NHL Entry Draft

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-Fourth Overall Pick

October 11, 2019 at 4:05 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

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 2007 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?

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

1st Overall: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2nd Overall: Jamie Benn, Philadelphia Flyers (129)
3rd Overall: P.K. Subban, Phoenix Coyotes (43)
4th Overall: Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings (9)
5th Overall: Max Pacioretty, Washington Capitals (22)
6th Overall: Jakub Voracek, Edmonton Oilers (7)
7th Overall: Ryan McDonagh, Columbus Blue Jackets (12)
8th Overall: James van Riemsdyk, Boston Bruins (2)
9th Overall: Wayne Simmonds, San Jose Sharks (61)
10th Overall: Kevin Shattenkirk, Florida Panthers (14)
11th Overall: Jake Muzzin, Carolina Hurricanes (141)
12th Overall: Kyle Turris, Montreal Canadiens (3)
13th Overall: David Perron, St. Louis Blues (26)
14th Overall: Mikael Backlund, Colorado Avalanche (24)
15th Overall: Evgenii Dadonov, Edmonton Oilers (71)
16th Overall: Alec Martinez, Minnesota Wild (95)
17th Overall: Carl Hagelin, New York Rangers (168)
18th Overall: Lars Eller, St. Louis Blues (13)
19th Overall: Alex Killorn, Anaheim Ducks (77)
20th Overall: Nick Bonino, Pittsburgh Penguins (173)
21st Overall: Pat Maroon, Edmonton Oilers (161)
22nd Overall: Paul Byron, Montreal Canadiens (179)
23rd Overall: Sam Gagner, Nashville Predators (6)

Despite currently being in the AHL, Gagner managed to hold onto his status as a first-round pick in our 2007 redraft and goes to Nashville. Originally Edmonton’s first of three picks in that round, the London, Ontario native carved out quite the early career for himself in the NHL, even if it has quickly evaporated.

Back then, Gagner was an easy pick at the top of the draft. The somewhat undersized forward had just combined with Patrick Kane and Sergei Kostitsyn for the London Knights to make one of the most dynamic offensive attacks in the OHL, recording 118 points of his own in 53 games. Gagner’s 83 assists tied him with Kane for the most by any OHL rookie, and got him onto the CHL All-Rookie squad. Even at his young age he landed a roster spot on Canada’s World Junior team, something he’d never have another opportunity to do.

That’s because after he was drafted, Gagner stepped right into the NHL and became an impact player for the Edmonton Oilers. Unfortunately, the 49 points in 2007-08 as a rookie would be his highest total until many years later, as the talented center faced injury after injury that kept him out for various stretches. In fact, Gagner has never played all 82 games in a single season, only ever failing to miss time in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign. Still, it’s hard to argue with his offensive consistency for the Oilers. Scoring at least 41 points in each of his first five seasons, he would finish his first stint in Edmonton with 295 points in 481 games. Just that total would make him the 14th-highest scoring player from the 2007 draft, but Gagner wasn’t done quite yet.

After a few more seasons bouncing around the NHL—playing for the Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Vancouver Canucks—Gagner has found his way back to the Edmonton organization and is now playing with the Bakersfield Condors. In 802 career games he has 446 points, making him the eighth-highest scoring player from the 2007 draft. You can bet if the Predators received that kind of production from this spot they’d be extremely happy.

In 2007, the Calgary Flames were up next and picked their own steal late in the first round. Mikael Backlund was ranked second among all European skaters by NHL Central Scouting coming into the draft, but he ended up falling thanks to a strong North American contingent. The Flames had actually traded back from their spot at No. 18, gaining a third-round selection in the process, and still got the two-way center.

It took a while for the move to really pay off though, as Backlund was a project that needed to be developed correctly. After spending another season in Sweden, Backlund split the 2008-09 season between his Swedish team, the Flames and the Kelowna Rockets, making quite the impression as a late addition to the WHL squad. The Rockets would actually take home the WHL title that season, thanks to a playoff-leading 13 goals from Backlund. It still would be another several years before he really broke out in the NHL, scoring 18 goals and 39 points in 2013-14. Since then he has been quite the consistent presence for the team, and even recorded three 20+ goal seasons.

