I still think it's absolutely hilarious that the Kings drafted Tom Glavine ahead of Robitaille that year.
May seem hilarious that no team picked Luc for 8+ rounds, but where is the hilarity in the Kings picking Glavine?
It wasn't a joke pick, he was a fourth rounder.
“I’d like to believe I would have made it. There are guys I played against in high school who have played in the NHL, and we had comparable talent then. But there are no guarantees. … I know I would have had to become bigger — I was 6-foot-0, 180 [pounds] when I graduated from high school. Either that or find a way to play as Gretzky played. But I think I had a shot to make it.
I guess after going through both sports and doing a pros and cons for both sports, they were both evenly matched in my mind. I love both sports, but the deciding factor was, being a left-handed pitcher, I had a huge advantage in baseball because of that, and I didn't have that type of advantage in hockey. I knew how desperately everyone wanted a left-handed pitcher, so it was an advantage that I needed to try and use.
...I don't know. When I was in high school, I was a scorer; I was a skill player, so to speak. I was never a banger. I scored a lot of goals and took a lot of pride in keeping the puck out of my net when I was on the ice, killing penalties and things like that. So I was a complete player in that regard. But, looking back, I know I would have had to gain some weight and get stronger. I like to think I would have made it, but would I have been a Hall of Fame player like I hope to be in baseball? The likelihood is probably no … I will always wonder what would have happened, but there's no second-guessing the decision I have made."
I guess another hilarious pick was Kirk McCaskill, also a fourth rounder, by Winnipeg in 1981. He was a Hobey Baker finalist.
Thanks for the responses. I was thinking more alongs "fringe NHLers" that came from nowhere to become stars. I'm looking more for players who played through a couple of seasons showing no signs of superstar potential and then actually becoming one.
For example, I know in Datsyuk's case that it was more of a mess up by NHL scouts overlooking him than him never showing potential. Also, Datsyuk did great in his rookie season and then never looked back from there. So despite his low draft status, he's not the kind of player I'm looking for in this thread.
Never realized Adam Oates was drafted so late. But for those that saw him start his career, did it look like he'd succeed from the start? Or did he actually played subpar hockey in the beginning? Stats have limited use judging this.
Does Brett Hull qualify? He wasn't expected to be a star, was drafted in the sixth round by the Flames and was considered to be an out of shape player (having weighed 220 pounds as a junior, and it wasn't all muscle! The Flames gave up on him prematurely and he went on to become one of the most prolific scorers in NHL history.
part of the proplem was that Calgary had such a deep team,that they couldnt give himquality time..if I remember correctly,they got ramage and wamsley and that helped them to the next level
didnt cgy have Nieuwendyk,Gilmore,Mullen,Macdonald,Loooooob,Patte rson,Otto,Roberts,carey wilson
Rich Peverly, ECHL player. Signed by the Milwaukee Admirals. After a few AHL seasons, signed by Nashville to an NHL contract. Waived by the Preds last season and picked up by Atlanta where he is kicking butt. Was in the top 10 for goal scoring this season. Rich has averaged a goal a game for Atlanta.
How about Henri Richard? He was drafted by Montreal to please his brother. He worked out pretty well for a guy who was expected to be a flash in the pan.
Pavol Demitra - 227th overall, 1993 (Ottawa Senators) after five seasons he explode with 37 goals and 89 points. Later another 93 point season.
Lubomir Visnovsky - 118th overall, 2000 (LA Kings) He was drafted at age 24 after he was silver in World Championship and was huge part of the team. He was considered as not perspective cause he is small.
..and winner is...
Zdeno Chara - 56th overall, 1996 (Islanders)
His junior coaches told him he should end playing hockey, never play in premier national league, fans in Slovakia remember him as completly unskilled defensman with terrible skating. Last year he won Norris. End of story
Exactly what I've been looking for! Thanks! Can't believe I forgot about Chara. It's been great to watch him progress, from the days of him beating up McCabe in Leafs/Sens games to his Norris season. I forgot how he used to be a lumbering giant haha.
Tim Thomas? Although I think his Vezina win in 2009 is not exactly a trend he'll continue and no one would call him a "star". But for that one season, being named the best goalie in the NHL I doubt even the most adamant Bruin fan thought that was possible at the beginning of that season
How about Henri Richard? He was drafted by Montreal to please his brother. He worked out pretty well for a guy who was expected to be a flash in the pan.
I don't know that story. The story I have personally heard in an intervew from Henri's mouth was that Maurice took him into Frank Selke's office and advised him to sign Henri. Selke asked him if he was ready for the NHL. Maurice said "sure he's ready". Henri then signed a contract and could barely speak any English at that time.
No doubt about it Henri was a talented prospect. No one expected him to be like his brother, but the way his career turned out surprised no one
Charlie Simmer: A 3rd round pick by the California Seals, his first four seasons were primarily spent in the minors with some time in the NHL where he was unable to keep his spot on the roster. He ended up with the Kings organization, and midway through the '78-'79 season was called up from the farm team. They tried him on a line with Marcel Dionne and they just clicked. Next season, Simmer led the NHL in goals.
Dionne and Tayler were the keys to that line--Simmer got lucky
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trying to fend off exwife number 2
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GO SHARKS GO
1. Drafted in the third round, forty-eighth overall.
2. Scored a whopping one goal in his draft year (albeit as a eighteen year-old in the WHA)
3. Got sent down for four games in his rookie season. Managed a total of 33 points in 75 games with the big club that year.
Of course, he took off pretty quickly after that; going from 63 to 88 to 106 points over the next three seasons.
Good call on Zdeno Chara, as well. I actually have that draft on tape and, at one point, Bob McKenzie and Gord Miller are talking about how big some of the prospects are and Miller says something to the effect of, 'I've even heard rumours that there's a 7 foot-tall Slovak walking around here somewhere'. McKenzie chuckles and then gives a brief rundown of Chara but its quite clear that he's basically considered a sideshow, not a real prospect.
Johan Franzen went from checking center to goal-scoring machine pretty abruptly, about two years ago.
As one who saw Franzén play somewhat regularly in the SEL, I had absolutely no idea that he had this kind of goal scoring touch. When he crossed the pond I thought he'd be like Rickard Wallin, a 3rd/4th line player, probably returning after one or two seasons.
I don't know that story. The story I have personally heard in an intervew from Henri's mouth was that Maurice took him into Frank Selke's office and advised him to sign Henri. Selke asked him if he was ready for the NHL. Maurice said "sure he's ready". Henri then signed a contract and could barely speak any English at that time.
No doubt about it Henri was a talented prospect. No one expected him to be like his brother, but the way his career turned out surprised no one
Apparently no one could take the puck away from him in practice, and that's when they all realized he was ready.
Curtis Joseph. Undrafted. Nothing more than a backup his first 2-3 years in St.Louis. Then came the 1993 playoffs and he developed into one of the winningnest goalies of all-time.
