Forward Alex Galchenyuk’s new problems, subject to the Arizona Coyotes’ waivers on Thursday, have once again fueled the dismay of Montreal Canadiens fans, who are cursing the team’s pick for third place in the National Hockey League (NHL) draft in 2012 .
That year, the Montreal organization drew the wrong number, as did the four teams that voted first. Galchenyuk has traveled a rather short distance with Sainte-Flanelle and hasn’t stopped packing since his departure in the summer of 2018. His 354 point performance in 654 NHL games isn’t worthy of the No. 3 pick, but the American can take solace in comparing himself to others.
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Picked up by the Edmonton Oilers, Nail Yakupov continues his journey in the Continental League, where he will join a fourth club in five years. For their part, the Columbus Blue Jackets named Ryan Murray as number 2; The Defender has become an infirmary participant over the years and here he is free as the air. And what about Griffin Reinhart, the fourth pick? The New York Islanders are still biting their fingers as they tried their luck with the one who retired after playing for the Belfast Giants in 2021-2022.
However, other clubs drafted in the first round had significantly luckier hands. Here are some players who were called up in the first round that the Canadian would have added to his ranks.
– Morgan Rielly, 5th choice
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The Toronto Maple Leafs can say they finished off the thugs that preceded them on the podium. A product of the Western Junior League’s Moose Jaw Warriors, Morgan Rielly has served his employer proudly since 2013. He scored 20 goals and 72 points in the 2018–2019 season, adding 68 points three years later. The club’s key players include Auston Matthews, John Tavares and Mitch Marner. The defender has 719 games on the clock.
– Andrei Vasilevskiy, 19th choice
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Admittedly, the Bleu Blanc Rouge were already counting on Carey Price to defend his goal regularly and the number 31 looked destined to play for many more years to come. Except that Andrei Vasilevskiy could have been a lot more useful than Galchenyuk in the longer term. Needless to say, the Russian’s exploits at the Tampa Bay Lightning are worth recalling, but in brief, here are the highlights: two Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe trophy and a Vezina trophy, not to mention six seasons at 30 or more wins in a row .
– Filip Forsberg, 11th choice
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The Washington Capitals made the right choice in picking the Swede… only to be literally taken over by the Nashville Predators, who acquired the winger on April 3, 2013 in exchange for Martin Erat and Michael Latta. Now 28, Filip Forsberg has threaded the needle 239 times in 616 games and scored 40 goals in 2021–2022. When he’s healthy, he consistently manages to accumulate his point share: he gets 511, and the Preds expect even more with seven years left on his $68 million contract.
– Tom Wilson, 16th choice
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The Washington Capitals strongman may not have the offensive touch of some others, but he makes his mark, whether it pleases his critics, who are angered by his often unfair shots. Tom Wilson spent 1299 minutes in prison as a result of his many fights. Not to mention his party misconduct and a few suspensions. Note that he has exceeded the one hundred penalty minute limit six times in a row. However, the one who helped his team win the Stanley Cup in 2018 is doing well on offense, scoring at least 20 goals in three different years.
– Tomas Hertl, 17th choice
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Selected by the San Jose Sharks immediately after Wilson, Tomas Hertl remains an asset to his team, who will retain his rights through the end of 2029-2030. The Czech has twice scored 30 goals and scored 60 or more points three times in his career. At 29, he can look forward to more substantial harvests even as the Sharks rebuild. Drafted fourth overall this year, young Will Smith could learn a lot from a center like him.
– Teuvo Teravainen, 18th choice
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Although the Chicago Blackhawks dropped him four years after he was drafted, the Finn can say his mission has been accomplished so far. Teuvo Teravainen is one of the Carolina Hurricanes’ central offensive players. Of course, last season was more difficult due to injuries as he only had 37 points in 68 games, but we will remember four seasons of 60 or more points just like his three years of 20 or more goals. The 28-year-old winger wants to start 2023/24 in a bid to land a lucrative deal; Next summer it will be able to achieve full autonomy.
– Hampus Lindholm, 6th choice
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The 29-year-old defenseman, now owned by the Boston Bruins, mimicked Reilly, who was picked just ahead of him at the amateur auction, by providing a solid game for the formation that had put their faith in him. He played nine seasons with the Anaheim Ducks and scored 221 points in his first two years in the NHL for a +54 overall difference. In Massachusetts, the Swede was one of the reasons for the Bruins’ historic success as he had the best performance on the Bettman circuit with a record +49.