At the end of the 2007-2008 season the L.A. Kings ended up in a tie for last place in the league. As always, there was a lottery for who would gain the first overall pick. Like any sport the first overall pick is coveted and generally for a good reason.
In the NHL, specifically, holding the top overall pick allows a team to draft someone with the likes of Ovechkin, Crosby or some other can’t-miss prospect.
This year was no exception; the top of the talent pool was Steven Stamkos. The Kings and their fans salivated at getting Stamkos.
But the Kings lost out on the lottery and the chance to draft Stamkos.
After Stamkos there were two options, both defensemen: Drew Doughty and Zach Bogosian. Both players had tremendous upside but neither was a sure-fire can’t-miss.
Defense is a little more difficult position to predict. Generally there’s a bigger jump from juniors to the NHL. The maturation process takes a bit longer. Rarely will defensive player come straight to the NHL the ...
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Article written by Mike Miller