds 1st Pick. They passed on 3 (Perry, Getzlaf, and Parise) in 2003 to take Suter and I would do it over every damn time to get him.

 

[Scouter]

There is only 2 or 3 players max in each draft class (2003 being the exception) that I would consider "elite" and most have been gone before the Preds 1st Pick. They passed on 3 (Perry, Getzlaf, and Parise) in 2003 to take Suter and I would do it over every damn time to get him.

There are more than 2 or 3 players with elite NHL potential in each draft., if you think that and those players can only be found in the first 5 picks you don't know that much about drafting.

 

[Gnashville]

There are more than 2 or 3 players with elite NHL potential in each draft., if you think that and those players can only be found in the first 5 picks you don't know that much about drafting.

A Player's potential does not equal elite play. I think we disagree on what qualifies as elite.

 

[Scouter]

A Player's potential does not equal elite play. I think we disagree on what qualifies as elite.

If you want me to list some players for this draft who have high end skill right now who aren't named Nugent-Hopkins, I will, Bartschi, Khokhlachev, Huberdeau, Couturier, Strome, Phillips, Armia, Puempel, Jurco, Grimaldi, Rattie, Namestnikov, Noesen, Trocheck, St. Croix, Prince, Noebels, Granlund.

Hopefully Nashville will be smart and draft one, but it looks like Rads is coming back, so maybe they will draft their typical defensive type anyway.

 

[sepHF]

I somewhat disagree when it comes to Nashville, while they are quite strong at drafting D men they have proven to be quite weak when it comes to drafting top 6 forwards, they have never gotten someone with elite skill.

Radulov?

 

[Soundgarden]

If you want me to list some players for this draft who have high end skill right now who aren't named Nugent-Hopkins, I will, Bartschi, Khokhlachev, Huberdeau, Couturier, Strome, Phillips, Armia, Puempel, Jurco, Grimaldi, Rattie, Namestnikov, Noesen, Trocheck, St. Croix, Prince, Noebels, Granlund.

I think he means players like Crosby, Ovechkin, and Stamkos are elite, while players like Getzlaf, Weber, and Kesler are a level below. Obviously you can get talented players almost anywhere in the draft, but usually the elite players are picked first.

 

[Scouter]

I think he means players like Crosby, Ovechkin, and Stamkos are elite, while players like Getzlaf, Weber, and Kesler are a level below. Obviously you can get talented players almost anywhere in the draft, but usually the elite players are picked first.

More like the most hyped and elite guys come draft day are picked 1st, not necessarily the most elite long term.

 

[Soundgarden]

More like the most hyped guys are picked 1st, not necessarily the most elite.

With scouting being better then it has been in previous decades I think they are hyped for a reason.

Looking back at recent drafts the first player will usually turn out to be atleast a top line player. Stamkos- 50 goal scorer at the age of 20, Kane is a PPG player and Johnson is already playing 20-27 minutes a night and defensemen take longer to develop.

The 2003 draft is the most recent one where I'd probably take another player 1st overall, but that draft was just filled with great players.

 

[JMac13]

If you want me to list some players for this draft who have high end skill right now who aren't named Nugent-Hopkins, I will, Bartschi, Khokhlachev, Huberdeau, Couturier, Strome, Phillips, Armia, Puempel, Jurco, Grimaldi, Rattie, Namestnikov, Noesen, Trocheck, St. Croix, Prince, Noebels, Granlund.

Hopefully Nashville will be smart and draft one, but it looks like Rads is coming back, so maybe they will draft their typical defensive type anyway.

The problem with this is that literally EVERY year you can list 10-15 guys who have high end skill outside of the top 5 picks, the problem is EVERY year the majority of these guys bust and very very very few ever become "elite". I think you're highly overrating this years draft, or talents available where Nashville has drafted. They have done a terrific job the last 10 years of finding the best player available regardless if they are defense are not. The reality is defenseman usually provide much greater value at later picks as they are harder to project - Nashville has done an excellent job recognizing this.

 

[Scouter]

The problem with this is that literally EVERY year you can list 10-15 guys who have high end skill outside of the top 5 picks, the problem is EVERY year the majority of these guys bust and very very very few ever become "elite". I think you're highly overrating this years draft, or talents available where Nashville has drafted. They have done a terrific job the last 10 years of finding the best player available regardless if they are defense are not. The reality is defenseman usually provide much greater value at later picks as they are harder to project - Nashville has done an excellent job recognizing this.

Maybe they are so good at recognizing it that it has blinded them to the skill that they need most.

 

[Seph]

NY Islanders picks 2002-08 outside the top 50 that have panned out into NHLers so far:
2008 #53 overall, round 2 - Travis Hamonic
2008 #126 overall, round 5 - Kevin Poulin
2008 #148 overall, round 5 - Matt Martin
2008 #156 overall, round 6 - Jared Spurgeon
2006 #160 overall, round 6 - Andrew MacDonald
2004 #227 overall, round 7 - Chris Campoli
2003 #182 overall, round 6 - Bruno Gervais
2002 #87 overall, round 3 - Frans Nielsen

Definitely not the best, but pretty respectable nonetheless. My vote goes to the Flyers for the 2000s.

 

[brenden]

I think it has a lot to do with luck too. Anyone ever hear of Kent Mcdonell or Calle Steen? These are the two players picked right ahead of Zetterberg and Datsyuk which Detroit felt were better picks. I've heard that you need lots of skill, scouts and luck to get these late great picks. I know this is common knowledge, just always hear how Detroit is so good at drafting.

 

[Gnashville]

More like the most hyped and elite guys come draft day are picked 1st, not necessarily the most elite long term.

Go back 10 drafts other than 2003 (Perry, Gelzlaf, Parise, Bergeron, Kesler) and find me one Elite guy (40 goal scorer or point per game player) not taken in the top 10 or a draft other than 2003 with more than 3 of those type players in it.

Maybe they are so good at recognizing it that it has blinded them to the skill that they need most.

Other than 2003 list me elite guys the Preds passed on. When Radulov was availalbe they took him.

 

[Konnan511]

Even though the Penguins had their run of top picks, they've done a very good job at finding quality depth players via the draft and FA.

 

[Corncob]

Go back 10 drafts other than 2003 (Perry, Gelzlaf, Parise, Bergeron, Kesler) and find me one Elite guy (40 goal scorer or point per game player) not taken in the top 10 or a draft other than 2003 with more than 3 of those type players in it.

This is kind of self limiting though. I mean really it's the kind of thing better done in ten years time. Personally I wouldn't want to label someone a '40 goal scorer' or 'PPG player' until they'd shown the ability to produce at that level over a number of years at the NHL level. But if we take that approach we're pretty much eliminating the more recent half of the last ten years. And then you've already excluded 2003 and not really considered defensemen in the definition (a Norris winner in Duncan Keith would be an elite player, wouldn't he).

Is Kopitar or Statsney an elite player? There's two from 2005, which is six years ago and it's probably even then too early to comfortably attach the label. Once you get past that you run into guys that are just in their rookie season now (eg 2006. Grabner, 34 goals as a rookie, or guys like Lucic and Giroux who have only really broken out this year and there's still likely more improvement to come).