Editor In Leaf
Fansided

Top 10 Toronto Maple Leafs Draft Misses: 2000s Edition

By Stephen Nixon

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 13: Justin Williams #14 of the Washington Capitals scores a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first period in Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center on April 13, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 13: Justin Williams #14 of the Washington Capitals scores a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first period in Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center on April 13, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 13: Patric Hornqvist #72 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on November 13, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 13: Patric Hornqvist #72 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on November 13, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

#10. Alex Edler (2004 NHL Entry Draft, 3rd Round, 91st Overall)

Toronto’s Actual Pick: 3rd Round, 90th Overall (Justin Pogge)

The infamous Justin Pogge selection.

Although we know it isn’t now, two years after selecting Pogge, it did feel like he could have been the steal of the draft.

Pogge’s 2006 season was incredible. He won a Gold Medal with Team Canada and then was named the CHL Goaltender of the Year later that spring. All goaltenders take a little longer to develop so it seemed that in the next year or two, Pogge would be the starting goaltender for Toronto.

Obviously that didn’t happen and the Pogge selection turned into a bust. Therefore, the team missed out on one of the greatest Vancouver Canucks defenseman of all-time in Alex Edler.

Since jumping into the NHL, Edler has been incredibly consistent. As an offensive defenseman with a big slap shot from the point, Edler has 401 points in 873 games played. Not only that, but he was recently named to TSN’s All-Time Vancouver Canucks team.

#9. Patric Hornqvist (2005 NHL Entry Draft, 7th Round, 230th Overall)

Toronto’s Actual Pick: 7th Round, 228th Overall (Chad Rau)

There’s always a soft spot for Patric Hornqvist because he was the last selection in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

As the 230th overall pick in the draft, Hornqvist is ninth in career points from that 2005 class.  Seventh round draft picks barely make the NHL, let alone play 770 career games and have 238 goals.

Although it took a few years in Europe and another year in the AHL after being drafted, once Hornqvist made it to the NHL, he never looked back. He scored 30 goals in his first NHL season and then rattled off seven consecutive 20-plus goal seasons, not including the shortened lock-out year in 2012-13.

Hornqvist took his story full circle from being last to first when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2014. Although the team was led by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Hornqvist was a key piece to the team’s back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.

Every player should look at Hornqvist’s story and never doubt their ability. It doesn’t matter where you get drafted, only what you do with that opportunity.

Home/Editorials