Remember back in 2004? The Caps were on the clock to start the draft, and the arena was abuzz with the prospect of hearing Alexander Ovechkin's name announced as the top overall pick.
Well, for Caps fans, it might not be that the announcement of Ovechkin as the top pick was the big story (it was, but permit us some hyperbolic latitude).
Mike Green was selected with the 29th overall pick in that draft. Here are the defensemen selected ahead of him:
3. Cam Barker (Chicago)
9. Ladislav Smid (Anaheim)
10. Boris Valabik (Atlanta)
12. A.J. Thelen (Minnesota)
23. Andrej Meszaros (Ottawa)
27. Jeff Schultz (Washington)
28. Mark Fistric (Dallas)
Think Green was a bargain at 29?
6 comments:
Other than Meszaros and Schultz (of course), I've never heard of those other guys. Now granted, I'm a pretty new hockey fan, and I pretty much just keep track of the Eastern Conference I would think that those others might have at least shown up to someone like me.
And yes, Greener at 29 was definitely a steal. That kid keeps getting better and better ever year he plays.
I think Barker was considered the top defenseman prospect in the draft and is still considered a very good one. Smid is playing in Edmonton and I think he's supposed to have good offensive upside but questions in defense. As for pick #10, well Waddell can't draft defensemen, otherwise Atlanta would have Dion Phaneuf, not Zhitnick.
Based on what's happened so far I think you could say Schultz was a steal at 27 too.
My favorite pick of that draft: Blake Wheeler.
What the hell was The Great One thinking when he made that choice?
I wouldn't count Wheeler out yet - a 6'4'', 219 pound player who was (18+20=38) as a sophomore is nothing sneeze at.
Yes he had 38 points. But 4 other players on his team outscored him (points wise) that season.
So, although I do not watch his games or his team play much, he isn't even the best player on his team.
Not to mention his college team had the likes of Erik Johnson (#1 overall pick), Kyle Okposo (#7 overall pick) and a couple of other players who were drafted in the first round as well.
So his team ain't too shabby either.
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