Worst first round picks

[spintheblackcircle]

Daniel Dore went 5th in 1988 by the Nordiques and played 17 NHL games

Roenick went 8th, Brind'Amour 9th and Selanne went 10th.

oops

 

[Brodeur]

Daniel Dore went 5th in 1988 by the Nordiques and played 17 NHL games

Roenick went 8th, Brind'Amour 9th and Selanne went 10th.

oops

In the context of what the OP wanted, Dore perhaps doesn't fit since he wasn't considered a reach at the time. He's had a nice second career as a scout, usually he's the one credited with the Bruins taking Patrice Bergeron in 2003.

That draft was before my time, but one anecdote that I read after the fact was that the Devils were confident that one of Selanne-Roenick-Brind'Amour would be there for them at #12 only to see them go 8-9-10.

 

[doublechili]

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

It was really Lafontaine that was the shocker at the time. The Isles were picking #3 and the consensus was that Lafontaine would go #1 or #2 worst case. The Isles were at #3 and it seemed like there was zero chance Lafontaine would be available, but Emile Francis took Turgeon at #2 instead of Lafontaine for some reason.

In their draft year in the QMJHL:

Turgeon 163 points LW;

Lafontaine 234 points C.

It was a reach statistically, by position (winger over C) and per the scouting consensus.

 

[SirPaste]

Marek Schwarz for the Blues, drafted him 17th overall, think he might of played like 5 NHL games and was just brutal.

 

[Brodeur]

Marek Schwarz for the Blues, drafted him 17th overall, think he might of played like 5 NHL games and was just brutal.

In the moment it seemed like the Blues got a steal. Schwarz/Montoya was the debate that year with a slight majority seemingly preferring Schwarz. Devan Dubnyk going before Schwarz was a big surprise on draft day.