Original pick: Erik Johnson
The St. Louis Blues should be given credit for getting to the Western Conference Finals this year and turning hockey onto ex-Rams fan Tony X. But had they played their cards right in the 2006 Draft, they might not have been plagued by years of futility in the playoffs.
Indeed, if they had drafted Jonathan Toews instead of Erik Johnson, they definitely would’ve won their first Stanley Cup. Of all the players selected in 2006, Toews has proven to be the ultimate franchise player, and one of the best two-way players in hockey. The Selke Award should be renamed the Toews, Kopitar, and Bergeron award since the winner always rotates between those three.
Toews helped turn the Chicago Blackhawks from a basement dweller that only sold out half of the United Center to a perennial Cup contender that fills half of the other team’s building. When there’s a clutch situation in which you need a play, there aren’t many people you can choose to go to ahead of Toews.
The Blues still would’ve had a lot of work to do if they had drafted Toews. Him and David Backes would’ve made for a killer one-two punch down the middle, but their starting goalie was still Manny Legace while their leading scorer was Doug Weight. But when the Blues saw Toews scoring goals like this in just his second season, they knew they had made a big mistake:
It took the Blackhawks three seasons to get to the playoffs after the 2006 NHL Draft, which is the same time it took the Blues to get back there, but they got swept in the first round while the Blackhawks got to the Western Conference Finals.
Erik Johnson served the Blues well, and has become a good player in his own right for the Colorado Avalanche, but there is no way you can justify taking him first overall ahead of Toews. He’s the best first-line center you could’ve asked for, and with Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz coming through the ranks later on, there’s no doubt he would’ve thrived in a St. Louis jersey.
Next: 2. Pittsburgh Penguins