Related Resources • Track the NHL draft and hockey stars of the future

Elsewhere on the Web • All the 2002 NHL draft picks • NHL Central Scouting

Dateline: June 24/02

If you want to see how the 2002 NHL draft turned out for your favorite team, check back in 2009.

Unless your hobby is tracking the fortunes of teenage hockey players, don't spend a lot of time dissecting the list of names that emerged from the entry draft on Saturday and Sunday. Most of those 18 and 19-year-olds won't realize whatever potential they have for another five to ten years. The majority will never play an NHL game and even the most highly regarded come with no guarantees. A hockey executive once compared the NHL draft to walking into a high school science class and trying to pick the doctors.

A few prize talents go from the NHL draft table to the big league ice without missing a beat. Recent examples include Ilya Kovalchuk in Atlanta (the 2001 top pick) and Simon Gagne in Philadelphia (number 22 overall in 1998). But Vincent Lecavalier of Tampa Bay (number one, 1998) and Vancouver's Daniel and Henrik Sedin (numbers two and three in 1999) are among the many teenage hotshots who have struggled in the spotlight. Most draftees, from stars to pluggers, need more experience in amateur or minor pro hockey before easing into the NHL.

Patience and nurturing are among the keys to building a hockey career, as evidenced by this year's NHL awards. Dany Heatley, the 2002 rookie of the year, was closing in on his 22nd birthday when he debuted with the Atlanta Thrashers last fall. Montreal's Jose Theodore, the NHL MVP and top goalie, spent the better part of three seasons in the American Hockey League before joining the Habs full time.

The consensus is that the 2002 NHL draft was a comparatively weak one, with questions surrounding even the top picks. Jay Bouwmeester, a Western Hockey League defenseman considered the best player available, was picked third overall by Florida. Scouts rave about Bouwmeester's skating and command of the ice, but he has yet to blossom into the offensive powerhouse many expected. Columbus traded up to the number one spot to get Rick Nash, a skilled and spirited left winger from the Ontario Hockey League, but some say he lacks the speed and agility of a frontline player. Finnish goaltender Kari Lehtonen, picked second by the Atlanta Thrashers, is tagged by many as a future star. But they say that about at least one goalie every year.

Entry drafts past are littered with high profile disappointments - Alexandre Daigle, number one in 1993, is among the most famous busts. But there are pleasant surprises, like Dominik Hasek (number 207, 1983) or Luc Robitaille (number 171, 1984), both of whom were last seen skating around with the Stanley Cup. Teams also know it takes more than superstars to build a winner and would be thrilled if one of their late picks turns into the next Claude Lapointe (number 234, 1989) or Greg de Vries (never drafted).

Of course, picking players is only part of the fun on NHL draft day. Trade talk starts like spontaneous combustion whenever 30 general managers get together. But the 2002 draft was short on wheeling and dealing. Florida and Columbus swapped places at the top of the board and Philadelphia moved up to number four overall by sending forward Ruslan Fedotenko to Tampa Bay. (The Flyers used the pick to grab a big Finnish defenseman, Joni Pitkanen, and just about everyone agreed that Tampa got fleeced). But most of the trades involved low round picks, future considerations and uninspiring names like Marius Czerkawski and Josh Holden.

Perhaps teams were laying the groundwork for future deals, or perhaps they are focused on free agent season, which begins July 1. But some media reports suggested a more ominous reason for the lack of activity: storm clouds on the labor front. The league's collective agreement expires in 2004; owners are rumored to be seeking a firm salary cap and are ready to endure a long strike to get it. With the future so uncertain, teams might be reluctant to jack up payrolls and make long-term commitments to new players. How this atmosphere affects free agents and others seeking new contracts this summer remains to be seen.

2002 NHL Entry Draft: The Complete List