The worst draft ever?

[tanti9]

I know it is still early but, the 2022 draft is looking mediocre at best. There has been no "superstar" to take the league by storm and the 2 most promising players seem to be Cooley and Hutson. The 1999 draft was dreadful minus the Sedins. What do you think was the worst draft class? Is there hope (i know it's early) for 2022 to be decent.

Cheers

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[Seb]

It's only been 2 years

 

[Brookbank]

The problem with saying the 1999 draft was the worst is the Sedins.

The hardware for the top 10 in each draft should be tallied up. Both Sedins won an Art Ross. Henrik has a Hart trophy.

Maybe 1999 is still the worst I dunno

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Moulson, don’t @ me. You know it sucks.

 

[Crow]

I feel like it’s too soon to say for the most part. Hawks had 3 first round picks. I’m not ready to evaluate them yet.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Too soon , funny that the Sedins and the 1999 draft was mentioned , both of those scrubs couldn't even crack 40 points until their d+4 year lol.

 

[Bouboumaster]

I still think that Slafkovsky will be an excellent power forward in the future, one that will make space to both Caufield and Suzuki for years to come, while also having great talent himself.
He was better than Cooley last year. This year, Cooley is better, but Slaf is finding his groove in the past few games

But IMO, the best player of the draft will be Lane Hutson

 

[Golden_Jet]

It’s not 2022 that is way to recent

 

[Brodeur]

1996 was probably the worst in my time as a fan. 1999 at least had the usual amounts of optimism. Chris Phillips was the consensus #1 for the 1996 Draft but I think somebody on the draft broadcast mentioned that in a normal draft year that he'd be in the 5-10 range.

And as others mentioned, it's still relatively early for some of these guys. Mix in that most scouts considered 2022 to be a below average class to begin with.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

1996 was probably the worst in my time as a fan. 1999 at least had the usual amounts of optimism. Chris Phillips was the consensus #1 for the 1996 Draft but I think somebody on the draft broadcast mentioned that in a normal draft year that he'd be in the 5-10 range.

And as others mentioned, it's still relatively early for some of these guys. Mix in that most scouts considered 2022 to be a below average class to begin with.

1996 points leader is Matt Cullen with 731 career points, sure it had Chara and Briere in it but it's a brutal draft.

 

[GordonGraham]

Habs fan already see Hutson as a multiple Norris winner and hall of famer

 

[paulmm3]

I wasn't paying attention in the late 90s but 2012 is the worst draft I can remember. People knew it was a weak year going into the draft too.

 

[Brookbank]

Too soon , funny that the Sedins and the 1999 draft was mentioned , both of those scrubs couldn't even crack 40 points until their d+4 year lol.

Are you joking ?

 

[SaintMorose]

I'd take any one of half my teams 2024 picks over our entire 2022 draft (before the SA charge)

 

[WarriorofTime]

2019 will likely be a lot worse than 2022. Crazy how many players are no longer with the drafted team by the 23 going on 24 season.

J. Hughes - great
Kakko - 2nd team
Dach - 2nd team
Byram - 2nd team
Turcotte - mediocre
Seider - very good
Cozens - likely trade bait
Broberg - 2nd team
Podkolzin - 2nd team

It's rather early to make any bold statements for 2022, I agree there could end up being no superstar but that was pretty obvious with how in flux and unsure the Number 1, 2, 3 and 4 picks were that year. It's only their age 20 going on 21 season, and 10 of the top 11 picks have already played 35+ NHL games.

 

[Nicko999]

Still way too early but Cooley is trending well and Hutson is producing at the same pace as Quinn Hughes (at the same age).
Slafkovsky hopefully keeps improving.

Let's revisit in 5 years.

 

[Doom Bot]

2012 is really brutal

 

[eojsmada]

A bunch of the folks who got drafted are still either fulfilling their Euro contracts or are on the cusp of making it to the NHL and doing well in the AHL.

A bit premature to rank this draft, IMO.

 

[koyvoo]

Are you joking ?

The point being made is that if it took 4-5 for those two to get going, and they are the only thing that particular draft has going for it, it’s far, far too early to proclaim anything about the 2022 draft.

 

[eviohh26]

You are going to make a bunch of MTL fans mad.

Honestly need more time to properly assess 2022.

 

[Terry Yake]

can't see it being worse than 96 or 99

 

[Regal]

2012 is really brutal

Hellebuyck and Vasi save it a bit, but yea that one’s up there

2002 is pretty bad. Keith, Nash and Bouwmeester, and then a few good players not a lot of top tier guys: Steen, Semin, etc

 

[Gnashville]

2012 was Awful maybe not the Worst Ever but really bad

 

[Brodeur]

It was a little before my time, but 1992 was a bit weak in retrospect. Todd Warriner, Ryan Sittler, Brandon Convery, Robert Petrovicky, and Andrei Nazarov in the top 10. Because of the CBA rules, a couple of older Russians Dmitri Kvartalnov (26 years old) and Sergei Bautin (25 years old) would crack the top 20; By today's rules they would have been undrafted free agents.

 

[Pavels Dog]

2019 will likely be a lot worse than 2022. Crazy how many players are no longer with the drafted team by the 23 going on 24 season.

J. Hughes - great
Kakko - 2nd team
Dach - 2nd team
Byram - 2nd team
Turcotte - mediocre
Seider - very good
Cozens - likely trade bait
Broberg - 2nd team
Podkolzin - 2nd team

It's rather early to make any bold statements for 2022, I agree there could end up being no superstar but that was pretty obvious with how in flux and unsure the Number 1, 2, 3 and 4 picks were that year. It's only their age 20 going on 21 season, and 10 of the top 11 picks have already played 35+ NHL games.

Already three top 10 picks and five (!) top 15 picks traded in the 2022 draft.

Hughes and Seider are elite franchise players. I think that alone probably elevates 2019 above 2022 so far.