Top 6 WORST First Overall Picks in NHL History!

[@GuitarLessonsBobbyCrispy]

I watched a documentary on NHL draft picks about 15 years ago, and I'll never forget what the narrator said at the beginning; 'Deciding which hockey players in the minors will succeed in the NHL is like trying to guess which high school students will become doctors just by looking at their grades'.

[@therefep9723]

Fax I don’t even care about projections anymore. They’re all wrong.

[@MyName_Jeff]

@@therefep9723 not fax

[@derekpaddon9553]

Mostly always overhype Prospects, I remember Luke Schenn was supposed to be the next Chris Pronger if not better.

[@francois9369]

More often than not, they are right... Can't compare high school vs junior sport mindset.

[@canuck_gamer3359]

@@francois9369 I couldn't disagree more. I think the NHL has a huge problem with the way teams evaluate talent. Once the player is drafted, he has had the scouts cap his potential and he is given opportunities based on where he was drafted and what the scouts said he could do, and there is very little the player can do to change it. Sure, they know when players like Crosby and McDavid are going to be stars but I think they miss badly much of the rest of the time.

[@brucemckinlay9739]

The Oilers also got a 3rd round pick along with throw-in Pochiro for Yakupov. That pick was used to select Stuart Skinner.

[@dankelly5150]

And perhaps he'll be rookie of the year?

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

​@@dankelly5150 😂

[@p.stephens9305]

So they got something good out of it. Skinner has saved Edmonton's bacon this year.

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

@@p.stephens9305 if only they didn't grossly overpay for their supposed G1 🤣🤣 if Edmonton manages to hold on to their playoff spot, it's gonna be a first round exit

[@dankelly5150]

@@jeremyrafuse5330 👈🤡

[@joelbrittain6379]

I remember hearing Ray Ferraro talking about Yakupov -- he said he played "like he was being chased by bees". Cracks me up every time I think about it.

[@don63]

Bobby Orr was simply awesome.

[@smith041958]

I think the worst first overall pick, maybe not the biggest bust, was Rick Pagnutti, drafted first overall by the LA Kings in1967 and never played an NHL game.

[@alfiesmullet1311]

It is said Alex Daigle moved faster to his mailbox to get his paycheck than he ever did on the ice for the Sens

[@puckerings]

True. People do say a lot of stupid, judgmental shit. Especially on the internet.

[@MrDeceptacon88]

​@puckerings no your wrong and daigle did run to his mailbox

[@adrianleadley4059]

I lived in Ottawa during his first season. He was a major letdown but it wasn’t about collecting a cheque. His heart was there but could not continue to improve. He just couldn’t play in the NHL

[@tokertalk9648]

LOL why do weak minded people like you get so easily tilted over simple truth they read on the internet?

[@christopherredmond8416]

He was a boy who was rushed too a man's league , not saying he would have been great, bet being 18 and nobody on his team too teach him hurt his development

[@j189512]

That quote from Daigle reminds me of Shane Wright, he was cocky about how he was gonna go first and how he was learning French in anticipation of going to the Habs

[@wm9312]

When the WJHC was in Red Deer/Calgary, I made it to a game and Daigle went ripping up the wing around the defence to score. It was a fantastic display of his talent. Unfortunately, what goes on between a players ears isn't as visible.

[@davismavis2834]

I watched Yakapov play in the OHL and he was heads and tails over the other guys on the ice, when he wanted to be. One time his team was down by 2 with 2 minutes left and he decided to try and got 2 to tie it and then they won in overtime. The problem was he wasn't motivated to get better by playing against the best. He got too used to being so much better that he didn't have to put in a full effort but for the last 2 minutes of the game, if the team needed him to do it.

[@noahmartin9526]

It didn’t help that he had a new head coach in each of his seasons with the Oilers

[@jackgunn1480]

Interesting. Hearing this it doesn't surprise me that he tanked To be successful in the NHL you actually have to put in the effort.

[@puckerings]

@@jackgunn1480 So some guy on the internet saying it on the internet is enough for you to make a judgment about a player like that? Dude didn't even spell his name correctly, and said "heads and tails" instead of "head and shoulders." This guy has zero idea about whether Yakupov was motivated or not, and neither do you.

[@jackgunn1480]

@@puckerings Sure, but it makes sense, so I tend to believe it. Whether Yak was actually not motivated or putting in the effort, only he knows that for sure, but that's how I see it based on the limited information I have.

[@esperago]

Yes, the one thing that Yakupov absolutely needed was an organization that excelled in player development. The Edmonton Oilers haven't been that organization since the early 90s, even then, they were average. When Yakupov was drafted, the Oil were already labeled as the team that rushed draft picks into full scale NHL play because they were so desperate for the help. It ruined, stunted and delayed a handful of young men's careers. Yakupov needed extra time in the farm system and then he needed a mentor within the Oilers organization. He got neither and to make matters worse, he was actively told by the organization to check his personality at the door. I can't remember the season but there was a normal regular season game and the Oilers were skidding very badly. Yak scored one of those buzzer beaters and won the game. He celebrated like crazy - like he'd won the Stanley Cup. The next day the MSM across Canada began trashing him for his energetic display. "Who does he think he is?" "That's not how we play hockey HERE". The Oilers quietly sided with these sentiments rather than embracing his personality and using him as a ticket draw. I believe this was Yakupov's nail in the coffin. He never recovered after that. So while Yakupov needed a fair bit of development, I blame the Oilers for mangling his potential.

