Worst first round picks

[kaiser matias]

I remember walking into Day 2 of the draft and seeing a Chinese language film crew go through security around the same time. I was a little confused and then it made sense when the Song pick was made.

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A few days later I was in Washington DC and saw this newspaper stand. But at least it was only a sixth rounder. Probably a few owner mandated / nepotism late round picks over the years.

I remember coming home and seeing that the Devils traded back into the 7th round to take Anthony Brodeur. I was overly sour about that but then I saw the video of them having Marty make the announcement and it was a nice enough moment.

Another one was from 2009, when the Senators used a 7th round pick on Brad Peltz. His father is Nelson Peltz, who's net worth is currently $1.6 billion and at the time was rumored to be interested in buying the Senators.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Another one was from 2009, when the Senators used a 7th round pick on Brad Peltz. His father is Nelson Peltz, who's net worth is currently $1.6 billion and at the time was rumored to be interested in buying the Senators.

Red Wings drafted Draper's kid a few years ago. 3rd line college center (regular, not elite shutdown matchup type) in his D+5 (23 years old). Pure nepo pick. Wouldn't be shocked if he got an ELC with same logic as well.

 

[LeProspector]

I definitely saw quite a few mocks of him late first, im sure there were some with him higher too. im not fully wrong but whatever, I believe he fits this thread. you can disagree idgaf

I mean, I’m sure your memory is perfect, but I’m able to back up what I remember with facts and evidence, you haven’t. I am correct here.

 

[BHD]

Liam Foudy...

I never got that pick.

 

[BHD]

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Derrick Pouliot at #8 in 2012 was a bit of a surprise, especially with Filip Forsberg and Jacob Trouba still on the board.

Back when HF covered prospects, the Pens' pool was ranked pretty high - and it was due in large part to their defense. At one point, they had Pouliot, Joe Morrow, Brian Dumoulin, Olli Maatta, and Scott Harrington in the system. Plus, Simon Despres was learning the ropes from some guy named Kris Letang.

The Pens still won back-to-back Cups with some of those guys, but it's crazy how it all shook out.

 

[Son of Nogatco]

O'brien just gave up playing hockey altogether after Boston U, at 22 yars old, didn't even give the minors a try, quite odd...

I think he did try to play AHL/ECHL, but keeps getting injured

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Back when HF covered prospects, the Pens' pool was ranked pretty high - and it was due in large part to their defense. At one point, they had Pouliot, Joe Morrow, Brian Dumoulin, Olli Maatta, and Scott Harrington in the system. Plus, Simon Despres was learning the ropes from some guy named Kris Letang.

The Pens still won back-to-back Cups with some of those guys, but it's crazy how it all shook out.

Speaking of those Pens prospects back then, Morrow and Despres are now playing in the EIHL in the UK.
Its not the worse place to play: nice weather, authentic fish n chips, UK style indian food, best tea shops, scenery in the country including castles, british candy/chocolate much better than NA, etc.

Dumoulin is still good player that returned a 2nd round pick and decent prospect this year.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

I never got that pick.

Elite speed. Probably thought he could develop to as well as Athanasiou did at that time, just didn't happen.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Jay O’Brien
Bust isn’t a strong enough word for that guy

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Bad immediately w/o benefit of hindsight :

Dylan McIlrath

Taking a a big oaf fighter with no upside at 10 overall is peak dinosaur Rongo behavior

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Pavel Brendl was highly touted, went 4th overall in 1999 and ended up playing 78 games in the NHL

But was it a head scratching pick at the time?

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Colton Gillies, Jake Virtanen, Griffin Reinhart

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Kakko hes gotta be top 5. Rags just dumped for a 6th pairing dman.

I don’t think you understood the question

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Filip Zadina still stings for the Red Wings.

But that pick was viewed as a steal at the time , people thought he would go top 3

 

[bert]

We simply don't have the same assessment.

Rossi is a better player than Quinn in the NHL anyway.

You don't know how much time I spend watching hockey.

You criticize me because I judge by stats, when of the two of us, only you talk about stats.

Assuming injuries dont derail Quinns career i think he ends up the better more impact full player. His skillset has way more runway to hit his peak. His shot can beat NHL goalies clean. Rossi is getting shopped right now for a reason they are trying to sell high after spending half the year with Kaprizov inflating His stats. Tremendous hockey sense but his physical abilities just limit him so much. He is tiny and below average in speed.

When you look at that draft how do you choose Quinn over Holtz as the terrible draft pick? Quinns production is way better and he has shown more upside.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Red Wings drafted Draper's kid a few years ago. 3rd line college center (regular, not elite shutdown matchup type) in his D+5 (23 years old). Pure nepo pick. Wouldn't be shocked if he got an ELC with same logic as well.

