The top ten players who came out of the 2017 NHL Draft
The 2017 NHL Draft featured a lot of talent still leading the way in the league. While there are a ton of stars, the top ten players from this draft illustrate just how good this group was.
The 2017 NHL Draft took place in Chicago on June 23 and 24. The New Jersey Devils held the first overall pick taking Nico Hischier. The Flyers held the second pick and drafted Nolan Patrick, and the Stars held the third overall pick choosing to draft defenseman Miro Heiskanen.
This draft class has five players so far who have put up over 200 points and includes a Norris Trophy winner as well as a lot of players ho have had success so far in their career either in the postseason or getting a nice lengthy contract. So without further ado, let’s dive in with the top ten from 2017.
The top ten players who came out of the 2017 NHL Draft
10. Robert Thomas
At number ten, we have Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues. Thomas was drafted 20th overall in 2017 by the Blues, and he has been in the league for the past five seasons. 2021-22 was his breakout year, where he put up 77 points in 72 games for the Blues.
One would have thought his numbers might fall back to earth the next season, but that has not been the case for Thomas, who has 37 points in 40 games. The Blues are lucky to have Thomas on their team, and he is going to be there for a long time, thanks to the big extension he signed in September that is going to keep him in St. Louis through 2031.
9. Martin Necas
Next up, we have Martin Necas of the Carolina Hurricanes. Necas was drafted 12th overall in 2017 and has been a big part of the Hurricanes the past few seasons, playing in 243 games during that time. He has put up 156 points, including 62 goals. Necas has size and is playing well this season, with 17 goals and 38 points in 40 games. Landing a point-per-game player out of the 2017 draft was a nice steal for the Hurricanes.
8. Drake Batherson
Drake Batherson is up next of the Ottawa Senators. Batherson was originally drafted 121 overall. He is the only fourth-round pick to make an appearance in the top ten so good job for him and the Senators. Batherson is coming off of a really good month in December.
Alex DeBrincat and Drake Batherson were unstoppable in December. @Senators | #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/LkhpVT0U84
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) December 31, 2022
So far this season, Batherson has put up 13 goals and 24 assists in 39 games this season, good enough for 37 points on the year. While his 12-game point streak ended on new years day, Batherson is still playing good hockey with points in his last two games.
7. Nick Suzuki
Next up we get the first player who is not on the team that drafted him anymore. Nick Suzuki is the current captain of the Montreal Canadiens. He has put up 177 points in his career thus far and has played in 249 games, yet he was originally drafted 13th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights.
Suzuki was traded to the Canadiens in a package that included Tomas Tatar and a 2019 second-round pick in exchange for Max Pacioretty, the then-captain of the Canadiens. While I understand why the Golden Knights made the trade, I think it is one they will always want back, as Suzuki is a great centerman in the NHL.
6. Miro Heiskanen
Next up we have Miro Heiskanen of the Dallas Stars. Heiskanen was drafted third overall in 2017 so he has fallen back a few spots in the order. However, when you consider that Dallas has two additional players that still need to be named on this list, I guess they had a pretty good draft. Heiskanen is one of the best defensemen to come out of this draft.
While he might always be overshadowed thanks to the player who was drafted right behind him, Heiskanen is a reliable top-pair defenseman who has 162 points in 313 games. He helps make the next player on this list that much better.
5. Jake Oettinger
Jake Oettinger had an incredible season in 2021-22. He shined super bright during the Stars’ round one loss to the Calgary Flames, which was close because of Oettinger, and he has been a force in the net with a record of 59-29-11 thus far in his career. Dallas is lucky to have Oettinger in the net, and thanks to the extension he signed ahead of the season, they are going to have him in net for a long time.
Now we just have to wait and see if he will be in the All-Star game.
Reasons you should vote for Jake Oettinger to be an #NHLAllStar:
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 6, 2023
🗳️ https://t.co/Ez1UIspage 🦦 https://t.co/RMS8nyopaq pic.twitter.com/8FLJLH7JgV
4. Elias Pettersson
At number four, we have the highest point-getter of the 2017 draft thus far, Elias Pettersson. Pettersson was drafted fifth overall in 2017 by the Vancouver Canucks, and since then, he has been a constant force in the NHL, putting up 114 goals and 268 points, both of which lead the entire draft class.
This season he has registered 47 points in 37 games. While the Canucks have struggled, Pettersson has continued to try and put up points. He has a real chance to set a career record for points this season.
3. Jason Robertson
The way Jason Robertson has played this season could very well land him in the top spot on this list. Robertson has registered 182 points in 169 games thus far in his career. Out of all the players mentioned thus far, Robertson has played in the least amount of games, yet he is really starting to shine in this league.
In 41 games this season, Robertson has registered 28 goals, 29 assists and 57 points during that time. At this point, Dallas is a lock to make the playoffs and potentially lead the Central Division. That is in large part thanks to the play of Robertson, Oettinger and Heiskanen.
2. Nico Hischier
At number two, we have Nico Hischier of the New Jersey Devils. Hischier was drafted first overall in 2017. While he was not a Connor McDavid-level first-overall pick, he is still an elite player that the Devils are lucky to have.
Over the course of his career, Hischier has put up 244 points in 339 games. He has played in the most games by far out of this draft, and he is playing great. It is his play this season that is starting to elevate him.
Hischier and the Devils are contenders this season, and you can see that with the 18 goals and 20 assists, he has so far on the year. In 39 games, he is almost a point-per-game player, and I think there is a real chance he will set a career record for himself in points this season.
1. Cale Makar
At the top spot, we have Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche. Drafted fourth overall in 2017, Makar was the real leader of the pack the minute he took the ice with the Avalanche. In his career, he has registered 217 points in 216 games.
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Thus far, he has won the Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe, as well as a Calder and Norris Trophy. Makar is only 24 years old, and I think it is already safe to say he is going to be one of the best defensemen the NHL has seen. So far this season, he has 37 points in 38 games, including 10 points. It will be interesting to see if he can get another Norris Trophy or Stanley Cup this upcoming summer.