Ranking #1 Draft Picks from 2007 Through 2022

It's time to rabk picks yet again, so it must be summer.
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[@VexJinks]

I like how THG still looks down at his notes just to write #1 on the board even knowing who it is without thinking about it.

[@JD200_]

Still got it wrong tho… shoulda been Yakapov

[@garymauk2963]

Gotta make sure!!!

[@mNag]

@@JD200_ Oilers just owning this list!

[@alainsoucysergerie9879]

That time of the year we remember Nail Yapukov exists.

[@JPS47]

Can 2030 come any sooner? - Nail Yapukov probably

[@BloodRider1914]

What are you talking about, he's an excellent KHL depth player

[@SirManfly]

@@BloodRider1914

[@Scantronimus466]

Maybe he only exists one day per year.

[@v4v819]

He's still playing and a star for the Siberian Snow Ligers!

[@danieldosso2455]

Man, Ekblad and Mackinnon both picked in 2013 is incredible...

[@dvnd17]

?

[@F0rf885]

@@dvnd17he wrote ekblad drafted in 2013 on the board

[@jaatynytenkeli]

Indeed, and Florida getting Ekblad and Barkov in 2013 is pretty good

[@caseyjones5930]

I thought he was going to correct it once he got to Mack but he just kept that foot on the petal

[@matthewcollins5304]

Ekblad is a guy who I felt if he stayed healthy more in his 20s, he’d be way higher rated

[@people3865]

He's still a solid D-man too. Just has never stayed healthy.

[@HockeyGUY66871]

Yeah. And i fear Ekblad doesnt have much a career left, his lengthy injury history is starting to catch up to him. He definitely didnt look nearly as good as he had in prior years. Yeah injuries have really derailed his career, but he was able to win a Stanley Cup.

[@brenzyc8703]

100%

[@AdBul_]

Also his ability to make players around him better is crazy. Seems like any defensive player you send to Florida gets better, prime example being Forsling, I think is largely the case because of Ekblad.

[@commanderkittypwn]

Was on the cusp of a Norris-caliber season in 21-22 and got a brutal injury. Hasn’t looked the same since, but also he has changed his game to be a defensive D

[@ot63]

Yakupov was a core piece of my NHL 2014 franchise team on PS3.

[@SirManfly]

[@patch8376]

I'd have Ekblad above Power.

[@mh-ct7oc]

Nico H. makes everyone around him better. He is one of the few on the board who has been a captain for multiple years. Not slighting others, but he deserves to be higher.

[@ancientkeyboardwarrior]

Very underrated

[@ryanvirgens]

A few more years, a Selke (and hopefully a cup) could bump him into the top 8

[@brenzyc8703]

Crazy that 25% of these guys were drafted by the Oilers

[@Tek3333]

@Julia_Hammels_saying that a Hart trophy winner in Taylor Hall didn’t pan out is certainly a take

[@GWh135]

You didn’t mention that Stamkos scored a goal on his first shot of his only shift in the 2020 Final, that was huge for the Lightning

[@patch8376]

Yeah, that was like the Rudy quarterback sack on ice.

[@mitchread5156]

Nailed the top 5, but Kane at #2 on my list. Will retire as the greatest American-born player, x3 cups, and be remembered as an absolute playoff monster.

[@halion50100]

You need Nail in the top 5 to have Nailed the top 5 😂😂😂

[@fubartotale3389]

Lafrenier is the example I use for folks that want to dump Lucas Reichel. He was in that same draft and on a much worse team than N.Y. Relax people, he's 22.

[@PooksLuciano]

It’s amazing to see the creativity and ideas in your list videos. Always a good watch

[@patch8376]

Crosby was cut down in what would have been his prime due to multiple season-ending injuries and career endangering concussion issues. He had a couple of seasons where he averaged 1.5 to 2 points per game when he played, and scoring league-wide was much lower then.

[@RIPJimmyA7X]

Imo he woulda had between 130 and 150 point seasons in his prime in lower scoring era, I think there is a pretty big gap between Crosby and McDavid and I think McDavid is absolutely incredible, Crosby to me is in the same convo as 99, 66 and Orr

[@glennhagstedt]

@@RIPJimmyA7X Yep, i agree, also, Crosby wins cups, which is basically the whole point of playing, Crosby has 3, McDavid 0. They are not close until McDavid wins atleast 2.

[@TheMikeyb86]

Yakupov... Bless his heart.