Unfortunately for Calgary, Backlund already went to Colorado in our redraft and they’ll have to pick another name. The talent is starting to really thin out, showing just how difficult it is to even get an NHL regular out of the draft. With the twenty-fourth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Calgary Flames select? Cast your vote below!

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*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-Third Overall Pick

October 9, 2019 at 3:55 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

Now our biggest riser of the exercise, Paul Byron finding his way to Montreal seems inevitable. The third sixth-round pick in a row to be selected by our community, Byron didn’t always look like he’d be an impact player at the NHL level. In fact, if the game hadn’t turned considerably towards speed and skill over size, there’s a good chance he never would have.

Back in 2007, Byron was coming off his rookie season in the QMJHL where he had scored 21 goals and 44 points in 68 games for the Gatineau Olympiques. That just wasn’t impressive enough for a player that was listed at 5’8″ 135-lbs at the time. That led Byron to not even be ranked among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, overlooked completely as a draft prospect. The thing was, even at that tiny size, Byron didn’t play like a small, perimeter offensive talent. He was always willing to drive hard to the net and get underneath defenders on the forecheck, even if he wasn’t big enough to be all that effective at the time. The Buffalo Sabres decided to take a chance on him late in the draft, and it would pay off.

After growing a bit, Byron really showed what he could do at the junior level. In 2007-08 he scored 37 goals in the regular season before leading all QMJHL players with 21 playoff goals. His Gatineau Olympiques took home the league title that season and suddenly there was a glimmer of hope that Byron could become a professional after all. It would take until 2009—on the day his rights would have expired—for him to sign an entry-level contract with the Sabres, but it was worth it.

Byron would bounce between the NHL and AHL for several years until really catching on with the Calgary Flames during the 2013-14 season. His speed was a real difference-maker in the new NHL, and by the time he ended up in Montreal there was a real role for him. Over the last three seasons Byron has been one of the most efficient even-strength goal scorers in the league, lighting the lamp 51 times in 219 games even though he averages just over 15 minutes a game. That recent success is exactly why he finds himself in the first round of the redraft, given that he has climbed up to 23rd among all 2007 draftees in career points.

After the Canadiens made their pick, the Nashville Predators were on the clock back in 2007. Sitting there on the board was a player they were very familiar with from their scouting of another top prospect. Jonathon Blum was the 17th ranked skater by NHL Central Scouting, and happened to play for the Vancouver Giants alongside Predators prospect Cody Franson. The team had spent a third-round pick on Franson two years earlier and watched the two offensive defensemen lead their team to a Memorial Cup in 2007, combining for more than 100 regular season points.

Blum spent two more years in junior, winning WHL and CHL Defenseman of the Year in 2009 while also captaining Team USA at the World Juniors. The somewhat undersized defenseman seemed destined for a long NHL career, but that would never really come to pass. Instead, Blum spent most of the next several years in the minor leagues with the Milwaukee Admirals and Iowa Wild, playing just 110 games at the NHL level. He left for the KHL in 2015 and is playing this season in Sweden after ending up on the Olympic team in 2018 when the NHL chose not to go.

For some players it just doesn’t work out at the highest level, and that was the case for Blum. If they got another shot the Predators would likely pick someone else, but who? With the twenty-third pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Nashville Predators select? Cast your vote below!

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*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-Second Overall Pick

October 7, 2019 at 3:24 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

Another sixth-round pick jumps up to the first, showing just how much of a lottery the NHL Entry Draft really is. Perhaps if Maroon started his career in Edmonton it would look even better than it does now, given the success he experienced once he finally did land there.

In 2007, Maroon was already 6’4″ 225-lbs, but concerns about his conditioning and level of competition dropped him to 208th overall among North American skaters on the NHL Central Scouting rankings. He had just played two years in the NAHL, most recently scoring 95 points in 57 games with the St. Louis Bandits to lead the league and earn a Most Valuable Player award. When he left the Bandits for the London Knights the following year and topped all OHL rookies with 90 points, the Philadelphia Flyers got an inkling that they might have a late-round steal on their hands.

