Top 4th Overall Picks in the 21st Century

Looking back to the 1983 draft, the Detroit Red Wings drafted a young kid named Steve Yzerman. His commitment, determination, and loyalty made him one of the best players of all time. He will always go down as my favourite player of all time. This has sparked me to review the last 20 years of fourth overall picks and see the potential of the young/current stars impacting the league.

Where did these Players come from?

It’s interesting to see where these players played before getting drafted into the NHL. Is there an advantage playing in a certain league? Can players develop quicker if they play overseas with older players? Scouts have to look at everything when it comes to drafting these players especially when they are projected to go early in the draft. When you are picking early in the draft, especially at #4, these type of players can change your franchise around. Here is the breakdown on the past 20 years.

As you can see, the Canadian Hockey League produced the most #4 overall picks in the past 20 years. Does this mean the CHL is the best place for junior players to develop? I would say there is no definitive answer but it’s definitely a common way for Canadians to develop their skills. Let’s look back at the some of the past #4 overall picks and see who succeed in the National Hockey League.

Top 3 Early Risers/Upcoming Stars

Cale Makar

A player who was brought in two years ago to play for the Colorado Avalanche when they were in the playoffs. Well did that ever play out! Cale walked into his first ever game like he’s been in the league for five years. He scored his first goal on his first shot in game 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Calgary Flames. Sakic and his team knew at this point, they had something special with Cale Makar. He reads and executes plays quickly, making good things happen for his teammates every time he is out on the ice. In the next 3-5 years, he will emerge as one of the best defence-men in the NHL.

Brady Tkachuk

Brady had big shoes to fill once he was drafted by the Ottawa Senators. His dad Keith was a star in the NHL and his other brother Matthew has been a solid player for the Calgary Flames. Despite the Ottawa Senators being the worst team in the league, he put up 20+ goals in his rookie season. In his second season, he followed up with another 20+ goal season. Keith has definitely taught his boys the “Old School” way of hockey as they play with a lot of grit and stand up for teammates when needed. Brady has been a great play for Ottawa and is continuing to get better each year.

Lucas Raymond

A recent draft pick for the Detroit Red Wings, Lucas Raymond might be one the key pieces they need to get out of the basement. A young Swedish winger with high hockey IQ and has terrific hands. A player, the Red Wings can rely on when it comes to the 200 foot game. I would trust Steve Yzerman in his picks as he basically built the Tampa team that won a Stanley Cup this season.

Top 3 Overall #4 Picks

Nicklas Backstrom

Drafted in 2006, Backstrom has emerged as one of the best centres in the NHL in the past ten years. Throughout his career, Backstrom didn’t get enough credit. Being under Alex Ovechkin’s shadow, he had 5+ 60 assists seasons and had one 100+ point season. This totals 927 points in 956 games, pretty close to a point per game in his career. On top of a great offensive player, he was also a +119 in his career. Ovechkin having just over 700 goals in his career, Backstrom is a big reason why he has hit that milestone.

Seth Jones

A player that gets better each year, Seth Jones is a tremendous two-way defensemen in the National Hockey League. Jones' athleticism allows him to be a very good skater for a player of his size. Jones has good hockey sense and is an asset on the power-play thanks to his mobility, puck-handling and a very dangerous slap shot. Playing along side Zach Werenski makes them one of or even the best pairing in the NHL.

Mitch Marner

A hometown boy, born and raised in Thornhill, Ontario, Mitch Marner was drafted by his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. Ever since Marner entered the league, he has made an impact with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Every season in his career, he has had at least 60+ points and had a career high in 2019 with 94 points. If Auston Matthews continues to have Marner on his wing, this will help him break some long time Maple Leaf records, especially Rick Vaive's 54 goal season.

With the NHL potentially making a return early January, it will be exciting to see these players back in action.