[@Earthboundmike]

The oilers could already have a cup if not for him.

[@johnnybaxter1953]

Nah

[@people3865]

​@@EarthboundmikeYeah, because Nuge and Mcdavid weren't enough

[@UtahHockeyFan-mz7fd]

And hall ​@@people3865

[@SirManfly]

@@Earthboundmike I just wish the guy the Oilers saw in his very decent rookie season didn't just vanish into thin air !! 😪

[@xjustinian995x6]

3 Time Stanley Cup Champion, Conn Smythe, Cup Winning Goal, Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Greatest American player of all time isn't better than 1 time art ross and hart winner and he didn't win con smythe nate? Because he "eventually COULD do better"? What else does Kane have to do 😂

[@SverigeiSverige]

Score 140 points? 😉 Nate has no Art Ross...

[@loganm4983]

For some reason I was thinking Erik Johnson was the 2007 pick and it took me until you got down to number 4 to realize you did not, in fact, have Erik Johnson over guys like Stamkos, Matthews, etc.

[@MDK2_Radio]

@@loganm4983 when the video started I was curious where he would land, but something in the back of my mind said he went before, so I had to look it up. I don’t remember if THG did this same ranking last year for 2006-2021 but it would be interesting to know where he was. He was seen as a draft bust at one time.

[@loganm4983]

@@MDK2_Radio THG's done a few of these before, this was just a brain fart on my end (no pun intended). Soon as it got to the bottom four, I was like "how is he going to fit McDavid, MacKinnon, etc AND justify Johnson as a top pick???" Partly just me being dumb and distracted, I guess.

[@atomiczam4066]

It's funny to look back on this. Hall was hyped to be what McDavid ended up being for the Oilers, and and Yakupov should have been his Draisaitl if you bought into the media hype. Crazy how Edmonton lucked into so many amazing players and how the media managed to make every one of them "The Next Gretzky."

[@nonamenas]

I would swap Tavares and Huges, and swap Ekblad and Power.

[@MDK2_Radio]

Before MacKinnon went first overall there was a lot of chatter that Colorado would draft Seth Jones. He would have been ranked 15th or so and given everyone but McDavid and Yakupov a boost on this list if that had happened.

[@db-pl5yu]

I remember the "controversy" of Seth Jones falling to 4th overall. And everyone thought Nashville had a steal. And it's not even like Jones is bad, he's just one of the most overpaid players in the league.

[@SirManfly]

@@db-pl5yu I think if Jones had of stayed in Nashville he would have been a better player in that system than he is now, my opinion!

[@AntonyLP]

Kane over MacKinnon, it's not about the flashiness. Power is too high.

[@christhornycroft3686]

I'd be interested to see you take all the players drafted from 07 to 22 and do a ranking from 1-20 or something like that.

[@j.t.miller1641]

That's too big of a topic he doesn't have time to do all that research for a single video

[@marzix427]

I could see Bedard getting some consistent skilled linemates next year, scoring 42 goals, 96 points and vaulting up to number 5 or 6

[@vertigov5303]

glad you have come around on rnh. If i remember you had hi, quite a bit lower last year. He was not a scoring machine but incredibly consistent.

[@Jesse-zu8fn]

Ted Nugent-Hopkins is one of my favorite players.

[@father042]

Ekblad was 2014

[@musix7295]

I think Laf will continue to grow higher on these lists as the years go by.

[@alexleblanc5926]

Anyone who thinks Matthews isn't good defensively doesnt know what they are talking about, and is just a blind Leafs basher.

[@politicalbandwagon4989]

He’s simultaneously overrated and underrated defensively lol

[@lenaforsgren]

Yeah, Selke nominee, right?

[@snowbelle7955]

Wow Dahlin is underrated here

[@ultigame129]

@@snowbelle7955 He's gotta prove he can reach the playoffs with the sabres and perform in my opinion

[@steve8803]

@@ultigame129 Like Eichel did?