In 2008, when Maroon started his pro career with the Philadelphia Phantoms, he was a monstrous winger that could push around even grown men. He scored 23 goals and 54 points in his rookie AHL season, and proved any doubters wrong about his ability to contribute at a high level. In 2010, after he failed to make the leap to the NHL for a second year, Maroon was traded to the Anaheim Ducks where he would once again dominate for their AHL affiliate. Though it took him a while, he would eventually get to the NHL as a full-time option for the Ducks in 2013, where he started what has been a successful career.

Setting a career-high with 27 goals in 2016-17 with the Edmonton Oilers, Maroon eventually found himself back in his hometown of St. Louis just in time to participate in their Stanley Cup run. Though his regular season wasn’t anything to write home about, the “Big Rig” would score one of the most memorable goals in the 2019 playoffs when he ended game seven against the Dallas Stars in double overtime. He’s now with the Tampa Bay Lightning where he’ll try for a repeat performance. In 452 career regular season games Maroon has 208 points, putting him 21st among all players drafted in 2007.

Finally, we get back to a pick that was well worth it back in 2007. The 22nd overall selection belonged to the Montreal Canadiens back then, and with it they would pick future captain and All-Star Max Pacioretty. Looking back, Pacioretty should have been off the board well before Montreal walked up to the podium for their second pick of the night (Ryan McDonagh at No. 12 wasn’t too shabby either). This time around he won’t be, as our community selected him in the top-five.

Without Pacioretty on the board, who will Montreal go after? Cast your vote below!

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*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-First Overall Pick

October 4, 2019 at 5:11 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

Officially the biggest jump of this exercise so far, Bonino moves up over 150 spots into the first round. Originally selected by the San Jose Sharks in the sixth round, the Pittsburgh Penguins are a fitting landing spot for the two-way center. In 2007 Bonino was fresh off a high school season in which he scored 66 points in 26 games and was already committed to Boston University. A “serial winner” to steal a phrase from Mike Babcock, the young forward has found success at basically every level. A state champion as a high school player, Bonino then the BU Terriers to an NCAA National Championship game in 2009 only to set up one goal and score another in the final minute to force overtime. His squad would take home the title, and Bonino would turn pro a year later.

Though his professional career started in the Anaheim Ducks organization, the Penguins are the team likely most associated with Bonino, given his success there. In both seasons he spent in Pittsburgh, the team would take home the Stanley Cup. The first run in 2016 made a star out of the checking center when he was part of the famed “HBK Line” with Carl Hagelin and Phil Kessel. Bonino would record 18 points in 24 postseason games for the Penguins that year.

Now in Nashville, Bonino is still a reliable middle-six option that can contribute offensively while being responsible in his own end. He sits 18th among all players from the 2007 draft in scoring with 248 points in 560 games, and certainly deserves a spot in the first round.

After Pittsburgh selected, the Edmonton Oilers were up for the third time in the first round. They had already picked Sam Gagner and Alex Plante, two players that haven’t yet made it onto our list. Instead of taking the American power forward Max Pacioretty that Montreal would snap up next, Edmonton decided to go with one from a little closer to home. Alberta-born Riley Nash would be their third pick of the first round, selected 21st overall. The BCHL forward was ranked 64th among North American skaters by by NHL Central Scouting, but had just dominated his junior league to the tune of 84 points in 55 games. Unfortunately, Nash would never play for the Oilers.

Despite trading up to get him at No. 21, the Oilers and Nash never saw eye-to-eye on the next step in his development and after three years at Cornell University, the team finally decided to move on. Edmonton traded his rights to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a second-round pick (which turned into Martin Marincin), only to see him leave college and sign an entry-level deal a month later. In Carolina he turned into a relatively underrated depth forward, and broke out in 2017-18 with the Boston Bruins to the tune of 15 goals and 41 points.

