If you wind up drafting a bunch of uber-successful players in today’s NHL, there’s no doubt you won’t be able to keep them all forever. The salary cap era has made sure of that. But it still makes you wonder about misses involving the Chicago Blackhawks.
In 2006, they drafted Jonathan Toews, who became the greatest captain in team history. In 2007, they chose Patrick Kane, arguably the most clutch athlete in the organization’s time. Then, there was 2008.
In that year, the Blackhawks drafted Kyle Beach with their first-round pick. Beach became the leading face for more recent Blackhawks draft busts, and is presently in the Austrian Hockey League.