[@SabresGuy87]

You say that like he is the reason they aren't there​ 😂😂😂@ultigame129

[@Mechanicsville804]

Not even close to underated. I wouldn’t put a single guy that is ahead of him behind him. And Owen power could probably go to 15

[@leokane3576]

@snowbelle7955 honestly, sabres fan here... to me he really only can pass Hall, the list is just so stacked

[@madjixxy]

ekblad has over 600 games and won calder and stanley cup. what has owen power or rasmus dahlin done to be better than him? i kinda get dahlin but ain't no way power is a better pick than ekblad at this point

[@dvnd17]

Ekblad doesn’t look like he’s gonna get much better if at all. Dahlin is already a better dman imo, and power has way more potential then ekblad. It’s too early to say for sure tho

[@Alex_Eder]

Yeah having Power over Ekblad as of right now is crazy. To the point that I'm wondering what I'm even doing here

[@Gongshow96]

If I had to pick between the 2 today I would probably lean towards Power, but as a career thus far Ekblad has done much more than either Dahlin or Power has

[@adamjanks4966]

With how slaf progressed in only his second year I’d take him over lafreniere

[@jacobneron1444]

And power too imo

[@BandW1897]

But did you see how Laffy improved? he was also beast on playoffs. Interesting to see how both careers and going to be. I like both those players a lot!

[@nicolasgendreau9277]

​@@BandW1897 the point was that Slaf is looking like a beast in his second year, not his fourth like Lafreniere. He might be better right now, but Slaf ceiling could be higher than Laf considering he's just 20

[@BandW1897]

@@nicolasgendreau9277 True, Slaf could be super star in few seasons, but also Laffy could play better career. It wouldn't surprise me.

[@rossmartens]

Love your channel your so honest and passionate about hockey and your smart as a whip great content enjoy the vacation 👍

[@v4v819]

Remember, Nail Yakupov is still alive and well, and playing with the Siberian Snow Liger's... And on occasion, he will even lace up the old skates and play a little hockey on a tundra pond...

[@brendanplays3942]

Wasn't ekblad 2014 with mackinnon as 2013 or am I extremely stupid

[@AmosDohms]

You're right.

[@Peoplesrepublicoffortnite]

Yeah Ekblad was in 14, I was actually there in person to see it lol

[@AmosDohms]

@@Peoplesrepublicoffortnite That must have been fun! Shame the way the draft is going.

[@Peoplesrepublicoffortnite]

@@AmosDohms yeah it was. I was kinda young then so I wish I could still go again, I am sure they will bring back in person drafts eventually

[@JohnWebb714]

Anything the Hockey Guy does is always first-class. He is knowledgeable yet very impartial.

[@TylerMorganShow]

Huge bonus video! Thanks Sheldon!

[@TH1RDP3RSON]

As a Buffalo fan, personally i couldnt justify putting Power over Ekblad, but its even more flattering considering how much hockey you watch Shannon. Thank you for another banger vid and enjoy your holiday!

[@EinTeufelskreis]

2013 was such a good draft year it had two players go first overall. 😂

[@ozzydo2314]

There are actually shifts of Dhalins where he does stuff no other defenseman in the league (yes including makar) can do. Some of his plays at the offensive blue line are just disgusting.

[@calinmarian98]

@@ozzydo2314 Yes but too bad the Sabres are still mid. He's like the Lamborghini meme.

[@Ryyder64]

This list actually makes it so fun to ponder the idea of what the devils could potentially do with a well oiled machine and these 2 top picks healthy for a full season. Their time is coming. You can hear the atmosphere lol

[@chrisbelos2834]

juraj will be a monster in 2 years. he steals pucks on the board all the time and he gets that amazing suzuki feed. if they can force matheson to pass to him more on the pp he could chase a richard trophy one day

[@kurtwpg]

I think when you look at where he rated Power and Slafkovsky, it's a pretty good argument for just cutting off the list at 2020.

[@s4mcote]

@@chrisbelos2834 with Hutson on the PP eventually, it won’t be a problem anymore

[@disinformationworld9378]

Aaron Ekblad 2013. Nathan McKinnon 2013. Interesting. Two #1 picks this year. Not the only issues I have with this list.

[@aarongrace]

What I think could be a fun video is using your re-drafts to rank/compare the top player of each draft class

[@sherrimorstein8693]

Even Barkov is another amazing player!

[@vipeholmskolan6052]

I expect Dahlin to climb this list over the years.

[@brenzyc8703]

Shame how much injuries hurt these guys careers. Just based on talent Hall & Ekblad would be over RNH but they're basically held together by tape at this point

[@benderbendingrodriguez420]

Yakupov, an original NHL meme

[@mNag]

Very symmetrical list for the Oilers

[@SlugManROTMG]

i love your lists but if youre “rating players over their careers”, i think ekblad has a pretty darn good one already..

