2012 NHL Draft Re-Draft
#5 Toronto Maple Leafs
Actual Pick: Morgan Rielly
Re-Draft: Morgan Rielly
The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of only two teams on this list who end up with the same player they really drafted (the other is Pittsburgh). Rielly was picked by Brian Burke, and it’s one of the few things he did right as the Leafs GM.
Rielly has become a superstar, a franchise defenseman, and one of the best blue-liners in the NHL. He should probably have won the Norris Trophy last season when he was the first d-man in years to score 20 goals and 70 points.
Unfortunately, Rielly didn’t get his Norris. He played much of this year through nagging injuries and wasn’t his best self, though still better than most other players.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were winning over 70% of the games they played with Rielly in the linup and Sheldon Keefe coaching. His injury was almost insurmountable, and the Toronto Maple Leafs struggled without him.
#6 Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Actual Pick: Hampus Lindholm
Re-Draft: Colton Paryko
The Ducks landed a top pairing defneseman in Lindholm, and they trade up here for a slightly better one in Colton Paryko.
Paryko has a Stanley Cup, and is one of the NHL’s best all-round defenseman. Of course, he never has to do the work of a true #1 because Alex Pietrangelo is also on his team, but regardless, there’s no question he’s a great player.
If he scored a bit more (and here maybe Pietrangelo’s presence hurts him) he’d be truly elite. Regardless, I’d be shocked if he never wins a Norris Trophy.
#7 Minnesota Wild
Actual Pick: Matt Dumba
Re-Draft Pick: Filip Forsberg
The Wild picked Dumba and it was a great pick. Only the benefit of hindsight lets us criticize it at all, and that is only because Filip Forsberg is still on the board.
Forsberg burst into stardom with two straight 30 goals seasons at ages 21 and 22. Only injuries have prevented him from doing it five straight times or scoring 40.