Who was the biggest flop for a 1st rd draft pick your favorite team has made?

Question

Did you think at the time that he was good pick?

Answer 1

Mr. Concussion-matic

#88

Eric Lindros

Yes, I did.

Answer 2

Basically all of the Kings picks in the 90's with the exception of Olli Jokinen.

Aki-Petteri Berg was probably the worst, just cause he was picked 3rd overall and was basically a pylon on the ice.

In recent years, it looks like Lauri Tukonen may be a flop, but he is still young.

Answer 3

I remember the Red Wings picking Jesse Wallin (D) in the 96 draft. He was 26th overall.  He's a 6'2 defenceman that should have been a good player, but injuries slowed his progress, and he's only played in 49 NHL games.  Meanwhile, The Wings late round picks seem to be dominating.    

Answer 4

my team (the habs) did a excellent job at the draft in ottawa and I dont think I recall any bad draft picks.

(for as long as I remember)

Answer 5

I got to do two one from my favorite team the Calgary Flames and another from one of my top teams the Ottawa Senators ....I never got to see them play before the draft so yes both times I bought into the hype...

– Rico Fata – 6th overall by the Calgary Flames in 1998

This kid has expectations to not be an all-star but to be a go-to guy as a secondary scorer for the Flames. In his 208 junior regular season games before being drafted, he did score 188 points. The second he put on a professional jersey though, it just did not fit right.

Fata would spend a season with a pro team, do badly and get sent down to the minors where he would blow up the stats. He was waived by three NHL teams on which he would get signed again after putting up points in the farm league. Finally, after only 230 games and 63 points in the NHL, Washington waived him for the fourth time time in his career.

Players chosen after Fata: Nik Antropov (10th), Alex Tanguay (12th), Simon Gagne (22nd)

– Alexander Daigle – 1st overall pick by the Ottawa Senators in 1993

The Ottawa Senators finished dead last in the league during their inaugural season. Hoping to change that, they drafted the highly rated player who every team wanted. There were close to a half dozen trade offers with most of them being serious ones. Rumours even escalated to where players like Peter Forsberg and Owen Nolan (in his prime) were involved, while others were willing to give two draft picks. Ottawa rejected anything that come their way.

He was supposed to be so good that no one would remember anyone drafted after him.

Daigle never ever lived up to his potential though he did have two 50 point seasons in his five years in the Canadian capital. After being traded three times, he decided to spend two years in Hollywood to try an acting career. Once that completed failed, he had a half a season stint with the Penguins until Minnesota gave him a last chance.

His last day in the NHL was March 6 th, 2006, 13 years after being drafted. Daigle, like many others who have failed in North America, is currently playing somewhere in Europe for some second hand team.

The 1993 draft was a year of great players and Ottawa simply missed the boat.

Players chosen after Daigle: Chris Pronger (2nd), Paul Kariya (4th), Saku Koivu (21st) to name a few.

Answer 6

brendl, malhotra, lundmark :(

Answer 7

The leafs has some really bad picks over the years

Answer 8

Jason Bonsignore for the Edmonton Oilers  - 4th Overall -  what a BUST this guy was!!!

He is widely considered to be one of the worst selections in the team's history, and his career has always been overshadowed by that of Edmonton's other first round choice, two picks later at 6th overall, Ryan Smyth.

I had no opinion of him when he was drafted. I am a show me first type of guy.

Answer 9

Matt Higgins (1st round pick, #16 overall in 1996), and on draft day, he seemed ok.

1+2 = 3 pts and 6 pim's in 57 games is not what Ronald Corey had in mind. He was such a gr8 hockey player that his wikipedia page picture shows him in street clothes