Kienan was definitely a nepo pick, but I doubt they'd waste a contract spot on him considering the amount of prospects they have.

Their 2025 first, Plante, Augustine, Buchelnikov, Savage, and Dylan James all get ELCs in the next year, probably.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Kienan was definitely a nepo pick, but I doubt they'd waste a contract spot on him considering the amount of prospects they have.

Their first, Plante, Augustine, Buchelnikov, and Dylan James all get ELCs in the next year, probably.

Perhaps just an AHL deal. Will see, makes sense if they are up against contract limit

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Assuming injuries dont derail Quinns career i think he ends up the better more impact full player. His skillset has way more runway to hit his peak. His shot can beat NHL goalies clean. Rossi is getting shopped right now for a reason they are trying to sell high after spending half the year with Kaprizov inflating His stats. Tremendous hockey sense but his physical abilities just limit him so much. He is tiny and below average in speed.

When you look at that draft how do you choose Quinn over Holtz as the terrible draft pick? Quinns production is way better and he has shown more upside.

The worst draft pick is judged based on draft-day valuation. This isn't a redraft.

Holtz was highly regarded in 2020.

As for the Rossi/Quinn debate, the market will decide. Trade rumors already give an indication of the most sought-after player.

I have my opinion on that, and I'll stick to it. As a Montreal fan, if I have the choice between them, I'll take Rossi every day.

 

[Howie Hodge]

Buffalo Sabres:

Joel Savage

Denis Persson

Artyom Kruikov

Draft prospects who even prior to draft, had nothing very positive written about them that translated into being good NHL prospects. Novotny, Cooper, Anderson; some lame picks, but none as lame as these Turkeys....

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Perhaps just an AHL deal. Will see, makes sense if they are up against contract limit

If you were to assume a 23 man roster, that'd be about 40 contracts. That being said, there's always the chance of MBN/Danielson/ASP making the roster out of camp and being one of the 23.

Then add those aforementioned 6 guys, and the possibility that they retain Tuomisto and/or Hanas to see if there's still NHL potential there. (I think Hanas' ship has sailed)

Using a 7th on a guy for nepotism is one thing. Wasting a contract spot when you've got a shit ton of prospects would be absurdly irresponsible.

 

[Brodeur]

The 2005 Draft is still a bit of a void for me. Due to the lockout, I kinda tuned out hockey that year. Then the draft materialized quickly after they agreed on the new CBA. But with the TV rights expiring in the US with ESPN, the draft was broadcast on the NHL Network which wasn't even offered by my cable provider at the time.

Was just browsing through THN's 2005 Draft Preview and this might have been my first time reading that particular issue. They had Brian Lee ranked 22nd with a footnote that ISS had him 29th. He'd end up going 9th.

It would be an interesting question to ask a scout who had worked that year whether they had to cast a wider net than usual. Like if your team was picking #20, you could maybe focus on a handful of guys. But 2005 was the anomaly since the league didn't determine the order until a week before the draft. I could only imagine the process would be different not knowing if you were picking 5th or 25th.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

The 2005 Draft is still a bit of a void for me. Due to the lockout, I kinda tuned out hockey that year. Then the draft materialized quickly after they agreed on the new CBA. But with the TV rights expiring in the US with ESPN, the draft was broadcast on the NHL Network which wasn't even offered by my cable provider at the time.

Was just browsing through THN's 2005 Draft Preview and this might have been my first time reading that particular issue. They had Brian Lee ranked 22nd with a footnote that ISS had him 29th. He'd end up going 9th.

It would be an interesting question to ask a scout who had worked that year whether they had to cast a wider net than usual. Like if your team was picking #20, you could maybe focus on a handful of guys. But 2005 was the anomaly since the league didn't determine the order until a week before the draft. I could only imagine the process would be different not knowing if you were picking 5th or 25th.

Brian Lee ahead of Kopitar might have cost the Senators a Cup

 

[majormajor]

I don't think any of the posts in the 6 pages so far is "the worst" pick, we're just throwing out options. I get that Turgeon had injury issues, but he was a reach by Emile Francis in '83, and as it turned out the two guys picked immediately after him (Lafontaine and Yzerman) were both HOFers and top 100 all-time players. It's all relative.

How much of a reach could Sylvain Turgeon be? He had 163 pts in juniors in 1983, compared to Yzerman's 91. Genuine question.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Another one was from 2009, when the Senators used a 7th round pick on Brad Peltz. His father is Nelson Peltz, who's net worth is currently $1.6 billion and at the time was rumored to be interested in buying the Senators.

His sister was in that mockery of Avatar the Last Airbender movie.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Brian Lee was drafted 9th overall in 2005 by Ottawa. I remember there was some hype about him. But he ultimately didn't pan out.

Does anyone remember what his biggest issues were.