Though Nash never did turn into a top-end player, getting basically nothing for the pick is an unfortunate outcome for Edmonton. If they had another shot at it they would clearly pick someone else, but with the amount of talent off our redraft board who would go instead? With the twenty-first pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Edmonton Oilers select? Cast your vote below!

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*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twentieth Overall Pick

September 25, 2019 at 6:05 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

Another mid-round pick jumps up in Killorn, showing just how hard it is to predict the outcome of an 17-year old prospect at the time of the draft. Born just before the cutoff that would have made Killorn a 2008 draft eligible player, he was one of the youngest available at the time and had only played 25 games of high school hockey in Massachusetts. Still, the Tampa Bay Lightning saw something in the young forward and he ended up being easily their best selection that year. His eventual NHL success wouldn’t come for quite some time however, as Killorn took a long path to the professional ranks.

After spending another year playing high school hockey, the Halifax native ended up heading to Harvard to play for one of the most prestigious and successful programs in the NCAA. By senior year Killorn was a dominant offensive presence for the school, scoring 23 goals and 46 points in 34 games and being named an All-Ivy Leaguer and All-American. That 2011-12 season was already a success, but Killorn jumped into the AHL at the end of the year and helped the Norfolk Admirals all the way to a Calder Cup, scoring 12 points in 17 playoff games. It was clear then that he wouldn’t be long for the minor leagues, and by the end of the following season Killorn was a regular in the Tampa Bay lineup.

In the time since, Killorn has put up consistent offensive production while being a physical presence and moving up and down the roster. It’s his impact in the playoffs that has never wavered from that first season in Norfolk. Through 68 NHL playoff contests, the 30-year old winger has scored 21 goals and 41 points, while being a grinding, frustrating presence for Tampa Bay. Though it hasn’t yet resulted in a Stanley Cup, he’s still an important part of a unit that is one of the best in the NHL.

Back in 2007, the Pittsburgh Penguins were next on the board and had just watched Angelo Esposito drop to them. The QMJHL star had long been a top prospect for the NHL draft and was even ranked the eighth best North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. Still, there were questions about Esposito after he had taken a slight step backwards in his second year of junior hockey (though he still put up 79 points in 60 games for the Quebec Remparts) and those doubts proved correct in the long run, though it wasn’t exactly for reasons within his control.

Two major knee surgeries and several other injuries derailed a promising career, and Esposito barely even played professional hockey, never even sniffing the NHL. His best pro season came in 2011-12 when he recorded 21 points in the AHL, but after bouncing around Europe his playing career ended in 2016. A pick that they would like back, there was still a lot of talent left on the board.

Needless to say, they’ll wind up with a better pick this time around. With the twentieth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Pittsburgh Penguins select? Cast your vote below!

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*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

Overseas Notes: Holtz, Riat, Ramo

September 24, 2019 at 6:38 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

Alexander Holtz is expecting to be selected early in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft. However, he may not be expecting to make the jump to the NHL right away. The 17-year-old forward, considered by many to be a guaranteed top-ten pick next June, is already playing at Sweden’s highest level, suiting up for Djurgardens IF of the SHL. The team was excited to announce that their young star could be in the fold for several more years as well. Holtz has signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him with Djurgardens through the 2021-22 season. Of course, the NHL and SHL have a transfer agreement that would allow the future top prospect to move across the Atlantic when he is ready. However, the length of the deal was compounded further by comments from Djurgardens GM Joakim Eriksson, who says that Holtz’ plan is “to continue his talent development here for as long as possible.” Holtz’ development track can change greatly between now and 2022, depending on his performance at the top level this season and where and to whom he is drafted this spring. However, at the very least, the talented forward seems willing to take his time in his native Sweden if that is what he feels is best for his playing future. A skilled player who can line up at any forward position and can score from seemingly anywhere on the ice, it’s hard to imagine that whichever team ends up with Holtz won’t try to convince him otherwise and get him in an NHL lineup as soon as possible.

