The buzz around the NHL Draft is ususally centered around which players will go high in the first round, but history has shown that there are unexpected stars waiting in the later rounds who have been undervalued by scouts.
Hall of Famers, Hart Trophy winners, and some of the best goaltenders have been picked well past No. 100 overall. Take a look back at some of the lowest draft picks who developed far beyond what any scout expected them to and made a lasting impact on hockey history.
Brett Hull: 117 overall
One of the most talented American players to ever lace up the skates, Brett Hull was drafted in the sixth round of the NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames in 1984. After just a season and a half, Hull was traded to the St. Louis Blues, and that's where a legend was born.
Hull recorded two of the highest-scoring seasons in NHL history with the Blues: a 72-goal campaign in 1989-90, plus a whopping 86 goals the following season. That's the third-most of all-time, behind Wayne Gretzky's 87- and 92-goal seasons. That accomplishment earned Hull both the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award (which is now called the Ted Lindsay) as league MVP.
Hull ranks among the best players in history: his 741 goals is the fifth-most in the NHL, and he's No. 25 in points with 1,391 across 1,269 games played. Add two Stanley Cups, one in Dallas and one in Detroit, plus the most controversial Cup-winning goal ever, and you have an all-time great who was overlooked 116 times before finally being drafted.
Luc Robitaille: 171 overall
Also in the 1984 NHL Draft, Luc Robitaille was selected in the ninth round by the Los Angeles Kings, and immediately began surprising the league with his dominant offensive play.
He made his debut playing alongside legend Marcel Dionne, who tallied his 1,600th point with an assist on Robitaille's first NHL goal in 1986-87, foreshadowing that Dionne would soon be passing the torch to Robitaille.
Robitaille won the Calder Trophy in his rookie season after posting 45 goals and 89 points in 85 games. From there on, he cemented himself in Kings franchise history -- he holds the record for most goals with 557, and ranks third with 1,154 points in 1,077 games.
The Hall of Famer was named one of the best 100 players of all time by NHL.com, ranking in the top 25 in history for both goals and points. To think the Kings were the only team who chose to interview or scout him is astonishing, in hindsight.
Pavel Datsyuk: 171 overall
Selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the sixth round of the 1998 NHL Draft, Pavel Datsyuk would go on to define a new era of hockey in the 2000s marked by fast, creative scoring chances. He was the ultimate do-it-all player who could kill penalities while also lighting the lamp at any strength.
"The Magician" was known for his excellent puck-handling and playmaking, but beyond the highlight-reel dangles and beautiful goals, Datsyuk also offered a strong two-way game. That earned him three straight Frank J. Selke Trophy wins as the best defensive forward, something only one other player has ever done: Hall of Famer Bob Gainey who won four in a row from 1978 to 1981.
Datsyuk retired with two Stanley Cup rings as well as four Lady Byng Trophies for his sportsmanship and high playing ability. In a franchise with nearly 100 years of history, Datsyuk ranks eighth in goals (314), sixth in assists (604), and seventh in points (918).
Dominik Hasek: 199 overall
Back when the tenth round of the Draft was still a thing, the Chicago Blackhawks selected goaltender Dominik Hasek 199th overall in 1983. But Hasek wouldn't make his NHL debut until seven years later in 1990. Sharing the net with Ed Belfour in Chicago wasn't ideal, so he was sent to the Buffalo Sabres where he began to craft his legacy.
Hasek revitalized the position of goaltending with his unorthodox style of making saves, straying away from technicality and leaning more towards chaos in order to do what it takes to stop the puck. His tremendous play earned him a record six Vezina Trophies, and he's just one of seven goalies in over 100 years to win the Hart Trophy.
Hasek has the highest career save percentage of all time at .922%, and he's tied for sixth-most shutouts with 81 in 735 games. He carried the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup in 2002, posting six shutouts along the way which is the second-most in a single postseason behind only Martin Brodeur with seven.
If your team doesn't have many early draft picks this year, never fear; every NHL Draft has its diamonds in the rough, and you never know the type of player that you might find in the later rounds.