Quote:
Originally Posted by ComixZone
I don't like this train of thought. I just don't think it applies to the modern era of the NHL, where there are a lot more resources directed towards proper scouting.
If you look at the modern NHL (post '04/'05 lockout):
2006:
1. Erik Johnson
2. Jordan Staal
3. Jonathan Toews
4. Nicklas Backstrom
5. Phil Kessell
2007:
1. Patrick Kane
2. James Van Riemsdyk
3. Kyle Turris
4. Thomas Hickey
5. Karl Alzner
2008:
1. Steven Stamkos
2. Drew Doughty
3. Zach Bogosian
4. Alex Pietrangelo
5. Luke Schenn
2009:
1. John Tavares
2. Victor Hedman
3. Matt Duchene
4. Evander Kane
5. Brayden Schenn
2010:
1. Taylor Hall
2. Tyler Seguin
3. Erik Gudbranson
4. Ryan Johansen
5. Nino Niederreiter
2011:
1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
2. Gabriel Landeskog
3. Jonathan Huberdeau
4. Adam Larsson
5. Ryan Strome
2012:
1. Nail Yakupov
2. Ryan Murray
3. Alex Galchenyuk
4. Griffin Reinhart
5. Morgan Rielly
2013:
1. Nathan Mackinnon
2. Aleksander Barkov
3. Jonathan Drouin
4. Seth Jones
5. Elias Lindholm
Complete "busts" just don't happen like they used to, at least not in the top 6. The top 5 is pretty much a lock to be an every day, good hockey player. The closest thing to a bust is Yakupov, who has had his development all "Edmontoned". Out of the 40 picks I listed above, Yakupov and Hickey are the closest things to "busts".
And as a small bit of optimistic news regarding the 1999 draft you mentioned - Burke has been quoted saying the Sedins were the only two players from that year (I assume at the top of the draft) that he believed had a chance to be impact players. He definitely got that right.
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Imagine the oil going back 3 years and getting, Kane , stamkos, and Tavares
They can't even lose in the right years