Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
Is this the greatest draft ever in regards to quantity of talent? Has to be pretty close if it isn't.
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I think it's pretty safe to say 1979 is still regarded as the best draft class ever. In large part that was due to the draft age being lowered from 20 to 18 that year, so effectively three draft classes graduated at once, and the WHA had merged into the NHL and weren't poaching young players as free agents anymore.
103/126 (81.7%) of draftees played in at least one game in the NHL.
73 played in at least 100 games.
44 played in at least 500 games.
17 played in over 1000 games.
7 finished their careers with over 1000 points. (Mark Messier, Ray Bourque, Mike Gartner, Michel Goulet, Glenn Anderson, Dale Hunter and Brian Propp)
The career average of all players in this draft class was 479 GP, 107 goals, 179 assists, 558 PIM.