[@JBM425]

Yakupov hasn’t exactly set the world on fire in the KHL, either. He scored 23 goals in 47 games with SKA St. Petersburg, slipped to 10 goals in 46 games, and has failed to reach double figures since. He’s now on his third KHL club with Omsk Avangard.

[@hankscorpio7767]

DiPietro was good when he played. Unfortunately he didn't play a lot because of injuries.

[@stevencooke6451]

But by getting rid of Luongo, and then signing DiPietro to that heavy contract the Islanders looked even worse.

[@hankscorpio7767]

@@stevencooke6451 That has nothing to do with DiPieto himself. Dumb management decisions, are just that, dumb management decisions.

[@Mike-pn8ln]

I don't think dipietro ever went above .900 save percentage

[@hankscorpio7767]

@@Mike-pn8ln Injuries played a huge part in that. I remember DiPietro's whole career and he always had flashes of greatness, just terrible luck.

[@GeneratedAi]

@@Mike-pn8ln his average save% is .902 his best season was a .919 his worst season was a .855 tho

[@brianfantana8510]

Greg Joly blew his knee and wrist out early in his career. The Caps completely mismanaged him. Hate how the media says he was a bad pick...Joly was extremely unlucky to get picked by an organization that didn't know what they were doing.

[@TheRedneckPreppy]

People who weren't watching hockey back in the early 80s have no idea how bad the Capitals were mismanaged. Honestly, it was a race between them and the Leafs as to who could screw things up the most. I'd say the Leafs (well, Harold Ballard almost singlehandedly) edged them out, but barely.

[@puckerings]

Yep. People love to judge players based on superficial views of their play.

[@MS-ro9dm]

"I don't really like playing without the puck, skate all the time and do forecheck and hit somebody every shift,” Yakupov said to reporters after an early-season loss. “I don't think it's my game."

[@MrPunkforlife]

Brian Burke said that while interviewing Nail Yakupov, he nearly punched him, the kid was so arrogant.

[@Jukeboksi]

Most russkis

[@faunbudweis]

@@Jukeboksi Filly don't do rebounds. :)))

[@puckerings]

@@MrPunkforlife Brian Burke calling someone else arrogant is hilarious.

[@MrPunkforlife]

@@puckerings 😃😄😆

[@dissimulii]

yeah yeah, Daigle was a 'bust' but the guy does deserve some credit, he did end his career on a somewhat positive note. he managed to play 12 seasons in the NHL. around 2000 he quit professional hockey for like 2 years then got back into the NHL on a tryout from Pittsburgh. in his second last NHL season he led the Wild in points, matching his career high season points total from nearly a decade earlier.

[@brandonhall9959]

I get that its the hype around Daigle that is what makes him a bust but he was actually quite talented. But injuries and playing on the worst, absolute ass ottawa team really set back his career. He had semi good point totals, his highlights were sick. I think the hype train just like people to dump on.

[@derikuk2967]

Yakupov displayed great skills at an individual level. Sadly for him, hockey is *A TEAM GAME,* and Nail was not a very good team player. At junior levels he could get away with it, but in the big game he found it difficult to fit in.

[@father042]

Number 1 should be Claude Gauthier, André Veilleux and Rick Pagnutti who haven't played a single NHL game Gord Kluzak was also a pretty big bust but suffered from injuries

[@tomtalley2192]

Kluzak was a very good player, injuries was what derailed his career.

[@trlprk]

Kluzak had his knee blown out during a meaningless exhibition game. He was hit by Dave Lewis. He was never the same

[@Jeneric81]

I mean, DiPietro wasn't really bad. Just an unfortunate turn of events that is impossible to predict ahead of time. That NYI had horrible judgment on long term contracts is not a draft pick-related issue.

[@phillipstankey8881]

Joly was pretty decent for Detroit in his first year there. After that...I think he got hurt and was never a full time NHL defenseman after that

[@RRaquello]

Remember in the case of DiPietro that the injury that started his downward spiral occurred in the skills competition at the All-Star Game. Which means, at one time, he was good enough to get picked to play in the All-Star Game. He injured his hip and was never healthy after that. Still, it was a beyond-idiotic move for the Islanders to pick him two years after taking Luongo, then trading Luongo. That was the nadir of the career of GM Mike Milbury.

[@jeffreym.8957]

Rick Diepietro, John Scott and Zemgus Girgensons. All NHL All-Stars.

[@freehahahafree]

I was really surprised when yo started with Greg Joly. Not because I disagree with your assessment but because I was born and raised in Glens Falls, NY. My hometown was the home of the Adirondack Red Wings, the Detroit AHL affiliate, for twenty years (1979-1999). Joly was a household name in Glens Falls for years and I witnessed almost his entire career. It wasn’t until he had retired that I learned of how he failed to live up to his potential, from my perspective he was a star.I appreciate you pointing out the Bobby Orr comparison, I hadn’t heard that before. Thanks for the content…good work.

[@gordonklassen3182]

1979/80 Winnipeg Jets select for their first ever NHL selection, Jimmy Mann.

