Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.
We’re looking back at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now. Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?
On Sunday, we asked the PHR community to weigh in on who should have been the top pick and over 70% of the votes cast went towards history repeating itself with Steven Stamkos being the number one selection. For comparison, Patrick Kane had over 85% of the votes to stay as the top selection in our 2007 series so while it was still a sizable majority, it was a little closer this time around as we move on to the next selection.
That pick was made by the Kings who opted for defenseman Drew Doughty. He was coming off of two high-scoring seasons with Guelph of the OHL which had him ranked as the top defenseman available by most scouting services so the selection didn’t come as too much of a surprise.
It’s safe to say that it has panned out quite nicely. Doughty played his way onto the roster – no small feat for an 18-year-old defenseman – and made an immediate impact as he logged nearly 24 minutes a night. The following year, the offensive promise he showed at the major junior level came through as he picked up 16 goals (the most of his career to date) and 59 points (second-most).
All in all, Doughty is the only player from the 2008 draft class to play at least 1,000 career NHL games while he has been a four-time Norris finalist, winning the award once in 2016. He has two Stanley Cup championships under his belt in 2012 and 2014 and at the age of 32, he still has been going strong, averaging more than 25 minutes a night in each of the last ten seasons. It’s safe to say the Kings are happy with how things turned out with their selection.
But was it the right one; would they have been better off with someone else instead? With the second pick of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Los Angeles Kings select? Cast your vote below.
(App users, click here to vote.)
I think Josi has the better career, but does LAK win the 1st cup Doughty won with them with a rookie Josi? Very likely not, so he’s my pick.
Strongly disagree… Doughty: 14 yrs, 2 cups, 1 Norris, 4x All Star, 6 Gold and 1 silver medals in international play… Josi: 11 yrs, 1 Norris, 2x All Star, 3 Silver medals in international play. Doughty has had a way better career.
NHL career. Yes maybe Doughty has the cups, but that’s a team achievement anyway.
And Doughty’s only Norris was a “it’s his turn” trophy. He wasn’t the best defenceman in the NHL that year.
I dont think I even take Josi at 3. Carlson probably gets my vote there.
true actually
Who was the best defenseman in the NHL that year?
I would’ve gone for Letang, myself. But Doughty was an eminent candidate, and it wasn’t a bad decision by the voters.
Best defenseman in the NHL in the 07-08 or 08-09 seasons? You’re asking for a Lidstrom or Neidermayer or if strictly offensively a Mike Green. Rafalski, Streit, and Markov would get some honorable mentions.
No, who should have won over Doughty…to ask the question more directly.
Drew had over twice as many 1st place votes as 2nd place Eric Karlson.
You are throwing s*** at the wall and you missed the wall!
No chance. Josi has been better recently but Doughty far and away has had the better career
Stamkos at #2.
I’m clearly the low man on Stamkos.
I see a very good to possibly great, but far from elite, mostly one dimensional player (great shot) who doesn’t make his linemates better, gets hurt a lot and whose team didn’t miss him at all in winning a Cup
Take Doughty over him any day over the week and I could even make plausible cases for Josi or EK, too.
I’m with you on this. Stamkos got a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” advantage yesterday since he was already picked #1 in real life but I believe Doughty has had a bigger impact on the Kings than Stamkos has for the Lightning.
What a class of defenceman. Stamkos is the obvious number one pick but to have a choice between Josi, Carlson, Doughty, or Pietrangelo at number two is pretty amazing.
Lmao and Karlsson and Spurgeon holy
Such an absolutely loaded draft for Dmen. Aside from Stamkos, Eberle is probably the best forward. I like Eberle but when he is the 2nd best forward in a draft that’s a pretty soft draft.
I dont think I even take Josi at 3. Carlson probably gets my vote there.
uh
Doughty is second . his best was ahead of the other five guys.then it gets very interesting. five defensemen are next order is up for debate . josi ,pietrangelo, spurgeon,karlsson, carlson . a case can be made for each one. depending whole career , their best years or even where they were born is your point of view. yes some people do take where they are from into account.
Yeah, picking Josi over Doughty is recentism run amok. Doughty’s the obvious choice for #2.
I would love to hear the reasoning for those that voted for Jake Allen or Mikkel Boedker.