[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by AC

I posted this in the discussion about last year's draft, but out of all 32 defenceman picked in the top 5 since 1993, only 3 have been stars (so far).

2012: Murray, Reinhart, Rielly
2011: Larsson
2010: Gudbranson
2009: Hedman
2008: Doughty, Bogosian, Pietrangelo, Schenn
2007: Hickey, Alzner
2006: E. Johnson
2005: J. Johnson
2004: Barker
2002: Bouwmeester, Pitkanen, Whitney
2000: Klesla
1998: Stuart, Allen, Vishnevski
1997: Brewer
1996: Phillips, Zyuzin, Richard Jackman
1995: Berard, Redden, Berg
1994: Jovanovski, Tverdovsky
1993: Pronger

For whatever reason, top tier defensive prospects tend to disappoint.

Basically, if you're taking a D-man in the top 3, you are more likely to get a Dennis Wideman clone give or take than you are to get a complete bust or a star D-man.