[@SirManfly]

Ya not great scouting there hey?

[@milesfilbert1229]

Yup. Michel Goulet, Kevin Lowe, Glen Anderson and Mark Messier drafted after Mann. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@les-b5p]

John Ferguson

[@yeltsin6817]

I feel bad for the caps guy. No way he could have succeeded with that pressure and being on that team

[@jimmysimard3008]

Kind of hard to perform well when you play with a team who had 19W-126L-15T the two years you played with them... As a Quebec fan back in the day I remember that Owen Nolan and Brian Fogarty weren't good at all in their first season (TBH Fogarty never was but we all sadly know why).

[@RequiredFields]

@@jimmysimard3008 Fogarty's story is really sad all around. If he only got his act together, he'd have had a really solid career. Sadly, the drug problems, combined with him being hard to work with, led to him being bounced around a lot, and he never saw his full potential.

[@mike196212]

I remember him and that woeful team. You're right. That deck was stacked,primed to fall on top of him.

[@11DNA11]

Arguably one of the worst teams in NHL history.

[@mike196212]

@@11DNA11 Yes. You could say the California Seals, but they were actually getting a bit better,I think,when they called it a day.

[@glaframb]

1964- Detroit Red Wing : Claude Gauthier : Never play in the NHL 1965- New York Rangers : André Veilleux : Never play in the NHL 1967- Los Angeles Kings : Rick Pagnutti : Never play in the NHL Why they are not in the top 6 ?

[@Deliveries_with_ADHD]

From what I heard, Yakupov was not supposed to be #1 for the Oilers. The scouts didn't like him, but Katz had a hard on for him and over ruled them.

[@jameshorton7496]

I once read about Daigle, that he never really wanted to play hockey. It was his dad's dream for him to play in the NHL, so that's what he did. True? I don't know, but I read that years ago. Another big bust was Sylvain Turgeon. He was drafted by the Hartford Whalers and never came close to achieving high status.

[@chengliu872]

I feel like Alexis Lafreniere might make this list in the future, especially considering how good Tim Stüzle has been.

[@KPowers-ri5rp]

Detroit not getting first overall might of been a blessing cause Lucus Raymond looks better so far.

[@afzalhakeen4941]

Alexis Lafreniere i had high hopes for that guy since mcdavid

[@chengliu872]

@@afzalhakeen4941: So did virtually everyone.

[@leafsfanforever2896]

To be fair for Lafreniere, the Rangers depth chart has not been kind to him; Panarin & Kreider ahead of you will do no favours

[@RGP43_]

already proving you wrong the first time hes getting decent top 6 minutes

[@NorthernRambler]

How was Doug Wickenheiser omitted from this list?

[@scottjackson1420]

Heck, I liked Greg Joly. And that plus-minus can hardly be laid on him. The expansion Caps were just about the worst team to lace up skates. Yes, Orr himself would have had a crappy +/- on that team. And when he got to my Red Wings, well, Detroit wasn't much better. Put Joly on the second defensive pairing on a good team, and he'd have been fine. First overall quality? Obviously not. But he was better than you say.

[@Demy1970]

Agree, that team was horrible

[@randyfromthepeg4994]

Doug Wickenheiser has to get a mention, Habs took him first overall and passed on French player Denis Savard. how did that work out.

[@niskunixon3431]

should have shown the Hemsky Goal on the Stefan misshap!

[@ThePortadump]

CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT WE JUST SAW

[@BuriedFlame]

Saw that live on TV. Still makes me chuckle. I think Stefan literally walked out of the NHL after that game.

[@davkatjenn]

I was surprised that Yakupov scored at all during his tenures with those numerous teams. He was that bad. This is why I love watching a career like Joe Pavelski's.....drafted in the 7th round and nearing 1000 points. It is wonderful watching guys like him work their tails off and succeed. You can't measure heart, grit and determination with a stop watch and sometimes I think it might be better to trade away your first round pick for several picks in the lower rounds.

[@HockeyTownHooligan5]

Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Pavel Datsyuk all late rounders. All awesome players

[@puckerings]

" You can't measure heart, grit and determination" This part is true. And yet, we have comments full of people who claim to have measured Yakupov's heart, grit and determination, because they watched him a bit on TV.

[@davidwordsworth5584]

try to find Brian Burke's description of his interview with Yakupov. It stuns me that he was even picked in the NHL.

[@jsquared1013]

Bobrovsky just won the Cup, and he was undrafted. Numerous other players in the same boat.

[@TheOfficerMahoney]

To be fair. Daigle was pretty good when playing at Wild, of course nowhere near 1st pick level, but solid NHL player

[@shadowboxsports5662]

DiPietro has been outta the league like 10 years and is still stopping guys like Zegras in shootouts. His issues were all health and not his skill level

[@11DNA11]

Seemed more than just health. He lost his edge after he signed that 15y contract. Luckily i'm a Rangers fan so it was hilarious to see the Islanders trade away their whole future, while keeping guys like DiPietro :D

[@BlackSunshine07GT500]

@@11DNA11 Man, did Mike Milbury ever trash that team with all the players he traded away?!

