Can You Name The Last 25 Number 1 NHL Draft Picks?
- by Mark Gillespie
- – on
- in Sports
It used to be back in the days of the Original Six (and by the way if you don't know who they are there's a nice little SpongeBob quiz waiting for you right next door) that only a certain group of young boys dreamed of being the next Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull or Maurice Richard. Those boys were of course the kids growing up in Montreal, Toronto, Quebec,and the Northeast U.S. Nobody in Oklahoma or Florida or Arizona gave a rat's ass about hockey back then.
Then in the eighties and nineties the NHL started to expand into all kinds of crazy new areas of the U.S. and Canada. I'm talking about places out west like Edmonton and Winnipeg and places in the south like Atlanta and Tampa Bay. A team from Los Angeles won the cup twice in this decade. A team called the Coyotes of all things plays in Phoenix. There's even a team in San Jose who became notorious in the last decade for their playoff chokes.
So nowadays there are kids all over the place who want to be the next Sidney Crosby, Claude Giroux (well maybe not him), or Patrick Kane. They dream of being selected number one on draft night and walking onstage wearing their new team hat. But how well do you think all those kids know their NHL draft history? Come to think of it, how well do you know it? Do you think you have what it takes to name the last 25 number one picks in the NHL draft? Let's drop the biscuit and find out.
Who Am I?
The 2017 NHL entry draft just happened and if you're any fan of hockey- which I assume you are or why would you be here- you probably know the answer to our first draft pick question. This player came out of Switzerland where he played in the top A-League as a sixteen-year-old. He's only 18 right now and was drafted by the mighty New Jersey Devils. He hasn't hit the big time yet but plays for the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior League, which is a pretty big-time minor league.
Who Am I?
Talk about living up to draft expectations! The top pick from the 2016 entry draft scored four goals in his NHL debut for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Yes the Leafs were the team that drafted him, luckily for them. He was only the second rookie in the last 15 years to score 40 goals in his first season. He's actually from California originally but moved to Arizona with his family, where he became interested in hockey. Arizona? California??? Hockey's changed, son.
Who Am I?
This guy was only the third player ever to be allowed to play up a year early in the OHL (that's the Ontario Hockey League, one of the "Big Three" Canadian junior leagues). I guess they kind of had to- he scored 79 goals and recorded 130 (!!!) assists in the league he had been in. He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers. He's twenty-years-old and has already led the NHL in scoring and won the Hart Trophy. Oh yeah, he's also the captain of the Oilers- there's a surprise.
Who Am I?
This player was also granted that "Exceptional Player" status that we were talking about with the previous entry. He was the second ever to get it. I guess it makes sense; he's only 21-years-old and stands 6'4" and weighs 225 lbs. Yeah, he's a beast of a defenseman. He's an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers, who drafted him. He's also a Calder Trophy winner, an honor that is probably one of the little reasons the Panthers gave him a new three year, $60 million contract!
Who Am I?
This guy is also a Calder Trophy winner, winning it in 2014. He was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche and subsequently sewn up with a seven year, $44 million deal after his stupendous rookie season. He's originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia and was a stud in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League before heading to the NHL. He's the youngest player in Colorado's history (which isn't that long anyway) to suit up for a game and the youngest to score a hat trick.
Who Am I?
This player also plays for the Colorado Avalanche but he was actually drafted number one overall by the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers traded him to St. Louis for future draft picks and St. Louis in turn decided to let him go after the 2016-17 season. He's originally from Russia and there was serious interest from teams in his homeland to take him back but he chose instead to give the NHL a further shot by signing with Colorado. So he's not quite a bust- yet.
Who Am I?
Here's another Oiler (man, those guys are busy!) who is currently serving as an alternate captain for the team. He's originally from Burnaby, British Columbia. He played his juniors career in the Western Hockey League- kind of makes sense, doesn't it, since he's from B.C. In his first game for the Oilers he scored a game-tying goal late in the third period- you go rook! He's the only 18-year-old to record five assists in one game (he did it against the Blackhawks in 2011) and was an All-Star in 2015.
