2003 NHL Entry Draft

[JJ Thompson94 0]

I was looking at the 2003 draft and I can't believe how strong that first round was. Of the first 30 picks, 20 players are playing consistantly and are serious contributers to their teams.

1 Marc-Andre Fleury (Goaltender)

2 Eric Staal (Centre)

3 Nathan Horton (Right wing)

4 Nikolai Zherdev (Right wing)

5 Thomas Vanek (Left wing)

6 Milan Michalek (Left wing)

7 Ryan Suter (Defence)

8 Braydon Coburn (Defence)

9 Dion Phaneuf (Defence)

10 Andrei Kostitsyn (Right wing)

11 Jeff Carter (Centre)

12 Hugh Jessiman (Right wing)

13 Dustin Brown (Right wing)

14 Brent Seabrook (Defence)

15 Robert Nilsson (Right wing)

16 Steve Bernier (Right wing)

17 Zach Parise (Centre)

18 Eric Fehr (Right wing)

19 Ryan Getzlaf (Centre)

20 Brent Burns (Defence)

21 Mark Stuart (Defence)

22 Marc-Antoine Pouliot (Centre)

23 Ryan Kesler (Centre)

24 Mike Richards (Centre)

25 Anthony Stewart (Right wing)

26 Brian Boyle (Centre)

27 Jeff Tambellini (Left wing)

28 Corey Perry (Right wing)

29 Patrick Eaves (Right wing)

30 Shawn Belle (Defence)

Plus Betrice Bergeron, shea webber, Dan Fritche, Maxim Lapierre, Danielle Carcillo, Lee Stepniak.

I wonder if we'll see a draft class like this again. Some of the guys from this draft have become stars, and some are on their way. All the first rounders have played in the NHL except Hugh Jessiman.

[DarkStar50 679]

And Hugh Jessiman will never play in the NHL=Bust. Thanks, Slats.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Jaroslav Halak was picked in Round NINE that year. Think of how many teams who have searched an searched for a goalie all these years (I'm talking to you Philly) could've had him.

[interpathway 9]

Eric Fehr above Getzy, as a Capitals' fan I am still shaking my head over that one.

[furlanitalia 1]

How bout Bernier over Kesler, and Mike Richards going 24th?!

[simnorm 2]

Andrei K has been a huge disappointment again this year. Thanks for reminding me...

[Dean_ 0]

Wow that is a pretty impressive draft class, almost everyone there is currently a known player in the NHL.

[gxc999 7]

This goes to show the order of picks in the first round is often vastly overrated...

[furlanitalia 1]

Or that 18 years old, players still have a lot to develop.

[hockeysc23 0]

Eric Fehr above Getzy, as a Capitals' fan I am still shaking my head over that one.

Hind site is 20/20.

[interpathway 9]

Eric Fehr above Getzy, as a Capitals' fan I am still shaking my head over that one.

Hind site is 20/20.

Not to mention that Fehr's back injury clearly upset his growth, last year specifically. However, every-time I ask my friends who was drafted before Getzlaf, their jaws drop when I let them know it was Eric.

[hockeysc23 0]

Eric Fehr above Getzy, as a Capitals' fan I am still shaking my head over that one.

Hind site is 20/20.

Not to mention that Fehr's back injury clearly upset his growth, last year specifically. However, every-time I ask my friends who was drafted before Getzlaf, their jaws drop when I let them know it was Eric.

Yes but being the Caps fans we are when I hear people say we could've had Getz it drives me nuts. haha.

[kosydar 0]

I'm pretty sure that during that year there were many reports that both Getzlaf and Perry had major attitude problems, which caused them to drop in the draft.

[dsjunior1388 81]

This goes to show the order of picks in the first round is often vastly overrated...

Yea, i was looking something up and saw the 1997 NHL entry draft. Picked 12th: Marian Hossa. 13th: Dan Cleary.

Of course you can look up and down the red wings to find guys like datsyuk (6th rd.) or zetterberg(7th) who slipped thorugh.

[th6252 25]

robert nilsson over zach parise will haunt isles fans for years to come.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

An interesting tidbit since Datsyuk and Zetterberg were mentioned. Evgeni Nabokov was a 9th round pick in 1994. Apparently the Sharks had never even seen him play. That's a lucky pick there.

[JJ Thompson94 0]

Lundqvist a seventh rounder. There are always steals in every draft.

[starsfan71 9]

robert nilsson over zach parise will haunt isles fans for years to come.

Think of it this way if you had Parise you would probably be picking up someone like Matt Duchence over Tavares or Hedman.

To the poster ahead of me there are a lot of goalies that slip through to later rounds, it's a lot harder to tell how good an 18 year old goalie is going to be compared to an 18 year old skater.

[s Greens 0]

i thought the main reason for the datsyuk and zetterberg steals in their respective years was because of Detroit's amazing scouting overseas. I think many NHL teams have adapted their scouting techniques after Detroit's in the last couple years

[DoublinUp 0]

alot of thoes guys are flyers! lol

[Johnny Law 0]

i thought the main reason for the datsyuk and zetterberg steals in their respective years was because of Detroit's amazing scouting overseas. I think many NHL teams have adapted their scouting techniques after Detroit's in the last couple years

Its all Andersson and some luck.

Datsyuk was a steal because no one else ever got to see him play. Andersson was scouting Dmitri Kalinin and saw him on the other team. Tried to fly back later in the year with the Blues scout but the plane never made it and Andersson was the only guy to see him play.