Re-Drafting the 2006 NHL Draft

VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 24: (L-R) Second overall pick Jordan Staal of the Pittsburgh Penguins, first overall pick Erik Johnson of the St. Louis Blues, and third overall pick Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks pose for a portrait together backstage during the 2006 NHL Draft held at General Motors Place on June 24, 2006 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images for NHL) /

20 of 31

Mar 24, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks forward Chris Stewart (29) during the pre game warm up against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /

19. player. 105. . Right wing. Kingston Frontenacs. Chris Stewart

Original pick: Mark Mitera

Considering he ended up in Anaheim, this might be cheating when we try to speculate what Chris Stewart might have been like in a Ducks jersey.

The Ducks selecting Mark Mitera in this stacked draft class seems silly in hindsight, but as it turns out, they didn’t need this draft at all, since this was the year they won their last Stanley Cup. They had a championship core in place, and not messing with it seems like the safe thing to do.

But keeping one eye on the future is something every GM must do, which is why they haven’t won another Cup since then, and Chris Stewart proved to have far more longevity than Mark Mitera. Of course, Stewart went a pick earlier to Colorado in the real draft, but this time, he falls to them.

For Anaheim, a dependable bottom six player could’ve been desirable since they didn’t have many options after Teemu Selanne and Corey Perry on the right. When Stewart started out in Colorado, he put up some high totals, including a 64-point season in just his second NHL season.

The year after that, he went nearly a point per game with 53 points in 62 games split between the Avalanche and Blues.

While his production tailed off from there, he’s taken on more of a checking role as he provides much-needed balance in an offensive lineup. On the Ducks last season, Stewart carved out a role on the fourth line where he provided secondary scoring and high-energy shifts. He’s a free agent now, but a team should be glad if they sign him for cheap since he has proven to make the most of his role.

Next: 20. Montreal Canadiens

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