Swiss winger Damien Riat was cut from Washington Capitals training camp, but he is feeling no shortage of attention and appreciation in his career. The 22-year-old, a fourth-round pick of the Capitals in 2016, is entering the final season of his contract with the NLA’s EHC Biel-Bienne and already competitors are lining up to sign the young forward. Riat recorded 25 points in 48 games last season and was among the top young players in the league. Swiss Hockey News reports that SC Bern is just one of many NLA teams hoping to land him on the open market as he continues to develop into a top offensive talent. Of course, Riat is also still interested in the NHL. Washington has until June 30, 2020 to sign Riat to his entry-level contract, otherwise he could become a UFA by NHL standards, as well as NLA. It would not be a surprise to see other teams in North America pursue the young forward, especially if he has another strong season. It will be up to Washington to decide whether or not to extend Riat an ELC or instead let the bidding war commence from teams in Switzerland as well as possibly the NHL.
Swiss Hockey News also reports that veteran goaltender Karri Ramo is back to work in his native Switzerland. Ramo, 33, has over 100 NHL appearances to his credit and last played in the NHL as an equal part of a Calgary Flames tandem from 2013-2016. A free agent this summer, there was some thought that Ramo was interested in a return to the NHL, especially after a stellar season with Jokerit of the KHL in 2017-18 in which he proved he did not need consistent starts to maintain an elite level of play. However, the UFA goalie market was anything but active this off-season and Ramo could not even earn a PTO, nevertheless a contract with a shot at the backup role for an NHL team. Part of the reason is because he missed all of last season with a knee injury and it seems health concerns have scared off more than just NHL teams. Ramo is still without a club for this season, but Swiss Hockey News states that he is currently practicing with SC Rapperswil and is likely to sign with a team in the NLA, the Lakers or otherwise. Ramo has proven to be a reliable keeper during many stops in his journeyman international career, so hopefully a team steps forward ready to give him a shot to play.

Jakob Pelletier Signs ELC With Calgary Flames

September 23, 2019 at 6:25 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

The Calgary Flames have worked quickly to get their most recent first-round pick under contract. The team has announced a three-year entry-level contract with forward Jakob Pelletier. Pelletier was the 26th overall pick from the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Pelletier, 18, has clearly done enough in training camp these past few weeks to convince the team that he should be under contract as soon as possible. The slick winger is dangerous with puck and can create high-percentage chances as well as finish with consistency. His offensive instincts were obvious at the junior level last season, as he recorded 89 points in 65 games with Moncton. The No. 3 overall pick in the QMJHL Entry Draft three years ago, Pelletier has long been considered a special talent, yet he still has room to grow and improve.

While Pelletier is now officially a Flame, by no means does the timing of the contract imply that he has made the Opening Night roster. Quite the opposite in fact, as the young forward was reassigned to the Wildcats earlier today. Pelletier is undoubtedly a talented player, but was considered by most to be only a fringe first-rounder. While he uses his 5’9” frame to the best of his ability with a high-energy, aggressive style, he still needs to work on facing bigger and stronger competition. Scouts also weren’t blown away by his skating ability. Pelletier may be a good two or three years away from the NHL, but his contract will slide in the meantime until he is ready to make the jump. It’s a good sign that the team already believes he will be ready for that jump sooner rather than later.

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Nineteenth Overall Pick

September 21, 2019 at 1:58 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

Eller winds up dipping five spots from his initial selection but still winds going to the team that actually drafted him. His career can be viewed through a glass half full or half empty lens which is why he slots in here despite having the eighth-most games played of anyone in this draft class.

The Blues selected him out the Swedish junior league where he tied for the league lead in scoring. Coincidentally, the player he tied with was the 17th pick in this redraft. He then split the following season between their top two pro leagues before moving up to the SEL (now SHL) on a full-time basis in 2008-09.

Along the way, he produced enough to give St. Louis hope that they had a capable two-way center on their hands. He impressed in his first season in North America, collecting 57 points in 70 AHL games plus a pair of goals in seven contests with the Blues.

That was enough to garner the attention of Montreal, who made him the centerpiece of the return that saw the Blues pick up goaltender Jaroslav Halak. The Canadiens hoped that he’d be a core center for them, a position that turned out to be a long-term area of weakness.