[@empire0]

I always thought Daigle was the biggest bust. He was so hyped and expected to be a star, plus the Sens took him instead of Pronger

[@f-twelve7155]

Like top 6 hockey said, he was alright but not first overall material, he'd had a spot on pretty much any roster imo

[@jimmysimard3008]

The problem with Daigle is that he didn't care anymore after he sign his big contract with Ottawa after the draft...

[@empire0]

@@f-twelve7155 Yeah but at the time he was a slam dunk. Guys like Stefan and Yakupov were questionable in their draft year. DiPietro was a reach, but he had potential if he wasn't always injured

[@jimmysimard3008]

@@empire0 Exactly... Long Island didn't gave him a 15 years contract for nothing, he was a solid goalie before 2008/2009 when he started being injured constantly.

[@brucemckinlay9739]

He may be the biggest bust ever relative to expectations but Daigle still had a decent NHL career.

[@leafsfanforever2896]

Doug Wickenheiser: struggled with skill Brian Lawton: ditto Alexandre Daigle: unmotivated Bryan Berard: eye injury (though not exactly a bust) Chris Phillips: focused on defense (decent) Patrik Stefan: numerous injuries Rick DiPietro: knee & hip issues Nail Yakupov: character issues

[@canuck_gamer3359]

Yakupov was never supposed to be a generational player. He came out of a draft that wasn't very deep and he had unrealistic expectations put on him right from the start. If you look at his numbers, there was nothing wrong with his play. But when compared to what the fans THOUGHT they were getting, he had no chance.

Burkie's gymnastics prior to the 1999 entry draft, were near Voodoo level magic.

[@sandiz83]

Late bloomers are something we know about. but this list leads me to believe there is such a thing as early bloomers. and we mistake them for super talent.

[@charlieniner1552]

Its all about development. Some have fully developed by 18 and won't develop into an every day NHL player. Some won't develop until much later.

[@tomvu1470]

Stefan being the 1st overall pick is a bit misleading. Yes, he was selected first but he wasn't the consensus "best" prospect available *at that spot*. He was only selected first because Atlanta made an agreement not to select either Sedin (which they, Atlanta normally would have) & received some kind of compensation (I forget exactly what they got, something like a pick or two I think). Rather than just trading the 1st overall pick to Vancouver to make it simpler, Atlanta being a new franchise, wanted the "PR" of marketing the "first overall pick" to sell tickets.

[@QuickManEXE]

Atlanta could've taken another bust in 99 by taking Pavel Brendl at #1 instead of Stefan too.

[@lakeeriesailor2852]

Lawton was regarded so badly by 1990, when was with the whalers organization, one of the coaching staff said the only way he makes our lineup is a plane crash!

[@kokanee2010a]

I was at every game of the 1974 memorial cup where dennis sobchuk lead the pats to the hardest trophy to win in organized hockey . his team mates were clark gilles , greg joly and ed staniowski , it is pretty unfair that you ragged on a rookie defensemen on a first year team that earned the lowest point total of the nhl in that era . he should have started in the minors but i dont think the capitals even had a farm team , i was also at the 2000 amateur draft as di pietro went ahead of hometown boy dany heatley even though dany was born in germany his father murray moved the family back to Calgary after his military stint was over . i was the guy that tortured milbury about his bonehead trades as he moved the #3 , #4 and #5 overall picks of the 97 draft class , he moved ollie jokinen , luongo and brewer at the 2000 draft . mike milbury has pretty much traded away an all star team away from nyi

[@puckerings]

The Memorial Cup is not the "hardest trophy to win in organized hockey." I can only assume you're referring to the fact that currently 60 teams are in competition to win the Cup, as opposed to 32 in the NHL. But by this standard, the Centennial Cup is much harder to win than the Memorial Cup, since there are 118 teams in the CJHL compared to 60 in the CHL.

[@ryancox6268]

I’ve got it on good authority that the scouts didn’t wanna draft Yakopov. The oilers had a great opportunity to draft a big star defenceman, but their owner Katz kept saying “no, we’re taking the Russian”. Should’ve listened to his scouts.

[@MrCarlSellars]

Same in Philly where Bobby Clarke just blasted the GM for picking Nolan Patrick 2nd overall and a big bust, instead of their scouts choice : Cale Makar.

[@swen1208]

or Ken Holland being a joke by drafting Zadina over Quinn Hughes

[@BlueToronto]

@@swen1208 Not only that. They would have drafted Evan Bouchard if Zadina hadn't dropped. Lol.

[@swen1208]

@@BlueToronto Holland is just so incompetent. Oilers got to the final in spite of him not because of him. He left the Oilers in Cap hell.

[@BlueToronto]

@@swen1208 Yeah, I was cheering for the Oilers, but part of me didn't like the idea that Holland would have won another Stanley Cup.

[@butthetruth]

Pat Price - One of the greatest disappointments in hockey history. Too much partying. I played a game of pool with him once at Mike's Place Pub in Nelson BC, where I think he still works as a used car salesman. Asked him where his hockey money went, he said it went up his nose and smiled.

[@dontbetonit813]

Price went to the WHA though so not an NHL first round pick.

[@metroidjones122]

It’s a lot of pressure to be a #1 pick. A guy could end being a great player but if he’s not a top ten player in the league he will get criticized for his whole career. But I get it. The examples in this video really hurt their respective franchises.