Who Am I?
Hey Look- another player selected first by the Edmonton Oilers, this time in the 2010 draft. Man, Edmonton was really bad for awhile. This guy was supposed to be a major part of their rebuilding years. He was a former tournament MVP of the Ontario Hockey League (the last of the "Big Three" junior leagues). Actually he was tournament MVP twice and his team won both times. While with the Oilers he once scored two goals in eight seconds, breaking a Wayne Gretzky team record by one second. He also was once cut by a teammate's skate during warmups and required 30 stitches to close it! He was traded to the Devils last year and was their only All-Star.
Who Am I?
Here's the only other guy to get that "Exceptional Player" exemption, having had it happen to him way back in 2005 when he was only 14-years-old. He was drafted first by the New York Islanders just four years later in 2009 so he must have done something right. He is currently the captain of the Islanders so he's still doing it right I guess. Considering he's a perennial All-Star candidate and has already recorded 500 career points, yeah, I would say he's doing alright...
Who Am I?
The Tampa Bay Lightning took this big center number one in the 2008 draft and he's played a big role in their recent successes. How big, you ask? Well he's a two-time Maurice Richard Trophy winner. You know, the award for most goals in a season and he's been to four All-Star games. He's from Ontario originally but his heritage is Macedonian and Scottish which, as far as I'm concerned, means he's a total badass. He's also closing in on 600 career points.
Who Am I?
This guy is a total stud for the Chicago Blackhawks, who drafted him first in 2007. He is a huge part of the Blackhawks recent success, as he has been a major player on all three of their Stanley Cup winning teams since 2009. He and his equally stellar teammates have also basically owned the Central division in the West since he was a rookie. He was named one of the NHL's 100 Greatest Players this past year and is a former winner of both the Hart Trophy and the Art Ross Trophy.
Who Am I?
Drafted number one in 2006 by the St. Louis Blues this player moved on to the Colorado Avalanche in a trade in 2010. The Avalanche certainly like this big defenseman, as he is the highest paid player on their current roster. And why shouldn't they? He was an All-Star in 2015 for them and is considered one of the top defenders in the league. A few years back he suffered one of those crazy non-hockey injuries players and teams fear when he tore his knee getting out of a golf cart at a team golf outing.
Who Am I?
I don't even know what to say about this guy. Umm...he's still playing. He's kinda, sorta pretty good. He just won the Stanley Cup for the third time. He's a back-to-back playoff MVP. Oh yeah, he was one of the most highly regarded prospects ever back in 2005 and was often compared to Wayne Gretzky- he seems to have lived up to those expectations, hasn't he? Yeah, I think the two-time regular season MVP and seven- time All-Star certainly has.
Who Am I?
Here's a stud from Russia who has been productive for seemingly forever but was drafted in 2004 as the number one pick. He's probably got another ten years in him at the rate he's going. Maybe the Capitols, who drafted him and whom he still plays for, will finally get over their playoff nightmares while he's still around. He's a huge bruiser of a wing at 6'4" and 250 lbs. but it;s really his knack for scoring that sets him apart. He's won "Rocket" Richard's scoring trophy six times and been league MVP three times. Yeah, he's pretty good.
Who Am I?
One of a very few players at his position ever drafted number one overall this guy played with Pittsburgh, the team that drafted him, from 2003 until this past season. He has been a contributor to three Stanley Cup champion Penguin teams. He's also the brand-spanking new goaltender of the brand-spanking new expansion team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights. That happened when Pittsburgh left him unprotected in the 2017 NHL expansion draft. It must be weird to get drafted again after having played in the league for almost 15 years!
Who Am I?
Back in 2002 this guy was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets number one overall. He came out of the Ontario Hockey League- there's a shocker, eh? Like most of these top picks we are discussing here he's had a very successful NHL career, having been nominated for Calder for Rookie of the Year. He became the goal scoring champion in his second year. He's also not only a five-time All-Star but even won the NHL's community outreach award. He's currently an alternate captain for the New York Rangers.
