The 2015 NHL Draft is the best draft class in the league’s history, as it’s supplied the NHL with most of the superstars who you see dominate on the ice today. As always, some teams draft a bust in the top five (Pavel Zacha), while another found an unpolished superstar in the 5th Round (Kirill Kaprizov).
Imagine having three consecutive selections in the first round of this historic class as the Boston Bruins (13th, 14th, 15th), only to combine for 79 goals and 89 assists (168 total points) in 358-games played. Meanwhile, Mathew Barzal has notched 88 goals and 200 assists himself in 333-games played and he was taken 16th by the Islanders.
Re-drafting the 1st Round of the historic 2015 NHL Draft class while taking a trip down memory lane and re-visiting who was originally selected.
As you can see, these moves completely change the NHL as we know it today. That being said, let’s jump into the 1st-Round re-draft of the 2015 NHL Draft class as the Edmonton Oilers hold the No. 1 overall selection. Edmonton, you’re on the clock.
Edmonton Oilers #1: C Connor McDavid (Erie Otters – OHL)
Original Pick #1: C Connor McDavid (Erie Otters – OHL)
It doesn’t matter what draft class it is, if Connor McDavid is in it, he’s going first overall without hesitation. McDavid is unquestionably the best hockey player to ever lace up the skates.
Headed into the 2015 NHL Draft, there was minor speculation as to whether the Edmonton Oilers would play it safe in drafting the consensus number one overall prospect in the class or taking a risk on Boston University phenom Jack Eichel. Looking back at it now, there couldn’t have been a greater no-brainer decision than to take this future hall of fame forward.
In his final year for Erie, the Otters’ captain tore up the stat sheet with 44 goals and 76 assists in just 47 games played… He followed up with this performance by notching 21 goals and 28 assists in 20 playoff games that season. Are 2.45 points per game in the playoffs any good?
Considering that in 457 career NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers McDavid has compiled 223 goals and 424 assists (1.42 ppg), his skills seem to have translated to the next level pretty well. The only goal he’s focused on now is winning the Stanley Cup, but since the Oilers have only made it to the postseason twice since drafting him, there’s no telling when this will happen.