[@jakem.4707]

Yup. If any of these players were drafted in late rounds.- they d be considered a steal.

[@elGeant24]

Daigle was still in the top 2 scoring leaders among the Sens with Yashin each year, before they got a decent team during the 1995-96 season, no matter how terrible they were before moving at the Palladium (CTC) in Kanata.

[@Bushman9]

Not sure how Doug Wickenhieser didn’t make the list. The Habs will never get over passing on a French kid named Denis Savard to draft that flop. FYI - I am aware of his unfortunate passing from cancer 20 years later, but don’t feel that garners a pass from the list.

[@richgrisham]

I don't know who was the last to be drafted by the Oilers: Gretzky, Messier, Kurri, Anders, Coffey, Fuhr or Lowe. But after the Gretzky trade and up until they drafted McDavid, Edmonton wasted a ton of first-rounders. They certainly got their money's worth drafting 7 future HOF from 79 to 81. I know Gretzky wasn't drafted but still.

[@Rockhound6165]

Neither was Messier. He first signed with the Indianapolis Racers(same team Gretzky would play for) for a few games then went to the Cincinnati Stingers.

[@danelvis9979]

Just shows you can't always judge a player from their Junior careers. Based on his final Junior season, Greg Joly was a deserving number one pick. It just didnt work out on the pro level. It happens.

[@puckerings]

That's what can happen when you look at a player's stats in isolation without understanding their context. Joly's 1973/74 junior season was not especially impressive. The finished fourth in the league in scoring by defencemen: 1. Ron Greschner 33-70-103 in 67 games (18 yrs old) 2. Ray Maluta 40-57-97 in 68 games (19 yrs old) 3. Pat Price 27-68-95 in 67 games (18 yrs old) 4. Greg Joly 21-71-92 in 67 games (19 yrs old) Greschner and Price had much better NHL careers than Joly, which is predictable because they were younger than Joly putting up similar numbers. A player's age is ENORMOUSLY important to consider when evaluating their junior numbers. You also have to consider that the WCHL was not of equal calibre to the OHA, and had a higher scoring environment. So by the number, he should certainly have been expected to be drafted in the early rounds, but there's nothing there that says #1 overall pick.

[@danelvis9979]

@puckerings That said, he wasn't an egregious pick...at least by those standards. Ray Maluta played a total of 25 NHL games, Pat Price had a decent career but was a defensive defenseman who could score a goal once in awhile. Only Ron Greshner of the group was an effective offensive defenseman. Says a lot too that he played his entire career with one team.

[@stevejohnson1577]

in fairness to Greg Joly, and the emphasis on his plus minus, he played on the worst 2 teams of the 1970s, short of Colorado. He stats could have been alot worse

[@mattfroehlke2709]

I hope bedsy can live up to his hype. Saying hes the next crosby is a lot to live up to.. I see him being more like a patrick kane. Which is still a great comp

[@CarharttCowboy]

I can't call Daigle a bust, I mean the guy played OVER 600 games

[@TheDevnul]

😂

[@craigusselman546]

He had an ok career but from what was expected from him he was a bust.

[@davideaston6944]

Lawton? He did pretty well, considering the youth and pressure - I would put Doug Wickenheiser on this list before Lawton. Cheers!

[@tunnsie]

During Yakapov’s first year with Edmonton, the immaturity was painful to watch. Imagine how much more painful it was for his teammates. In junior that’s likely to be more tolerated, depending on the team. Not when you’re playing with men. He could never adjust or mature .

[@doubllechief6926]

I don’t envy NHL scouts, they have to asses if literal teenagers can be professionals when they’ve still got so much development left

[@chengliu872]

With Rick DiPietro I feel like it wasn't talent so much as injury issues that hampered him.

[@marshaevelyn1]

Milt Schmidt, of all people, should have known better than to publicly call ANYONE the next Bobby Orr. That in and of itself dooms a kid entering the NHL.

[@dynastywarriorlord07]

In 1999, Canucks should have drafted Zetterberg in their 2nd round pick. Zetterberg was almost as good as the Sedins yet fell past round 7

[@broadstreet21]

Had they took Zetterberg, he might not have panned out the same. He was fortunate to play for the stacked Red Wings, who had too much time in the world to develop their prospects.

[@trevorwilson5496]

You forgot Doug Wickenheiser

[@cashadm]

I agree. Wickenheiser was what we call here in Qc "un bœuf de l’Ouest", literally a Western beef. Big, tall and with shoulders that could knock out anyone near him. But things did not work out as expected. Adding the fact that the next pick right after Wickenheiser was a Québécois darling named Denis Savard, who played for Mtl but 13 years later. Savard had spectacular skills. So Wick had to live up with that and a few demons as well. The poor man died at a young age, probably because, in part, he never met the expectations that were placed on him. Sad end.

[@trevorwilson5496]

@@cashadm yep... Savard instead of Wickenheiser would've been such a brilliant move. I remember wickenheiser crashing at full speed into the opposition's net, breaking several ribs on the left post. It almost ended his career. That's when the NHL started using magnets instead of posts secured by the ice

[@Rockhound6165]

@@cashadm the funniest thing about that was it was the Canadiens who drafted him which was strange since Savard was considered the better player not to mention being a native Québécois. Sadly Doug passed away in 1999 from cancer.

