Worst 1st Round Draft Pick
- Thread starter thestonedkoala
- Start date
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
It's kind of weird, a few of the names are pretty gross (Thelen, Sheppard, Gillies, Phillips), but you actually have to go down the list pretty far to find the player that you'd rather have that actually might've been a bit of a franchise changer.
I'll go with Pouliot, not because he is the worst player on that list (he isn't) but because he was the highest pick of the bad names, and because Carey Price was a single pick later. Goalies in the first round notwithstanding, it would've solved any goalie issue we had from then until his big contract kicked in. Kopitar at #11 is probably closer to our pick than a lot of the other years as well.
I'll go with Pouliot, not because he is the worst player on that list (he isn't) but because he was the highest pick of the bad names, and because Carey Price was a single pick later. Goalies in the first round notwithstanding, it would've solved any goalie issue we had from then until his big contract kicked in. Kopitar at #11 is probably closer to our pick than a lot of the other years as well.
Personally I look at Johansson. He was drafted higher than he should have and is one of only two players that the Wild did not sign in the first round.
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
Yeah, but we're probably going to get a 2nd rounder out if it, and how many game-changers were taken after him. I see nary a one.
A lot of them haven't made it to the NHL yet.
Romanov would have been nice; it would have also shored up depth somewhere else.
Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
I’m with you Jan. As much as we like to bitch about the drafting, there are very, very few players taken after some of our “bad picks” that would have made our team better. Wonder if the guys drafting knew that all these guys had little to no chance of making the NHL.
- Dec 10, 2012
- 39,642
- 18,059
Johansson, easily.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, Thelen was supposed to be a decent pick at the time, he had a good freshman year at Michigan St., and then injuries derailed his pro career.
Johansson was a flat out bad pick at the time and he will never play for our organization at any level (Thelen was signed by us at one point).
Gillies scored at under half a point per game in his draft year. He never should have been taken that high in the first place, and his career wasn't derailed by injuries, he was just never any good.
Honestly though, any of Johansson, Gillies, Thelen or Phillips could fit depending on your criteria. I hesitate to list Cuma because I know for a fact he was good before all the knee injuries.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, Thelen was supposed to be a decent pick at the time, he had a good freshman year at Michigan St., and then injuries derailed his pro career.
Johansson was a flat out bad pick at the time and he will never play for our organization at any level (Thelen was signed by us at one point).
Gillies scored at under half a point per game in his draft year. He never should have been taken that high in the first place, and his career wasn't derailed by injuries, he was just never any good.
Honestly though, any of Johansson, Gillies, Thelen or Phillips could fit depending on your criteria. I hesitate to list Cuma because I know for a fact he was good before all the knee injuries.
Lots of good choices in the 04 to 07 group but I went with Gillies, how you draft someone in the first round who can only muster 13 goals and 30 points in their draft year is just beyond me. You just kind of knew early on to set extremely low expectations.
Honorable mention to Johansson, at least Thelen and Phillips looked the part in Jrs and college.
Honorable mention to Johansson, at least Thelen and Phillips looked the part in Jrs and college.
BagHead
Registered User
I went with Thelen simply because he fell apart so thoroughly, and was picked just outside the top 10.
Phillips at least had an AHL career, however short and unspectacular, before going off to Europe, and Johansson is just recency bias. He's having a far better career than both Thelen and Phillips.
Cuma was an option too, but I have a hard time blaming the Wild. Injuries killed that poor kid's career.
Phillips at least had an AHL career, however short and unspectacular, before going off to Europe, and Johansson is just recency bias. He's having a far better career than both Thelen and Phillips.
Cuma was an option too, but I have a hard time blaming the Wild. Injuries killed that poor kid's career.
- Dec 10, 2012
- 39,642
- 18,059
I stand corrected then, thanks for clearing that up for me. I'd still put Johansson first though, because he never should have been picked where he was, and he'll never play a game for the organization.
Saga of the Elk
Honoured Person
- May 31, 2008
- 3,147
- 948
Rare miss by the Ducks.. but speaking of that draft, how about the Habs taking David Fischer over Claude Giroux? You can see why they're mad up in Québec all the time.
Looking back, the Wild really didn't miss massively much. For every bust, there's usually a pick or two after that is just as bad.
Could honestly argue for Kunin just because he represents the same flawed thought process (high floor but limited ceiling, "character guy") that led to underwhelming picks like Pouliot.
Philips still bugs me, because so many warning signs were there. Just avoidable errors.
But anyhow Kaprizov and Boldy and Brodin were good picks. Time to move on probably.
Oh men completely miss it hahaha it is a Wild thread... In my mind Thelen and Mitera is so comparable...
The Habs draft so porely for 20 year hence the 2007 draft that Fischer get lost in the mix.
But indeed the Wild always seems to get it right at the draft. The Pouliot pick... i mean Montreal would have draft him and would have never slide out of the top 10, it wasn't just meant to be I guess
The Phillips pick was a bad one but he just had a 95p season with a good team and they probably thought he was at least a good bottom 6 that would stick for a while. They probably should have gone with Brandon Saad with that pick at the time because Im not sure a lot of people would have thought Rakell would carve up this kind of career
BagHead
Registered User
I remember shouting at my screen that we needed to take a chance on one of Saad, Rakell or Rattie. Obviously, two of those worked out better than the other, but all three were better than Phillips. Lesson of that draft: don't draft players in the 1st round that can't skate.
Ad
Latest posts
-
-
GDT: [SCP24 RD1 GM3] Dallas Stars @ Vegas Golden Knights - 9:30PM CT (BSSW)- Latest: Troy McClure
