Your can't-miss NHL prospect who missed?

Question

Do you have a guy who you were convinced would be a star, but who just didn't pan out? I was thinking about Stephan Lebeau earlier, a guy I thought was destined to be a star.

Anyone who thought was going to be a star, but didn't pan out?

Answer 1

i agree patrick stefan could have been great but never showed i have a feeling Bryan little will be the same way unless he is traded because he will be on second line (more than likely) and won't get a chance to shine

Answer 2

I could list dozens,  but I'll just list a few

Patrick Stefan

- this guy was miles ahead of his competition in the IHL and everybody was convinced he was going to be a solid 100 pts scorer.  If it wasn't for a MAJOR gaffe, he'd be a weak footnote in NHL history

Sergei Samsonov

- this guy made everything look easy and effortless in the I, if it wasn't for a slight attitude issue, he could have gone higher than 8th.

Radek Bonk

- he too had it all.great skater, great shot, great team guy.............and he lost it all on the way to the Palladium

Jason Bonsignore

- taken right after Bonk, both TSN and CBC had half hour specials devoted to this kid.  He was going to be twice the player that Lafontaine was.  He was going to be putting America on the hockey map.  I think he still plays in the E, but only 60-70 NHL games

Jimmy Waite

- in honour of Bob, I have to choose Jimmy.  He was great in Chicoutimi, won a WJC gold with Canada, and was worth every ounce of the 8th overall selection I lobbied hard for.  I had an easy time l;iving with decision until I joined Y!A

Answer 3

alexandre daigle or pavel brendl

Answer 4

keith primeau

Answer 5

Everett Sanipass, a personal friend of mine (didn't you draft him Lity? would have been in 1986 when he was playing jr.'s in Granby of the QMJHL) insane numbers in juniors but a serious back injury forced him to hang them up (at the NHL level) at 23 in case you're wondering what he's up to these days LITY, he's in Northern QC as a rec centre coordinator on a Cree reserve up there, engaged to a pretty woman of Haitian descent

Excellent point about Steph the pressure of playing in Montreal (he's from St-Jerome) was a bit much on him. Had he not been traded to the Ducks for Tugnutt who's to say what he woulda done as he'd have gotten more ice time after Savard and Bellows left

Answer 6

Alexander Diagle

Answer 7

Robert Dome, former pittsburgh penguins first round selection.

Answer 8

Pavel Brendl!

Or possibly Hugh Jessiman, but I'm not convinced he was predicted to be a star.

Answer 9

Eric Lindros  by a landslide!

Answer 10

For my Sharks: Mike Morris.  Quite a gamble for a first rounder by the Sharks and it hasn't quite paid off.  He's been injury-proned and only now has made his way to the AHL.  Only got in 9 games though because of injuries again.....(was drafted in 2002).

As for an NHL prospect in the last 10 years, I was really sold on Pavel Brendl.  The guy won quite a number of awards and really stood out in the juniors with the Calgary Hitmen.  Then came his time in the AHL and NHL and it just never happened.  He couldn't bring his game to the next level.

Answer 11

Not surprisingly the two I had in mind were already taken.  Alexander Daigle and Pavel Brendl.

Answer 12

Erik Christensen.....had/has tons of potential, never got the ice time to develop it....wasted talent.

Answer 13

After LITY answers all I can do is nod in agreement.