[@peterfishwick1593]

B.s.

[@JustpissoffTrudeau]

@@cashadm We call Danielle Bouchard in Alberta a Frog with know heart .

[@mikerice1001]

I dont think dipietro deserve to be on that list , he was a very talented goal tender but injuries ruin everything for him

[@thuaug4417]

Okay, so Milt Schmidt got it wrong, and Joli wasn’t the next Bobby Orr. But if you’re going to stick it to Schmidt like he’s some sort of ignoramus, at least inform your viewers it was Schmidt who scouted and discovered the real No. 4 in the first place.

[@Diogenes-ty9yy]

At least Schmidt had the foresight to make the most 1 sided trade in NHL history in 1967 when he snookered the Blackhawks out of Fred Stanfield, Ken Hodge and the great Phil Esposito for Jack Norris, Gilles Marotte, and Pit Martin. All 3 ex-Hawks went on to great careers - especially Esposito - while Norris, Marotte and Martin helped the Blackhawks to mediocrity. ☹

[@projektkobra2247]

Did Bobby Orr really NEED to be "discovered" though?..Its not like the Oshawa generals were not regularly scouted.

[@thuaug4417]

@@projektkobra2247 For the Bruins sake, yes. He was signed by a handshake when he was 12 years old in a deal to put a new roof on his father’s house. How to tell me you don’t know hockey history without telling me you don’t know hockey history. Every other team would have wanted him, but Schmidt DISCOVERED and SIGNED him at 12.

[@projektkobra2247]

@@thuaug4417 -How to tell me youre a smug prick without telling me youre a smug prick.

[@thuaug4417]

@@projektkobra2247 Schmidt had already signed Orr to the Bruins before he’d even put his blade on the Oshawa ice.

[@odin1311]

The real list for entry draft should be Doug Wickenheiser Gord Kluzak Brian Lawton Alexandre Daigle Patrik Stefan Nail Yakupov DiPietro just draws a lot of attention because of his status and because of how bad choosing him and trading Luongo was. But he had a couple decent seasons at least. Slightly better than those mentioned above

[@MrLuridan]

Kluzak wasn’t a bust….his knee got vaporized!

[@davidmather16]

To be fair at that time in 93 he was supposed to be the 1st face of the Sens ..now the money didn't help but as well him getting concussion did help

[@kevinpagano7245]

It’s a little unfair the criticism DiPietro gets since he was hurt most of the time.

[@RequiredFields]

True. He was good, maybe not #1 draft pick good, but definitely a good goaltender on a team that wasn't that great. I'm sure we'd speak of him better in retrospect if he had a longer career and the injuries never happened.

[@vangroover1903]

It's that contract. A surprising number of grubs blame him for taking the money, not the idiot Islanders for offering it.

[@jamescook9661]

I Remember a second pick named Denis Savard that turned out to be a pretty darn good player

[@auckland18]

Savard was third, actually. Behind No. 1 Doug Wickenheiser (another bust) and Dave Babych - chosen by Winnipeg. But yeah, when the Canadiens chose Wickenheiser over Savard, I couldn't believe it.

[@jamescook9661]

@@auckland18 Thanks for the correction

[@joeshittheragman6252]

I remember saying the Oilers should have drafted a defenseman after drafting so many forwards the year they drafted Yakupov

[@wizzerwiser2056]

It wouldn't have mattered because Ryan Murray was the second overall pick and he too is also a bust.

[@DeadPandaSociety]

I am shocked joe Murphy didn’t get a honorable mention in this list one of the most interesting careers of all time. Also such a sad story knowing he’s homeless now. The book finding Murphy really shocked me.

[@chaosgreyblood]

Wait, wait? What happened to him?

[@markmearth1]

@@chaosgreyblood I think he received a terrible hit in a game, had a brain injury, but there were not concussion protocols at that time. They kept him playing and I think he got hit hard again. After that, his life and play deteriorated with him resorting to a drug addiction, creating a downward spiral, and homelessness. I believe he wanders homeless in a small town in western Ontario. Fortunately, several people are trying to take care pf him, and are trying to care for him. Forgive me if I am recounting wrongly. It has been a few years since I read/heard the story. ❤

[@markmearth1]

@@chaosgreyblood documentary (on KZbin) "W5 Fallen Star"

[@markmearth1]

I did not read the book but I saw the documentary "W5 Fallen Star". Yes, a really sad story. Thank God there are concussion protocols now.

[@wizzerwiser2056]

@@chaosgreyblood He's homeless now.

[@rathofturkey]

I understand the reasons for these picks, but I try not to focus on lists like this because there’s too many WHAT IFs that are not accounted for. It’s one thing if you know the player was only there for the money or showed massive lack of self discipline to maintain playing their best game, both equally shameful seeing how many players who love the game but will never even sniff the big leagues. But a lot of times, I see great players who are acquired by terrible teams by terrible GMs, and coached by terrible coaches. What if Player A was taken by Team B instead of Team A? What if Player A was able to develop his skills under Coach B instead of just “thrown to the wolves” by Coach A?

[@vestaxwax]

He wasn't first overall, but...Scott Scissons.

