Each NHL Team’s Worst Draft Bust

[doniceage]

Will Nolan Patrick be the next Ryan Getzlaf — whose style is like his own — or will he be the next Nikolai Zherdev, who was taken fourth overall the same year Getzlaf was plucked (2003) and was out of the NHL by 2011?

Wait and see, we say.

http://www.goliath.com/sports/each-n...7_premium_2017

[piper1]

It looks like the writer is probably young and only considered what he can remember but he has Montreal's worst pick all wrong. Also in my opinion number 20 picks or anything outside of the top 10 is hardly worth this type of assessment. I think that most long time Montreal fans would agree that when the number one pick is as big a disappointment as Doug Wickenheiser, and when you could have had Denis Savard instead...............

[RGM81]

LOL Excellent stuff - Zherdev was in the NHL for six seasons. Pretty sure it would be easily enough done to find someone out of that organization who either never made it at all or had a much shorter career. He had three 20-goal seasons, which isn't too bad. The name Gilbert Brule immediately springs to mind. Compare the stats and it's not even close -- Brule had 12 total goals for the Jackets in over 150 games.

[jameslacarte]

For the Leafs worst Draft bust you could go year by year with the exception of Courtnall, Clark & Matthews, Marner & Nylander & find horrible picks all through those years, I mean for the years we didnt trade away our first round pick for another horrible player. With Lamoriello & Shanahan im hoping those days are over..

[steelers6]

This is completely wrong. the article should have said--Every pick and decision Ken Holland has made in Detroit since the start of the salary cap!!!
He has gone from a top GM to one of the 5 worst in the game!

20. Detroit Red Wings – Tom McCollum

The Detroit Red Wings, and GM Ken Holland by extension, have been pretty astute at finding nuggets in the late stages of the first round and even well down the list. Not so in 2008. Having just won a Stanley Cup, they automatically had the 30th pick in that draft, settling on Guelph Storm workhorse Tom McCollum. He had just played 51 games in 2007-08, winning 25 and posting four shutouts, when the Wings came calling. He graduated to the pros in 2009 and for the next seven seasons he was employed mostly at the ECHL and AHL levels, seeing action in only three games with Detroit. He ended his affiliation with the team in 2016 and is now in the Carolina Hurricanes minor league system with the Charlotte Checkers.

[subban7677]

Just take a look at the Canadiens' first round picks for the last 20 + years. A couple really good picks, and a lot of garbage.

[Kovy]

Ah the 2003 draft for Ranger fans will always be remembered as the Hugh Jessiman draft. I believe he was the only official bust in the first round that year.

[Malkamania71]

I disagree with the Penguins choice of Esposito. He was the key part of the trade that sent Hossa and Duper to Pit. Id say the biggest bust is Beau Bennett. A guy that showed sooo much skill but could not stay healthy. He was made of glass. Esposito stock was falling way before he was drafted.

[JayTPMC]

Yakapov.