The best current player, who was a high draft pick, that did NOT have a break out rookie season?

[tib2d2]

Who's the best example today of a great current player, who went HIGH in the draft, but didn't have a break out first season?

So they are absolutely a top player now, but didn't have that "top draft pick amazing rookie season"

Who comes to mind?

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[OrangePMD]

Barkov

 

[HabsQC]

Idk if it qualifies but MacKinnon had a few seasons in the 50-65 points, his first season being 63 pts (which is excellent for a rookie year), then became much more.

 

[Pass the Saitl Sauce]

Draisaitl scored 9 points his first season

 

[Larry Hanson]

Hedman, took him a few years, some were labelling him a bust.

 

[BertMcDrai]

Draisaitl is coming to mind.

Maybe to a lesser extend MacKinnon.

 

[trick9]

Draisatl.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Jack Hughes is my choice. Draisatl is a good choice but he didn’t even play 40 games that year

 

[tib2d2]

Jack Hughes is my choice. Draisatl is a good choice but he didn’t even play 40 games that year

Yeah Hughes first came to mind when I thought of this

 

[Suntouchable13]

Steven Stamkos. 46 points in 79 games during his rookie season. He really broke out in the next season. But probably not gonna win this thread, tho.

 

[Ceremony]

63 points in 82 games for MacKinnon's first season. 4th on the team in scoring. 10 points in 7 playoff games though.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

63 points in 82 games for MacKinnon's first season. 4th on the team in scoring. 10 points in 7 playoff games though.

Man he was a joy to watch that series against Minnesota. Shame Nino had to end the ride.

 

[MXD]

Steven Stamkos. 46 points in 79 games during his rookie season. He really broke out in the next season. But probably not gonna win this thread, tho.

I'm actually fairly certain he's not the best TBL named in this thread.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I'm actually fairly certain he's not the best TBL named in this thread.

Yea, true. It's just a name I thought of.

 

[Regal]

Dylan Strome about to join this list with a 100 point year

 

[MS]

Idk if it qualifies but MacKinnon had a few seasons in the 50-65 points, his first season being 63 pts (which is excellent for a rookie year), then became much more.

Maybe to a lesser extend MacKinnon.

63 points in 82 games for MacKinnon's first season. 4th on the team in scoring. 10 points in 7 playoff games though.

MacKinnon literally won the Calder at age 18. He's the exact opposite of this.

Kucherov and Draisaitl are the obvious names here.

 

[Regal]

MacKinnon literally won the Calder at age 18. He's the exact opposite of this.

Kucherov and Draisaitl are the obvious names here.

Kucherov wasn’t a high pick though.

 

[Golden_Jet]

MacKinnon literally won the Calder at age 18. He's the exact opposite of this.

Kucherov and Draisaitl are the obvious names here.

Kuch wasn’t a high pick

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

Dylan Strome was literally given away by the very weak Chicago Blackhawks. In hindsight, I’m sure they would like that move back.

Strome is my answer.

 

[MS]

Kucherov wasn’t a high pick though.

Kuch wasn’t a high pick

Whoops, yeah.

 

[East Coast Icestyle]

It's a shame Joe Thornton isn't active anymore because his first season was brutal stats wise

 

[Chainshot]

Of current players, Reinhart comes to mind as not yet mentioned.

 

[Iggys Dome]

Of current players, Reinhart comes to mind as not yet mentioned.

23 goals, 42 points not bad for his rookie season though. Especially on that Buffalo team

 

[Regal]

23 goals, 42 points not bad for his rookie season though. Especially on that Buffalo team

Yea, looking through names from the top of the draft and it seems actually rarer than I thought to be quite poor as a rookie and then become a high end player. Obviously not many are in the Ovechkin/Crosby type tier, or even the Matthews tier, but most high picks that pan out seem to be among the better rookies in their first years.

 

[SladeWilson23]

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