[@peterlee4682]

Actually, I think the Washington Capitals wanted Pat Price rather than Greg Joly but when Pat Price signed with the Vancouver Blazers of the WHA, they had to switch to Greg Joly. All the hype out of Washington was for Pat Price not Greg Joly IMHO.

[@colts0627]

Anybody know what repercussions Brian Burke laid in place over that Thrashers trade ? All it says is their assurance that they wouldn't take a Sedin . I mean free country they could have just would've had to fork something over themselves in return so what would've happened as punishment had they defied Burke's deal ?

[@BlackIjs]

There's a good KZbin 'documentary' on this. I think it was something about if a Sedin was taken 1st he would have boycotted the team, refusing to play for them (like Lindros).

[@jimmysimard3008]

None of those guys are the worst first draft pick in the league history... I gave you the three who are the real worst pick: 1964 Claude Gauthier (never played professional) 1965 Andre Veilleux (never played professional) 1967 Rick Pagnutti (played only in the AHL, IHL and the CHL)

[@jimmysimard3008]

@@kevinbadger8030 I know how the NHL worked back in the days but the point of the video is to talk about the first pick bust and he didn't mention exceptions in the intro, so they must be included.

[@stickcheck3045]

I heard from friends that the night before the Regina Pats won the memorial cup, Dennis Sobchuk and Robbie Laird tied Gregg Jolie to his bed to keep him sober. Jolie apparently had developed a serious drinking problem and that is what likely destroyed his career. Otherwise, he would have been in fact, the next Bobby Orr.

[@gascheck8151]

Daigle was heard to say “I never have to work again”. That says it all.

[@QuickManEXE]

Bad ego at its finest.

[@brianmouland209]

Greg Joly had too much pressure put on him.sadly couldn’t handle it

[@MrPunkforlife]

Caps should've sent him to the minors for 2 years. 8^\

[@wyldhowl2821]

If Daigle had not been trying to stuck with those "1st overall / carry the Sens franchise on his back" expectations, he could have just settled into a role as decent but not top tier NHL player. Just to make it as a regular NHL player is not a small accomplishment, but for people to stop measuring it against those star player expectations, he'd have had to change his name or something. That's not the way the system works though; it's kind of the opposite for someone like him than it is for some player drafter in the late rounds or not at all who comes "from out of nowhere" to become a dependable workhorse or depth player on the roster.

[@Rockhound6165]

I think we're being unfair to Joly. He was drafted to the equivalent of the 1976 Buccaneers and the Caps were straight crap for almost a decade. That era's Wings weren't much better.

[@nathanadrian7797]

What about Doug Wickenhieser?

[@trevorwilson5496]

You beat me to it. He was a massive bust. The habs picked him above Denny Savard

[@Demy1970]

I was going to write the same thing, nice

[@aNiDiOtOnVr01]

Can you do a 6 NHL teams that are most likely to fold

[@zackpearson4198]

No team is going to fold lol

[@jimmysimard3008]

That haven't happened since the Brooklyn Americans in 1942 and that only happened five times before Brooklyn... teams are sold and move.

[@tomtalley2192]

California Golden Seals folded. Team merged with Minnesota, but basically folded.

[@jimmysimard3008]

@@tomtalley2192 They moved to Cleveland before, but the merging of the Barons and the North Stars is not far from a team folding.

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

If they haven't absolved Arizona by now, they never will. An absolute embarrassment of a professional team.

[@claude878878]

at the time this was uploaded, i am surprised Slafkovsky wans't on this list. at that time, he had like 18 pts in 70+ games. he was a flop here in MTL.. but now he had a decent 2nd half last yr, and he just signed a huge contract. So no chance now he ever makes this list.

[@jsquared1013]

It is utterly idiotic to try to label a player as a "bust" when he was only drafted 2 years ago and he's barely 20 years old.

[@mike196212]

Interesting list. The only one I've never heard of is the last fella. I remember Joly(I was 12 and entering junior high) on the cover of The Hockey News. No,he didn't amount to much;however,being called the next Orr was something NO ONE could live up to. This is still true: I still consider Orr to be the greatest player the league has ever seen,just ahead of Gretzky. Daigle was a spectacular bust. Didn't realize or recall that Lawton played as long as he did. I'm surprised unfortunate Doug Wickenheiser wasn't mentioned,the player Montreal picked instead of Denis Savard. Then again,I'm not sure he was a number one pick. He was up there though. There are lots of other first round busts depending on one's criteria for what makes a flop of a pick. I'm a Leaf fan(I'm 61) and only discovered over the last ten years or so that Orr,Park and Dryden could have been Leafs. Incredible blunders,even the ones that weren't first picks. I always despised Bobby Clark but,in retrospect,he definitely could have helped Toronto if they had selected him when they had the chance(at least three other teams ignored him before the Leafs did). They selected the obscure Ernie Moser instead,who never played a game in the NHL. Go figure. Fascinating stuff.

[@jaerockchalk3216]

id take ovechkin over gretzky , more heart , more hustle , complete package vs just scoring

[@cex2407]

​@Jaerock Chalk I love ovi but he isn't a complete package bud. His stats show that. Grez is a complete offensive package. Either guy pays well in the defensive end.