However, while Eller showed flashes of his offensive upside, he wasn’t able to put it together on a consistent basis and never surpassed the 30-point mark over his six seasons with the team. Oddly enough, his best season offensively with them came in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign.

Convinced that he had reached his ceiling with Montreal, the team turned around and traded him to Washington for a pair of second-round picks at the 2016 draft. The change of scenery has done him some good as despite playing almost exclusively on the third line with the Capitals, Eller has set new career bests in points in each of the last two seasons. He’s signed through 2022-23 so if he stays healthy throughout that time, he’ll have a chance to reach the 1,000 games played mark by the end of his contract.

Now we move on to the 19th pick that was held by the Anaheim Ducks after trading down from 16 in a deal that needed them a second-round pick. They selected forward Logan MacMillan out of Halifax of the QMJHL following a strong showing in the postseason. Unfortunately for them, that performance wasn’t a sign of things to come. Following his junior career, he spent his first pro season in the ECHL before being dealt to Calgary for veteran AHL forward Jason Jaffray. The change of scenery didn’t help as he spent the next two seasons in the minors with the Flames before being non-tendered. MacMillan then began an international hockey nomadic journey with stints in Austria, Kazakhstan, Russia, England, and Romania.

Needless to say, they’ll wind up with a better pick this time around. With the nineteenth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the Anaheim Ducks select? Cast your vote below!

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*Tragically, 17th overall pick Alexei Cherepanov died at the age of 19 and would never get a chance to suit up in the NHL. He has not been included in this vote.

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Eighteenth Overall Pick

September 19, 2019 at 8:48 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

At this point in the draft, you can start to see exactly why teams are starting to realize that late first-round picks aren’t quite as valuable as they appear. Even when picking from the entire draft class, a forward that still hasn’t cracked 100 NHL goals is the 17th-best selection. That’s not to say that Hagelin hasn’t had a successful career, but simply landing a full-time NHL player in the second half of the round should be considered a win.

When the draft rolled around in 2007, Hagelin had already been passed over entirely in his first year of eligibility and didn’t even land on the NHL Central Scouting list. After getting grabbed by the Rangers late in the draft, the young Swede would make history by heading to the University of Michigan. Hagelin became only the second European player to suit up for the Wolverines, and then even became the team’s (co-)captain in his senior season, a tremendous honor for a player that was such an outsider when he began his time there. Scoring 152 points in four years, Hagelin would make the jump to the NHL for the Rangers in 2011 and become an impact player immediately because of his blazing speed.

As a rookie, Hagelin would play in 17 playoff games for the Rangers, something that would become routine for him throughout his career. An incredible 19% of all the games he’s ever played in the NHL have come in the postseason, suiting up 128 times over the years with various teams. Hagelin won the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and won an Olympic silver medal in 2014.

Never a top offensive option in the NHL, Hagelin has 241 points in his 546 regular season contests and never did crack the 40-point barrier in a single season. Last year he totaled just 18 points while wearing three different uniforms, but with his speed and penalty killing ability is going to stick around for quite some time.

Back in 2007, the St. Louis Blues held the 18th pick after a trade with the Calgary Flames, and they wouldn’t whiff like some of the others before them. Even though some of the higher ranked names like Angelo Esposito and Stefan Legein were still on the board, the Blues reached all the way down for USNTDP defenseman Ian Cole. Cole had been ranked 81st among North American skaters despite showing well for the development program and at the U18 World Juniors, and the Blues’ confidence in him would pay off. After three seasons at Notre Dame, Cole would make the jump to the professional level and end up in 26 games for the Blues in his first full year.

Cole continued to find playing time for St. Louis, but really took his game to the next level following a trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins (one that included fellow 2007 draftee Robert Bortuzzo). After winning two Stanley Cups with the Penguins he’s bounced around, but is an important part of the Colorado blueline for the upcoming season. He ranks ninth among all 2007 defensemen in games played and tenth in points. Still available in our redraft, is Cole still the right choice for St. Louis?

With the eighteenth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the St. Louis Blues select? Cast your vote below!

