Looking back at the players whom teams built around a decade ago, shows that not all first round picks turn into stars. This draft group may be full of future Hall of Fame players, but there are also major busts and steals. Of the thirty first round picks, twelve are now out of the league, playing in the AHL, or overseas.
Seven first round picks have played for the team that drafted them their entire career. They have become the veteran leaders for their franchises and fan favourites for the past decade. Others have bounced around with numerous teams and never really found a fit.
Phil Kessel, drafted fifth overall, is the only member of this draft class to have played over 700 games. Him, along with number three pick Toews, are the only players to have scored over 200 goals. The best point producer of all though is the fourth pick Nicklas Backstrom. In 616 games for the Washington Capitals he has registered 608 points with 455 assists.
The arguable biggest busts from the first round, in my opinion, are thirteenth pick Jiri Tlusty (LW) and fifteenth pick Trevor Lewis (C). In 446 games Tlusty has managed just 177 points and in 384 games Lewis has only eighty three.
Some late round picks have put the league on notice this year and have turned into steals. Although they do not play for the team that drafted them today, they are proof that grit and determine, along with an opportunity, is all some need.
Matt Beleskey was drafted 112th and this season has 7/13 +7. Viktor Stalberg, taken 161st, is playing well for the Rangers this season with 6/7 +10. Lastly, Leo Komarov, an All Star this season and drafted 180th overall, has 15/14 +4 this season and in 145 games has sixty four points.
Six goalies were taken in the top 99 back in 2006, but only some have had success in the NHL. Jonathan Bernier was the first net minder taken, eleventh overall, but is having a poor year in Toronto with a 3.14 GAA and over his career is a .500 goalie.
The other first round goalie, Semyon Varlamov, was taken twenty third overall. He has had a great career 151-104-35 with a 2.58GAA and .917 save percentage, along with 19 shutouts.
The veteran of the group, Steve Mason, was drafted in the third round, sixty ninth overall. He currently plays for the Flyers and gives them a reliable man in net. A 161-147-50 career record with 2.71GAA and .910 save percentage, along with 29 shutouts has made him a comfortable mid round pick from a decade ago.
Another goalie, James Reimer, has had a good young career, but playing in Toronto puts the microscope on him and ridiculed for ever move on the ice. He is 7-6-4, 1.98GAA with a .936 save percentage in minimal time this season. 81-70-20 with eleven shutouts has made him a great pick at 99th overall.
Although a Stanley Cup contending team requires an elite goalie, they also need players who can control and score the puck. Many forwards taken in the first round tend to be centerman in this case. However, the trio of right wingers Kessel, Okposo, and Frolik have combined for 29/42 this year and numerous goals and assists in the past.
The best left wing players from this draft class are 50th pick Milan Lucic and 71st pick Brad Marchand. In 608 games Lucic has 368 points and is a +104. This season with the Kings he has tallied twenty six points and has a +10 rating. In 414 games Marchand has 254 points and is a +125. Like Lucic he has twenty six points this year with the Bruins and a +8 rating.
2006 1st Round
[table id=3 /]2006 2nd and 3rd Round
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2006 4th-6th Round Draft Steals
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