[@puckerings]

@@jaerockchalk3216 Let me guess: you're not old enough to have actually seen Gretzky play in his prime, right? Gretzky was a complete player. His ability to control the puck and the flow of the game was extremely useful on defence. And "more heart" is always a tell that someone is desperate to find something.

[@RebelWithoutAPause777]

"If I never learned to to put down a two-hander, I'd have never made it out of Flin Flon" - Bobby Clarke

[@georgefox4982]

How was Daigle a spectacular bust he played 600+ NHL games and recorded 320+ points in 12 seasons. Two seasons of 50 plus points. Probably more than half of past and present NHL players never achieved those stats so does that mean they are also busts

[@nyfan9215]

Alexei Lafrienere is headed in that direction

[@noahmartin9526]

No the rangers are just wasting him… there’s a difference… Kakko on the other hand, well

[@jsquared1013]

He did alright in the playoffs this season, and he's still too young to write him off.

[@cheweebecca3697]

There are probably at least 10 d’s who are already at the same skill level as Orr. None of them are going to win art ross trophies because the players in front of them have also upped their game.

[@projektkobra2247]

At first, I was really angry at him, cuz he just seemed like a slacker....but the more you think about it, the more you realize you cant hardly blame DiPeitro, the Islanders were absolute morons to throw all that money at a simply mediocre goalie. Im sure he is shaking his own head to this day as he leaves his beachside mansion to cash his cheque.

[@vangroover1903]

He was pretty unlucky with injuries as well, but that contract was on them, not him, just like with Luongo in Vancouver.

[@trooper32556p]

In fairness to the Sens, you can't criticize them for taking Daigle. Any other team that would have had the first pick would have done the same thing.

[@puckerings]

The Thrashers couldn't have drafted either Sedin. They had let it be known they wanted to play together, so whoever they drafted would have refused to sign with Atlanta.

[@JeffreyJetsKohut]

What about Claude Gauthier? Andre Veilleux? Rick Pagnutti?

[@Ducksduckduck]

Wonder who will be the next addition to this list

[@peacelovejusticeandnomercy]

Back in the 70’s, the Wings selected a center named Freddie Williams, with I believe the first overall pick. He was a bust and didn’t last long in the league.

[@peacelovejusticeandnomercy]

My mistake. He was picked fourth overall.

[@jameshorton7496]

@@peacelovejusticeandnomercy , Williams didn't even last a season with the Wings. He was going to be their big top center, but just didn't have it for the NHL.

[@broadstreet21]

To be fair, DiPietro was drafted by the dysfunctional Islanders, that negatively impacted his development. It wasn't all his fault.

[@geoffstonehouse6304]

These weren't necessarily bad picks, except for the Oilers making consecutive bad picks, they just didn't pan out.

[@troyprice7407]

I know Zach Pochiro, great guy!

[@QuickManEXE]

Me too. Knew him from his PG days.

[@ASH-kj1di]

33 points in 88 games will get you a 5X4 in today's NHL....

[@rickseiden1]

Not one of the worst, but one of the current underperforming 1st overalls. (I'm a lifelong NY Ranger's fan.) Alexis Lafrenière. He's good, and I don't want to see him leave, but he's not first overall good. Kappo Kakko at second overall is another one not living up to his pick position. (Then, of course, you have people like Henrik Lundqvist who get picked as an afterthought in the 7th round who go on to be the greatest Swedish goalie in NHL history, one of the best overall, the best the Rangers have ever had, and so much more. But this isn't about him....)

[@jsquared1013]

He had a good playoffs in 2024, and for crying out loud he's still just 22 years old. Way too many people jumping to conclusions about players in these comments when said players are still in the midst of development and way before their theoretical peak years (27-ish).

[@rickseiden1]

@@jsquared1013 Alexis really has picked up his game. Kappo has yet to bloom.

[@Kinger1625]

Best pick? Lindros? They got the last few pieces before Roy to grab a cup…,but then got robbed when Quebec moved to Colorado. Man. Love hockey! lol. I will shhhh now!

[@jerseyforhawks]

Its all relative, they all played in the NHL, the best league. Just because some GM overestimated their worth. Still solid.

[@jamesmielke945]

1976-Detroit Red Wings draft #1 overall: Freddie Williams! Rest of the NHL: Who?? Never played a minute in the NHL.

[@moody9442]

we need to be real about the draft. you shouldnt(but we do) expect a 20 year old kid to pull you out of the basment and more ofter it just breaks them.

[@RageyRage82]

That really put the NAIL in his coffin!

[@projektkobra2247]

Oh YOU!

[@Jelsick]

It was GM Lou Nanny's decision to draft Lawton over LaFontaine and Yzerman because he had "size". Why he didn't pick Neely is just the luck of the draw I guess. To this day I shake my head over Nanny's bone head decision. What could have been.....

[@wizzerwiser2056]

The Canucks traded Neely away anyways so they look even dumber.

[@bonehead797]

I don't think Lawton deserves to be on this list. It's clear that organization messed up his career, as you mentioned he should of been in the minors developing, not jumping from high school straight to the NHL. That's not on him, that's on The North Stars. I can't even fathom how much bigger and faster the NHL players must of been for him, going from high school kids to grown professionals like that. Criminal if you ask me.