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Worst Draft Classes of All Time (Debatable)

The debate over worst draft classes hinges on three metrics: lack of star power, weak depth (few 200-game players), and catastrophic top-10 failures that haunt franchises for decades. The 1999, 2000, 1998, 2006, and 1977 drafts are consistently cited as the weakest, each producing historically weak top-10 picks and minimal franchise-changing talent. This article ranks the five worst draft classes in NHL history, showing how entire years failed to replenish league talent.

January 25, 2026

Defining Worst Draft Classes

How the worst draft classes are identified:

Weak draft classes lack star power at the top, produce few 200-game NHL players across all rounds, and feature catastrophic busts in the top 10. The opportunity cost matters when teams pass on future Hall of Famers for complete busts.

Key Factors:

Weak top-10 talent (fewer than 2 superstars)
Low percentage reaching 200 NHL games (under 20%)
No Hall of Famers or minimal elite talent
Catastrophic number one overall picks
Lack of late-round steals

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#1: 1999 Draft (Bust at Top, Void Throughout)

The worst modern draft class, beginning with disaster.

Patrik Stefan went first overall to Atlanta over Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Stefan's career (188 points in 455 games) is infamous for empty-net miss and injury-shortened tenure.

Top-10 Failures:

Patrik Stefan (1st): 188 points, passed on Sedin twins
Pavel Brendl (4th): 78 NHL games, 9 points, complete bust
Kris Beech (7th): 157 games, 46 points
Taylor Pyatt (8th): Solid but not elite
Jamie Lundmark (9th): 295 games, 67 points

Saving Graces:

Daniel Sedin (2nd): 1,041 points
Henrik Sedin (3rd): 1,070 points
Martin Havlat (26th): 594 points

Statistics: Only 23 players from entire draft reached 200 NHL games (15% success rate). Just four players topped 500 points. The entire first round produced minimal franchise talent beyond Sedins.

#2: 2000 Draft (Injury-Plagued Premise)

Rick DiPietro's 15-year contract disaster headlines this weak class.

The 2000 draft is notorious for Rick DiPietro first overall (Islanders), but the entire top-10 underwhelmed.

Top-10 Problems:

Rick DiPietro (1st): 318 games, injuries destroyed career, $67.5M contract
Dany Heatley (2nd): Strong start but tragedy and injuries curtailed peak
Marian Gaborik (3rd): Elite when healthy, rarely healthy
Rostislav Klesla (4th): Solid but never star
Nikita Alexeev (8th): Bust

Who Teams Passed: Islanders passed on Heatley, Gaborik, and (via trade) Ilya Kovalchuk for DiPietro.

Statistics: Only 18 players hit 200 games (14% success rate). No Hall of Famers emerged from this class. The depth rounds provided zero late-round steals.

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#3: 1998 Draft (Shallow at Summit)

Vincent Lecavalier went first overall but never became generational talent.

The 1998 draft mirrors 1999 with shallow top end and minimal depth.

Top-10 Analysis:

Vincent Lecavalier (1st): 949 points, fine but not generational
David Legwand (2nd): 1,100+ games, solid but not superstar
Brad Stuart (3rd): Solid defenseman
Bryan Allen (4th): Depth player
Martin Skoula (5th): Journeyman

Depth Issues: Only three first-round picks topped 600 points (Lecavalier, Legwand, Olli Jokinen). Just 19 players reached 200 games (16% success rate).

Hall of Famers: None from first round. The class failed to produce any elite talent comparable to strong years.

#4: 2006 Draft (Quiet Top End)

Weak top-10 despite Jonathan Toews's success.

The 2006 draft's top-10 is historically weak despite producing two genuine stars.

Top-10 Breakdown:

Erik Johnson (1st): Solid but not elite defenseman
Jordan Staal (2nd): Good two-way center, not superstar
Jonathan Toews (3rd): Elite, three Cups, Conn Smythe
Nicklas Backstrom (4th): Elite playmaker
Phil Kessel (5th): Very good, not great
Picks 6-10: Limited impact (Brassard, Okposo, Mueller, Sheppard, Frolik)

Saving Graces: Toews and Backstrom became elite, but rest of top-10 underwhelmed.

Statistics: Only 22 players reached 200 games (18% success rate). Few late-round steals emerged. Class reputation saved by Toews's three Cups.

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#5: 1977 Draft (Expansion Era Void)

Historical footnote representing expansion-era weakness.

The 1977 draft reflects expansion era's diluted talent pool and weaker scouting.

Top-10 Problems:

Dale McCourt (1st): 478 points, decent but not franchise cornerstone
Bobby Smith (2nd): 1,036 points, best of class
Doug Risebrough (7th): Solid player
Tom McCarthy (8th): Limited impact

Statistics: Only 15 players reached 200 games (12% success rate, lowest of all classes). No Hall of Famers emerged from first round.

Context: The class reflects weaker scouting and smaller talent pools during expansion era, making it historical curiosity rather than franchise-building year.

Why These Classes Failed

Common factors across worst draft classes:

Weak Junior Talent: Some years simply produce fewer elite prospects due to smaller birth cohorts or development issues.

Scouting Errors: Pre-2000 scouting relied more on size and less on skill, leading to busts like Brendl and Stefan.

Injury Luck: 2000 class particularly plagued by injuries (DiPietro, Heatley, Gaborik).

Opportunity Cost: 1999's pain amplified by Atlanta passing on Sedin twins, 2000 by Islanders passing on Kovalchuk.

Success Rate Comparison

Worst classes vs. league average:

League Average:

25% of draftees reach 200 games
5-7 players per class become All-Stars
2-3 Hall of Famers per class

1999 Class:

15% reached 200 games
2 All-Stars (Sedins)
2 Hall of Famers (Sedins)

2000 Class:

14% reached 200 games
1-2 All-Stars
0 Hall of Famers

1998 Class:

16% reached 200 games
1-2 All-Stars
0 Hall of Famers

The Debate

Why "worst" is debatable:

1999 vs 2000: 1999 has Sedin twins (elite talent), but worse top-10 overall. 2000 has complete lack of elite talent but slightly better depth.

Era Adjustment: 1977 class weak by modern standards but average for expansion era.

Injury Factor: 2000 class might have been better without injuries to DiPietro, Heatley, Gaborik.

Late Bloomers: Some classes improve over time as late picks develop (though these five haven't).

The Verdict

The 1999 draft is consensus worst modern class despite Sedin twins. Patrik Stefan over the Sedins represents catastrophic scouting failure, and the depth produced almost nothing.

The 2000 and 1998 classes run close behind, with complete lack of elite talent and minimal depth. The 1977 class represents historical low point during expansion era.

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