NHL: Ranking the number one overall picks since 2010
By Kyle Pereira
The NHL has seen superstar talent get selected early in previous drafts, from the likes of Tyler Seguin, Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews to Nail Yakupov, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Nolan Patrick. But which 1st overall draft pick, from 2010 to 2017, has been the best?
The first overall picks, in chronological order from 2010 to 2017, goes as follows: Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov, Nathan MacKinnon, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, and Nico Hischier.
It is uber-important to land a superstar in the draft, especially with the first pick. It’s quite simple; if you’re picking first, it’s likely that your team is not a very good one. Drafting a superstar could be the missing piece of the organization; just look at how Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have turned the Leafs around, or how Nathan MacKinnon has changed the outlook on Colorado.
The draft is also the cheapest and efficient way to build a roster. If you land a superstar, then you have that kid under contract for three seasons and less than $1 million against the cap. That allows you to build a team around that young phenom for the time being.
Before I get into the meat of the article, you’re probably thinking, “What about Rasmus Dahlin and Jack Hughes?” Those two players have not played two or more full seasons, making it extremely difficult to compare them to the eight aforementioned number one picks. They could wind up being busts, for all we know. Point is, we have to wait and see what these kids can do first. Until then, let’s get into it.