The Sidney Crosby Draft: Changing the NHL Landscape
In 2005, the National Hockey League had just solved the problems that caused the lockout of the entire 2004-05 season. However, without a previous season to go off of they did not have a way to decide draft placing. It was agreed that a lottery would take place. The teams who finished the 2003-04 season at the bottom of the table were given a better chance of winning the lottery. The lottery was carried out and the Pittsburgh Penguins earned the right to choose Sidney Crosby first overall. Since then, the landscape of the NHL has changed drastically. The players selected in 2005 are now beginning to emerge as some of the leagues top performers.
Crosby/Ryan Switch
The Pittsburgh Penguins deserved the right to select Crosby, as they finished the 2003-04 season in last place. The Penguins were on the brink of financial ruin, playing out of an old arena, with the threat of being moved to Winnipeg.
The Anaheim Ducks meanwhile, finished the last season in 22nd place, but had an incredible draft crop that developed even further during the lockout year. The Likes of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Dustin Penner were given more time to hone their craft, while the players association and owners battled over contracts and revenue sharing. In the 2005 draft, the Ducks chose Bobby Ryan second overall.
Ryan spent the next three seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) before being brought up to the NHL level. In 2007, the Ducks would win the Stanley Cup, without Ryan’s help.
The Ducks were only one spot away from picking Crosby and perhaps having one of the greatest forward crops ever assembled, while the Penguins were one spot away from choosing Bobby Ryan, and perhaps losing their franchise.
Jack Johnson Trade
Johnson was selected third overall by the Carolina Hurricanes, who were in desperate need of a defenceman. Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, Johnson had already committed to the University of Michigan for the following season. Carolina general manager (GM) Jim Rutherford was forced to trade Johnson’s rights to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Eric Belanger and Tim Gleason.
Today the deal is completely one sided, as Johnson has emerged as one of the best young players in the game, notching 36 points last season at the age of 23.
Benoit Pouliot and Gilbert Brule
With such an impressive draft, the selection of Pouliot and Brule by the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets goes down as two of the worst picks of the year. To add to this is the fact that both were chosen in the top 10, before such stalwarts as Ryan Parent and T.J. Oshie.
Pouliot never broke out for the Wild, playing three seasons between the NHL and the AHL. He was never able to crack the line-up. Finally fed up, the Wild traded him to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Guillaume Latendresse. Pouliot is currently a third or fourth line player with the Canadiens.
Brule has had a similar career, after being drafted by Columbus he was thrown right into the Blue Jackets line-up. This strategy did not work, and he had a poor season. Unfortunately for both sides, the second season was no better, and the Blue Jackets ended up trading him to Edmonton where he continues to struggle.
Tuukka Rask
Rask headed into the 2005 draft as the top goaltending prospect in the world. The Toronto Maple Leafs chose Rask 25th overall out of Finland, and sent him back to the Finnish Club to continue his growth.
The Leafs also owned the rights to top goalie prospect Justin Pogge, and ended up trading Rask to the Boston Bruins for the now Dallas Stars back-up goalie Andrew Raycroft.
Rask developed as many thought he would and is now the starting goaltender for the Bruins. He finished last season top 10 in all of the goaltending statistical categories.
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