#12

Best Pick- Marian Hossa (1997)

How can anyone be a worse 12th overall pick than Hugh Jessiman? 2 guys managed that. Two teams managed to blow a 12th overall pick on 2 guys who never played a single game in the NHL. Teemu Riijijarvi and AJ Thelan.

Riihijarvi the 6-foot-6 right-winger opted to stay in Europe instead of making the journey across the Atlantic to compete in North America. Despite a respectable 12-season professional career, he reached his peak performance with 18 points in 50 games while playing for SaiPa Lappeenranta in the SM-liiga of Finland. What amplifies the disappointment of this selection is the fact that the Sharks had the opportunity to acquire notable players like JS Giguere, Petr Sykora, or Brian Boucher. One shark fan said about their drafted players “Teemu Riihijarvi was the worst all time and it ain’t even close. Highest pick that never even played in the NHL. So bad Hockey-Reference doesn’t even have a page for him”. Riihijarvi also rarely had double digits in points. In a league with no fighting and hes 6’6 what a waste🙄

AJ Thelan, on the other hand, was an American defenseman who was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Thelan was known for his offensive skills and was expected to become a solid NHL defenseman. However, his career took a different path. Thelan faced several setbacks, including injuries and off-ice issues, which hindered his development and limited his NHL opportunities. He never played a game in the NHL and spent the majority of his career in lower professional leagues, including the ECHL and various European leagues. Thelan officially retired from professional hockey in 2013.

Winner- Riihijarvi- But, in San Jose’s defense, way down in the fifth round of the draft, they brought another Finn on board: Miikka Kiprusoff. 

#11

Best Pick- Jarome Iginla (1995)

Without getting into the Kyle Beach fiasco the worst 11th overall pick has to go to Lauri Tukonen. Tukonen was selected by the Los Angeles Kings as the 11th overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Unfortunately, Tukonen’s career in the NHL did not live up to expectations, and he struggled to make a significant impact in the show. He was putting up garbage numbers in Finland when they drafted him🤪🤪

Tukonen faced various challenges during his time in North America, including adjusting to the different style of play and the smaller ice surface compared to European leagues. He spent most of his North American career in the American Hockey League (AHL), playing for the Kings’ AHL affiliate teams such as the Manchester Monarchs in New Hampshire. However, he struggled to produce consistent offensive numbers and failed to establish himself as a regular NHL player.

After his stint in the AHL, Tukonen returned to Europe to continue his professional career. He played for several teams in different European leagues, including SM-liiga in Finland, the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), and the Swiss National League. Tukonen experienced moderate success in Europe, but he never achieved the level of play that was anticipated when he was drafted.

Winner- Lauri Tukonen

#10

Best Picks- Teemu Selanne (1988) & Radek Dvorak (1995)

Mikhail Yakubov, the 10th overall pick in the 2000 NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, failed to live up to expectations and is considered a draft bust. Despite his large frame and impressive skills, Yakubov’s potential was never fully realized in the NHL. He appeared in only 40 games for the Blackhawks, recording a mere 2 goals and 9 assists. Yakubov showed promise in the Russian junior league and had a standout season in the Western Hockey League’s Red Deer Rebels, tallying 89 points in 71 games. However, his transition to the professional North American game proved challenging. Playing for the Norfolk Admirals in the AHL, he struggled to replicate his junior success, managing just 11 points in 62 games.

Over the next few seasons, Yakubov couldn’t establish himself in the NHL, frequently shuttling between the AHL and the Blackhawks. His offensive production remained underwhelming, accumulating only 11 points in his limited NHL appearances. Eventually, Yakubov made the decision to return to Russia and continue his career in the KHL.

In conclusion, Mikhail Yakubov’s career was a cautionary tale of unfulfilled potential. Despite being a top ten pick with a promising skill set, he was unable to make the show. With a disappointing total of 12 points in 53 career NHL games, Yakubov’s departure to the KHL marked the end of his NHL aspirations and left fans and analysts disappointed by his underwhelming performance.

The Thrashers had high hopes for Boris Valabik to solidify their defensive lineup for years to come, but unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. Valabik, a Slovakian player who admired Zdeno Chara, arrived in North America at the young age of 17 to play junior hockey with the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL. Standing at an imposing 6-foot-7 and weighing 245 pounds, Valabik was known for his physical presence and willingness to engage in fights, accumulating an impressive 725 penalty minutes in 163 games over three seasons in Kitchener.

However, unlike Chara, who has enjoyed a long and successful career spanning over 1500 NHL games and was still actively playing at the age of 43, Valabik’s potential didn’t translate on the ice. His biggest drawback was he was slow as a snail, which often left him vulnerable to speedy opposing forwards who easily maneuvered around him, making him resemble a stationary pylon on the ice.

Valabik had a limited NHL stint with the Thrashers, playing seven games in the 2007-08 season, followed by 50 games in 2008-09 and 23 games in 2009-10. Most games he was just collecting splinters in his ass. Perhaps the highlight of his career came in December 2008 when he engaged in a memorable fight with his idol, Zdeno Chara, in what was likely one of the tallest tussles ever seen. However, Valabik’s time with the Thrashers came to an end when he was traded to the Boston Bruins in 2011, along with Rich Peverley, in exchange for Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart. Unfortunately, he never had the opportunity to play a single game for the Bruins.

Valabik’s professional career ultimately came to a close after the 2016-17 season when he last played for Lustenau EHC in the Alps Hockey League. Despite his initial promise as a defensive anchor, Valabik’s NHL career was marred by his limited playing time, recording more fights (12) than points (zero goals and seven assists) in a mere 80 NHL games.

Dylan McIlrath is a bust. Although he played in 6 NHL games this season and just won the Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears where he was Captain of the team. I think it is safe to say tha the 10th overall pick from 2010 did not live up to his expectations or that of what any top 10 pick should be. His selection at that position was met with shock and generated public backlash for several reasons.

First and foremost, McIlrath was considered a surprise pick because he was not projected to be selected as high as 10th overall. Many scouting reports and mock drafts had him ranked lower, usually in the mid-to-late first round or even in the early second round. The Rangers’ decision to choose McIlrath ahead of other highly regarded prospects raised eyebrows and created a sense of disbelief among fans and analysts. McIlrath’s selection was particularly surprising because he was primarily known for his physicality and toughness rather than his offensive skills or overall hockey ability. While he possessed great size and strength as a defenseman, he lacked the puck-moving and offensive abilities that were increasingly valued in the modern NHL. The general consensus was that the Rangers reached for a player with limited upside and questionable overall ability. Basically this is horrible 10th overall pick.

Winner- Boris Valabik