Fansided

Re-Drafting the 2006 NHL Draft

By David Rouben

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)
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) /
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Apr 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Claude Giroux (28) takes a shot during the second period against the Washington Capitals in game six of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Claude Giroux (28) takes a shot during the second period against the Washington Capitals in game six of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

94. . Center. Gatineau Olympiques. Claude Giroux. 3. player

Original pick: Jonathan Toews

Even if the Blackhawks missed out on Jonathan Toews in this parallel universe, they would’ve been greatly set up for the future with Claude Giroux. And it’s not like picking him would’ve prevented them from selecting Patrick Kane a year later.

Giroux is considered to be one of the best pure scorers in the NHL, but other than Jakub Voracek, he doesn’t get much offensive support in Philadelphia. It’s been the one thing that’s prevented him from winning a Cup, or even making the playoffs in some years, because for as good as he is, he can’t win it all by himself.

The cynics will say that anyone could win a Cup with Chicago’s supporting cast, but Giroux is a star center, and he helps make the players around him better. Given that they owned lottery picks in this draft and the next one, the Blackhawks were always going to be in a good position to build for the future. And while Giroux is no Toews, he would’ve been more than capable of turning around their fortunes the same way he did.

While the 2006 NHL Draft is memorable now, we have the benefit of hindsight, and seeing how deep the class really was. But having Giroux go third overall makes a lot more sense than him going 22nd overall. Plus, if the top three picks were Jonathan Toews, Nicklas Backstrom, and Claude Giroux, the 2006 Draft would’ve been regarded as having one of the best top three picks in history.

Next: 4. Washington Capitals

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