Fansided

The 10 most loaded draft classes in NHL history

By C.L. Kohuss

Canadian hockey player Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins on the ice during a road game, East Rutherford, New Jersey, 1984. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
Canadian hockey player Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins on the ice during a road game, East Rutherford, New Jersey, 1984. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images) /
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OTTAWA, ONT – JULY 30: The top three draft picks (L-R) Bobby Ryan of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jack Johnson of the Carolina Hurricanes pose for a portrait during the 2005 National Hockey League Draft on July 30, 2005 at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images for NHL)
OTTAWA, ONT – JULY 30: The top three draft picks (L-R) Bobby Ryan of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jack Johnson of the Carolina Hurricanes pose for a portrait during the 2005 National Hockey League Draft on July 30, 2005 at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images for NHL) /

5. 2005

As with the ’79 draft, ’05 marked a significant year for the NHL. Why? The Sidney Crosby sweepstakes, that’s why. It was a monumental moment in the face of hockey. The entire ’04 season had been wiped off the chalkboard completely due to a lockout, which seems unfathomable, and so the following year’s draft had to be determined by a lottery.

You know the rest because it really is history. The Pittsburgh Penguins ultimately landed the coveted No. 1 spot, taking Crosby and changing their franchise (and the game) forever. With him, they’ve won three titles, he’s scored more than 400 goals and 1,100 points (he’s only 30) and won multiple trophies, including two Conn Smythe awards.

We could have slid the 2004 draft on this list somewhere, as that was the year of Ovechkin, but ’05 has gone on to offer far more talent throughout. For example, two-time Cup winning goalie Jonathan Quick was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in Round 3. He’s a few shy of 300 wins, and has the numbers and pedigree to be considered a Hall candidate when he retires. Also picked by the Kings that year? Anze Kopitar. He just won his second Selke Trophy, is 10 goals shy of 300 and should hit 1,000 points sometime in the next two or three seasons. Those also are Hall-worthy statistics.

Two-time All-Star defenseman Kris Letang was taken in Round 3, goaltender Ben Bishop went 23 picks later, and Patric Hornqvist was the last player selected in the entire draft. He would go from the Nashville Predators to the Penguins where he’s won two Cups. He’s also scored fewer than 20 goals in a season only twice in his 10 years. Not bad for a guy picked at the bottom.

Some other names of note? T.J. Oshie, Carey Price, James Neal, Vezina winner Tuukka Rask, Ryan Reaves and Paul Stastny.

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