Who is a prospect you didn't expect much of but turned into a star?

[Bobcat205]

A couple weeks ago, there was a thread talking about prospects we saw a lot in that didn't pan out. Here, we talk about the opposite.

They don't necessarily have to be late-round guys, but my specific example is: 2016 was the first draft I really payed a ton of attention to, and I didn't personally see a whole hell of a lot in Jesper Bratt. His numbers in his draft year were meh, and reports of being sub-par defensively and reluctance to be physical turned me off (even for a guy who was only 5'10"). I was very, very wrong.

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[theslatcher]

Except... Bratt's numbers weren't meh.

 

[LeProspector]

Except... Bratt's numbers weren't meh.

They were VERY good. It’s like people forgot about him in that draft. It was weird.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Adam Fox.

When the Rangers traded for and signed him I was hoping for a third pair PP specialist.

He quickly became one of the best defensemen in the NHL. The way he has success is so unusual, and isn't easy to replicate or predict. His college numbers were great and he had some big fans, but the consensus wasn't that he'd become this good.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Never thought Jake Guentzel would be as productive as he is at this level. Thought he was too small.

 

[LeProspector]

Zack Hyman

 

[Brodeur]

Off the top of my head:

I saw Rasmus Andersson a few times in the AHL and I didn't think he had the wheels to stick in the NHL.

I had an excuse to watch Michigan while Devils prospect Jon Merrill was there. I caught a handful of Michigan/Michigan State games and Torey Krug stood out every time but I dismissed him as a "just a good college player" type.

As a meager beer league goalie, I have a misplaced thought that I have any idea of scouting a prospect goalie. I thought Corey Crawford was a worse version of Antti Niemi.

 

[McGarnagle]

In the mid-00s the Bruins drafted a trio of Euro prospects we called the Special Ks because of their last names.

I was super excited about Martins Karsums, who was supposed to be a physical forward, and I was also looking forward to Petr Kalus, who was supposed to be the best fastest and best goal scorer of the three. The third was a well-rounded but otherwise unremarkable center that I wasn't excited about in the least named David Krejci.

 

[Frk It]

There should be a whole bunch of people posting about both of the Tkachuks in here.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Never thought Jake Guentzel would be as productive as he is at this level. Thought he was too small.

That's a good one. I thought he was a product of Crosby and Malkin for a few years, and then I realized that was crazy.

 

[Brodeur]

There should be a whole bunch of people posting about both of the Tkachuks in here.

When I need a laugh, one of threads I'll dig up are about Brady Tkachuk during his draft year. Definitely some questionable use of "analytics" by some folks.

 

[Wats]

Pacioretty was supposed to middle 6 playmaker with size and speed. On his final ELC year, he suddenly turned into one of the best shoot first scoring LW. It really seemed to come out of nowhere, people were ready to peg him as a 3rd liner after his first 2 pro seasons

 

[Hinterland]

Jason Robertson and Chandler Stephenson come to mind as more recent examples. Both of them are actually more productive in the NHL than previously in the AHL. In Robertson's case it's not even close.

With Robertson I don't even think it had much to do with his skating. I just didn't think he had good enough tools, that kind of offense in him. I knew he'd be an NHLer but I didn't expect him to be this productive.

Stephenson was honestly always pretty underwhelming for Washington. Reliable two way guy but kind of a nothing player. Soft and not really providing any sort of offense with plays pretty much dying on his stick. I definitely didn't think he'd be able to produce like this at NHL level and I don't think many Caps fans did.

 

[TLEH]

Hyman is definitely one. I thought he just had a good senior year with talented players at Michigan after not showing much in his earlier seasons.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

I didn't expect Jake Sanderson to be this good. I thought he would be a capable 3D/4D with good defensive play, but he really grew at UND and has been very good for the most part in Ottawa.

 

[Mitch nylander]

Shayne Gostisbehere, had good but not great offensive stats in college. Then missed a full year of development. Didn't think much of him.

Then next thing you know he almost wins the Calder with 46 points in 64 games. He even had a 65 point season.

 

[DougBodger]

John Mustard

 

[Chainshot]

Brian Campbell - great OHL final season, but it took years and years (and a change by the league toward allowing skill and away from clutch-and-grab hockey) before he started to produce. Six pro seasons between the AHL, Liiga and NHL before he got good.

 

[Benedict Kovalchuk]

Pelech I expected to become a decent bottom pairing defenseman at best, but instead he turned into what we thought Reinhart would.

 

[HighLifeManIsHigh]

Pelech I expected to become a decent bottom pairing defenseman at best, but instead he turned into what we thought Reinhart would.

Yeah I never thought Matt Pelech would do much either.

Wait

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Jason Robertson and Chandler Stephenson come to mind as more recent examples. Both of them are actually more productive in the NHL than previously in the AHL. In Robertson's case it's actually not even close.

With Robertson I don't even think it had much to do with his skating. I just didn't think he had good enough tools, that kind of offense in him. I knew he'd be an NHLer but I didn't expect him to be this productive.

Stephenson was honestly always pretty underwhelming for Washington. Reliable two way guy but kind of a nothing player. Soft and not really providing any sort of offense with plays pretty much dying on his stick. I definitely didn't think he'd be able to produce like this at NHL level and I don't think many Caps fans did.

Came here to post Stephenson. He was the worst player on Washington’s roster the year he was traded. Could be because he was playing for Todd Rierden and a lot of guys looked like ass in his system but he was pretty brutal. There were flashes in the 2018 Cup run when we thought he could be a very good bottom six guy but no chance I thought he’d turn into what he’s become.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Bryan Rust.

Never played WJC, had mediocre numbers at every level. Now he's averaged about a 70 point pace for the last half decade.

 

[gifted88]

Johnny Gaudreau.
Thought he was too small and not strong enough to cut it.

 

[JJTT]

Roope Hintz. Thought he might be become a speedy third line winger, not a #1c. Same with Sebastian Aho.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Bratt's a weird case for Devils fans, because he was totally off the radar his D+1 season as a 6th rounder, then he made the Devils in the following training camp, looking like an absolute superstar, so he was hyped up from his D+2 year on. Basically from year 2-5 of his career there was some question as to was he ever going to live up to the promise he showed in that training camp.

So a lot was expected of him from his D+2 season on I'd say, and he was totally ignored in his D+1 year.