[@SlugManROTMG]

i.e this list felt more like who youd rather have on your team now, which makes the ordering a bit confusing

[@patch8376]

I'd also have Tavares over Hughes at this point, though maybe not for long.

[@isaiahvining6023]

Maybe a top 10 Active NHL players who went undrafted

[@FreeTheDimples]

I know Stamkos has won, but having him over Matthews is a pretty wild take.

[@walkingcorpse2704]

Hey Shannon, heads up MacKinnon was the first overall pick in 2013, Ekblad was first overall in the 2014 draft

[@BoardandArrow]

The NHL had a really good record of 1st overall picks

[@TylerMorganShow]

I love pulling Upper Deck hockey cards -- Stamkos

[@patch8376]

I want to see Alexis Playoffreniere in the regular season.

[@SabresGuy87]

Looking at this board, I'm putting Dahlin 8th

[@surfaceenvy5497]

As a Blues fan I'm glad these lists are now omitting Erik Johnson

[@leerotten]

Deserved vacation! Have fun Shannon and if there was a major trade, your auth gives you rights to have a serious offtime. Never forget. :) As a fan you never need to be Friedman. Be as cool as you are and take time off. Personally I will always be looking morning YTs for yours.

[@Carimbo575]

What a ridiculous list! Just kidding Shannon, 10/10 as always! Enjoy your vacation.

[@shhhhip52]

The Ekblad hate is crazy

[@brendanplays3942]

I would love to see this list updates in the far future after a couple of these players retire

[@user-su2tg2io3x]

I agree with most of your list but I disagree with Jack Hughes over John Taveres and Stamkos over Matthews

[@siimtokke3461]

Matthews has scored 368 goals in 8 seasons (regular season only), Ovi had 371 after 8 seasons. If Ovi can't pass Gretzky, could Matthews? Ovi has had one 60-goal season, Matthews has had 2 already. But none of the other seasons Matthews has scored 50 or more when Ovi has had 8 50 or more goal seasons (5 of which came after his 8th season in NHL).

[@dreww47]

Nico should be #1 but I’ll take it

[@jaredkomoroski]

Wild that one team had 4 #1 picks. No wonder they are contenders.

[@UO51777]

Agree with Hall. He totally deserved the Hart. That’s the MVP to their team and no way the Devils make the playoffs without Hall/Hall playing at the level he did.

[@fractaljack210]

Would you take Hall or Seguin overall at #1 now?

[@supermegaguy666]

Sequin

[@wndupfx]

Ekblad wasn’t drafted 1st in 2013, McKinnon was.

[@kieranperreaultdit-morin9262]

Oh boy a THG list video, now I can get mad!

[@johnnybaxter1953]

Solid video

[@inizilla_fk7]

lol the amount of oilers picks on this list shows how terrible an organization they actually are

[@kurtwpg]

I've always said Tavares is the median of 1st overall picks.

[@sharkhaos_probably]

Unrelated but I'd like to say here that San Jose should trade for Askarov from Nashville. Vegas's 1st rounder could be part of that package?

[@mcj44]

Vegas will be weaker this year. Probably drafting between 22-16. Personally if I’m the Sharks, I’d keep the pick and pray I get a goalie in the later rounds. Though I do agree, if the price isn’t that big (which I doubt considering the Ullmark and Thompson trades) then absolutely the sharks should be all over him

[@JD200_]

@@mcj44don’t be silly Vegas is a playoff team

[@jimlittle5769]

@@JD200_ I wouldn't bet money on that.

[@mcj44]

@@JD200_ They drafted 19th this year and only got weaker. Besides, drafting between 22-16 is a playoff team lol, it’s why I specifically said 16 and not 15.

[@JD200_]

@@mcj44 dude my apologies. I guess I forgot how to read. I think ur spot on in that they’ll be a lower calibre playoff team

[@macvancouverufo]

You have two 2013 picks...what happened to 2014?

[@Nikkerman]

WHAT THE FUCK SHANNON WHY ISN'T THE YAKSTER NAIL YAPUKOV NUMBER 1? HE HAD THAT ONE GOAL!!!

[@jespereriksson3305]

Seems about time for the oilers to get another couple 1st overall picks

[@retflo2583]

EDM, CHI, COL, and the rest are all East teams. Funny how the pingpong balls drop, add Crosby and Ovie and it is even better.

