With the NHL draft set to go down from Montreal tonight, it’s time to look back on some of the biggest misses at the top of the draft. Multiple former first overall picks that didn’t pan out and never played an NHL game. But today we’ll focus on players that came close but just didn’t live up to the expectations.
Below you can find five of the biggest busts in NHL draft history that were selected first overall, something the Montreal Canadiens will look to avoid when they make the first selection on Thursday evening.
Rick DiPietro (New York Islanders) 2000
Not only did Rick DiPietro’s career not go as planned, he also signed one of the worst contracts in NHL history, which the New York Islanders will be paying off until 2029 after a buyout.