Who Am I?
One of the great Russian-born NHL players of all time was drafted number one by the Atlanta Thrashers. He retired from the NHL in 2013 after some very productive seasons with the New Jersey Devils, when he became the seventh leading Russian-born scorer in NHL. He's actually still playing in Russia. I guess the final contract he signed with New Jersey for 15 years at $100 million wasn't quite enough for him to live on. Or maybe the guy just really like s to play hockey.
Who Am I?
Sometimes being a number one draft pick doesn't lead to glory. A case in point would be this guy, who was drafted first by the New York Islanders and looked like he was going to be a premier player for them for a very long time at a very demanding position. He did stay healthy for the first eight years of his career during which he was an occasional All-Star and good enough to sign a huge 15-year contract in 2006. Then the injuries hit and he was out of hockey before the contract was halfway done.
Who Am I?
It may not always seem like it but there are definitely busts in the NHL draft. Our next player is one of the biggest cases in point at the number one position. He was drafted in 1999 by the Atlanta Thrashers out of the Czech Republic and played six seasons for them., and then two for the Dallas Stars. He collected 177 career points over eight seasons which might sound OK on paper but is pretty weak for a top draft pick who played center.
Who Am I?
The Tampa Bay Lightning drafted this player, who hailed from Quebec, first in the 1998 draft. He was a pretty good player for them for a very long time, helping them to win their one and only stanley Cup in 2004 and also leading the league in goals in 2007. He was also a four-time All-star for the franchise in his 14 years there before moving over to Philly, where he played up until 2016. He was then traded to Los Angeles and played for about half a season there until hanging up his skates for good.
Who Am I?
This guy was always one of my favorites but since you don't know me and I don't know you I don't know if that's gonna help you too much in the quiz. He's originally from Ontario and is a huge center, known for his nice passing style and strength on the puck. At 6'4" and 225 lbs. you would hope he would be strong. He was drafted by the Boston Bruins in 1997 and spent seven seasons there, half of those as the captain. Since then he has played with the San Jose Sharks, where his still an alternate captain almost 20 years into his career. He's a six-time All-Star and former MVP.
Who Am I?
I can barely remember this guy even though he was drafted number one by the Ottawa Senators in 1996 and played for them for 16 years! He's even the player who has played the most regular season games for the franchise at 1.179 games. He's also on the short list of long-time NHL players who played their entire career with one team so, even though he didn't win any major awards or a cup or make an All-Star team, Ottawa must have been pretty happy with him.
Who Am I?
Here's another instance where injury sort of derailed the career of a supposed once and future star. This big defenseman was chosen number one by the Senators in 1995 but refused to report to the club and ended up starting his career with the New York Islanders. He actually won the Calder Trophy in 1997 but then suffered a horrendous eye injury in 2000 off the stick of Marian Hossa. He seemed to be out of hockey because of the injury but persevered in his rehab and managed to string together a somewhat successful career with one-year deals on multiple clubs for the last seven years of his time on ice.
Who Am I?
After playing for two years in the Ontario Hockey League, this player was taken number one in the 1994 draft by the Florida Panthers. He made the All-rookie team but was later traded to Vancouver, where he became the best defenseman on that team for a number of years. When he became a free agent in 2006 he moved to Phoenix, where he again was team-leading defenseman. He was the sort of defenseman who knew how to score, recording a 50 point season and three 40 point seasons. He returned to Florida at the end of his career and was team captain from 2012-14.
Who Am I?
And finally we have the biggest bust in the history of the NHL draft. He was originally drafted first by Ottawa in 1993 and promptly fell apart. He only played three seasons total in the NHL for six teams and scored a whopping total of 129 NHL goals. He is infamous for having said: "I'm glad I got drafted first, because no one remembers number two." The guys selected 2nd and fourth in his draft both became Hall of Famers...