[@bradyjordahl1145]

You should rank draft class years in a video

[@joeb2151]

I'm good with this. Please don't do a re ranking of #2, just skip that one. sighs in Philadelphian.

[@pvhep4036]

Yes, but /Crosby has three, MacKinnon one, Stamkos two and Kane three

[@BobbyWhiting-hk8ds]

This list is 99.9% spot on, I just think Nico should be higher than Ryan nugent-Hopkins

[@jarredbell9411]

Hmmm I wonder where McDavid will go

[@hermanthegermanmerman]

Me too

[@HelloMattMat]

Love Nate Doogs game, but Patty Kane should be #2

[@SabresGuy87]

Can we all just talk about how Kyle Turris was the consensus #1 pick in 2007? Man did Hawks use their brains

[@CaptainBooch]

Oilers picks holding up the 4 corners

[@michaelb4590]

I think Power is 15th now actually

[@shhhhip52]

Switch Kane and MacKinnon and it’s a perfect list

[@BraydenKing-nz2gz]

I find it so weird Ovi and Crosby were 18-19 drafts ago

[@garymauk2963]

THG RULES!

[@ColeTalksHockey67]

Hey Shannon, Ekblad was 2014

[@thomasnorman5978]

Number 1 will shock you

[@augustsmith9633]

I love how we all champion first overall but half of these guys aren't even the best in their draft year as time keeps progressing.

[@EpilepticBob]

Should’ve just been an Oilers video lol. I don’t miss those years

[@tntrocketeer3478]

​@@Andrew_HoltThey'll definitely make the playoffs next year. If the draisaitl extension happens they will the year after too.

[@InsignificantNick]

John Tavares lived up to the contract. We knew he wasn't going to be worth the money by the end of it, but he's been a near PPG player for the Leafs during his tenure. Toronto was just hoping they'd have a championship with him by now lmao

[@speedybure]

They haven’t won a game in the 2nd rd, he nor the rest of the overpaid forward group in the leafs have not lived up to Their contracts, except for Matthews and Nylander on his last contract.

[@j.t.miller1641]

A player that averages 75 points is not worth 11, not even in 2024. And that contract was signed what 6 years ago? He has always been overpaid

[@jimlittle5769]

Per Hockey-Reference stats, MacKinnon had 97 points at age 22, 99 points at age 23, and 93 points (in only 63 games) at age 24. Kane only got over 75 points once in his first eight seasons. Kane didn't get over 90 points till he was 27. MacKinnon, by age 27, had done it four times. First 11 seasons for Kane: 828 pts (in 822 games). First 11 seasons for MacKinnon: 899 points (in 791 games). That means, when comparing their first 11 seasons, MacKinnon scored 71 MORE points than Kane, while playing 31 LESS games than Kane. There are quite a few complaints about THG having MacKinnon over Kane, but I think it's spot on.

[@AntonyLP]

scoring is up so you need to adjust it.

[@jimlittle5769]

@@AntonyLP A little maybe, but I don't think the adjustment would wipe out what is quite a large gap in scoring. It certainly wouldn't somehow switch it where Kane all of a sudden had the advantage. It's not like these guys started their careers 20 years apart or even 10.

[@AntonyLP]

@@jimlittle5769 you think? remember when Jamie Benn won the Art Ross? 71 points isn't a huge gap. Conn Smythe and 3 cups is more significant.

[@jimlittle5769]

@@AntonyLP 71 points in 31 less games. Even if Mackinnon only averaged 1 point in each game (less than he actually does), that puts the difference over 100 points difference comparing their first 11 seasons. In regard to Cups, those are a team thing, but even so in two of those three Stanley Cups winning seasons, Kane scored 55 and 64 points. In any event, quite a few people in here seem to think it's absurd for THG to have Mackinnon over Kane. I believe there's a case to be had for MacKinnon over Kane and I presented the case. People can choose to agree or disagree. As hockey fans, we debate and have fun with rankings, hopefully in a friendly and respectful way.

[@ZackGisme]

Not sure I agree with Ekblads spot or rnh spot

[@GizmoBeach]

No Yakupov? No McDavid. But he had help; Edmonton didn’t go kersplat simply because he didn’t pan out after ‘12-13.

[@renlessard]

I think Ekblad is getting short changed here.

[@sshurmatz]

I'd put both Hall and Dahlin over RHO.

[@THEGDB]

Question ? Owen powers trade for slavkosky , what team turns this down and why ?

[@tntrocketeer3478]

Montreal.