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2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Seventeenth Overall Pick

September 17, 2019 at 2:34 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

As the back half of the first round gets underway, the Wild snatch up a solid and perhaps underrated defenseman in Martinez. That’s a huge raise for a player who wasn’t even selected in his first two years of eligibility or ranked at all by NHL Central Scouting. Martinez, who was set to turn 20 the month following the draft, had already played two seasons at Miami University (Ohio) and showed he could be a reliable two-way presence. Though there is obviously risk in drafting a player already deep into his college years—the Kings could have lost him to unrestricted free agency just two summers later—they ended up convincing him to sign in 2008 and he quickly became a rising star in the organization.

Making his debut during the 2009-10 season, it would be just a couple of years before he was a huge part of the team’s 2012 Stanley Cup championship. A few years after that he would scoring the Cup-winning goal in the Kings’ second title—in double overtime to boot—cementing him in franchise lore. Jumping up into the rush wasn’t something Martinez made a habit of, but it is well within his capabilities. Through a decade with the Kings he has played 556 regular season games, scoring 61 goals and 190 points. That puts him fifth among all defensemen selected in the 2007 draft, despite almost slipping out of the top-100 picks.

The New York Rangers, who selected 17th in 2007, will never know if they made the right choice. Only one player to that point—Lars Eller at 13th—had been selected from outside of North America, so the Rangers decided to test their luck with the supremely skilled Russian forward Alexei Cherepanov. The young winger had just recorded 36 points in 57 games at the highest level of Russian hockey, won gold at the U18 and silver at the U20 World Juniors while being named the tournament’s best forward. Cherepanov was the highest ranked international skater by NHL Central Scouting, and looked like a lock to be a top-line player in the NHL if the Rangers could convince him to come over.

Tragically however, just 16 months later in the first official KHL season, Cherepanov would collapse on the bench. He was pronounced dead at hospital later that day while he was still just 19 years old. Playing on a team with Jaromir Jagr, Cherepanov was off to a blazing start with eight goals and 13 points in 15 games. His potential seemed boundless, but the Rangers never got to find out what he could do at the highest level of hockey. The KHL has since named their Rookie of the Year trophy after Cherepanov, while Avangard retired his jersey number.

If you gave the Rangers front office the pick over again, you can bet they would select Cherepanov again. We have chosen to exclude him from this exercise, meaning someone else will have to take his place on the list.

With the seventeenth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the New York Rangers select? Cast your vote below!

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2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-Fourth Overall Pick

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-Third Overall Pick

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-Second Overall Pick

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twenty-First Overall Pick

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Twentieth Overall Pick

Overseas Notes: Holtz, Riat, Ramo

Jakob Pelletier Signs ELC With Calgary Flames

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Nineteenth Overall Pick

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Eighteenth Overall Pick

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Seventeenth Overall Pick

San Jose Sharks Sign Patrick Marleau

Ottawa Senators Acquire Vladislav Namestnikov

St. Louis Blues Extend Brayden Schenn

Chicago Blackhawks Extend Alex DeBrincat

Arizona Coyotes Extend Darcy Kuemper

Kyle Connor Signs Seven-Year, $50MM Deal With Winnipeg

Mikko Rantanen Signs Six-Year, $55.5MM Deal With Avalanche

Winnipeg Jets Sign Patrik Laine

Calgary Flames Sign Matthew Tkachuk

St. Louis Blues Acquire Justin Faulk

Minor Transactions: 10/13/19

Poll: Would Firing John Hynes Solve The Devils Problems?

Pacific Notes: Hjalmarsson, Subban, Middleton

Metropolitan Notes: Kempny, Kreider, Gavrikov

Oilers Place Colby Cave On Waivers

Edmonton Oilers Linked To Hurricanes’ Julien Gauthier

Pressure Mounting On Devils To Make A Call On Taylor Hall

Evening Notes: Gudbranson, Lehner, Patrick, Gurianov

Pacific Notes: Marleau, Sorenson, Eakin, Crouse

Ottawa Senators To Hire Basketball’s Dave Smart As Consultant

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