3 x 1st Rounders
The years is 1989 and the Leafs have sucked again. However, things are looking up: they have Damphouse, Clark, Richardson and Pearson (not yet a bust) four of the seemingly best prospects in the game, and they have THREE FIRST ROUND PICKS.
They are on the verge of being one of the best young teams in hockey, with a decade or more of awesome teams to look forward to. The team is finally putting a decade of misery behind them and building for the future.
Uh…..this seems awfully familiar, so let us hope there is a new ending to the more recent, similar scenario……….because this was a horror show!
With their three first round picks, the Leafs completely blew it.
Richardson and Damphouse would soon be traded. Clark would be come perennially injured and Pearson would be a bust.
Those three picks:
#3 overall: Scott Thornton (yes, that one. The Leafs drafted a decent player, but essentially they picked an enforcer with the third pick, passing on Bill Guerin).
#12 overall: Scott Pearson ( a total bust. Could have taken Olaf Kolzig).
#21 overall: Steve Bancroft (who? exactly!). The next pick was Adam Foote.
I told you this was going to be rough.