Chicago Blackhawks Top 5 Draft Busts in Franchise History
By Ryan Ritchie
Chicago Blackhawks Top 5 Countdown: Biggest Busts in Franchise History
Chicago Blackhawks are the next team in a series dedicated to the top five draft busts in franchise history. Over the next while, we plan to explore all 30 teams (in alphabetical order) big misses on the draft floor since their inception.
For those expansion teams from the early and late 1990s into 2000, their franchise draft history is obviously skewed in comparison to older teams. Even with a limited sample size to choose from, each and every franchise has been victimized by the imperfect art of selecting 18-year-old prospects.
The second of original six teams being featured, the Chicago Blackhawks share a rich history.
Prior to 2010, they had not won a Stanley Cup since 1961, a span that ranged longer than Toronto’s drought from 1967. Now with three Cup victories in the last six years, it’s safe to call the Blackhawks a modern-day dynasty.
Honorable Mentions:
Dan Spring – 12th overall in 1971
Picks after Spring: Terry O’Reilly (BOS) – 14th overall, Craig Ramsay (BUF) – 19th overall, Larry Robinson (MTL) – 20th overall
Greg Vaydik – 7th overall in 1975
Picks after Vaydik: Pat Price (NYI) – 11th overall, Doug Halward (BOS) – 14th overall, Pierre Mondou (MTL) – 15th overall, Tim Young (LA) – 16th overall
Jerome Dupont – 15th overall in 1980
Picks after Dupont: Brent Sutter (NYI) – 17th overall, Craig Muni (TOR) – 25th overall, Bob McGill (TOR) – 26th overall, Ric Nattress (MTL) – 27th overall
Bruce Cassidy – 18th overall in 1983
Picks after Cassidy: Jeff Beukeboom (EDM) – 19th overall, Claude Lemieux (MTL) – 26th overall, Sergei Momesso (MTL) – 27th overall
Everett Sanipass – 14th overall in 1986
Picks after Sanipass: Tom Fitzgerald (NYI) – 17th overall, Adam Graves (DET) – 22nd overall, Teppo Numminen (WPG) – 29th overall
Jimmy Waite – 8th overall in 1987
Picks after Waite: Stephane Quintal (BOS) – 14th overall, Joe Sakic (QUE) – 15th overall, Bryan Marchment (WPG) – 16th overall, Andrew Cassels (MTL) – 17th overall, Jody Hull (HRT) – 18th overall
Sergei Krivokrasov – 12th overall in 1992
Picks after Krivokrasov: Sergei Gonchar (WSH) – 14th overall, Jason Smith (NJ) – 18th overall, Martin Straka (PIT) – 19th overall, Grant Marshall (TOR) – 23rd overall, Boris Mironov (WPG) – 27th overall
Eric Lecompte – 24th overall in 1993
Picks after Lecompte: Kevyn Adams (BOS) – 25th overall, Shean Donovan (SJ) – 28th overall, Jay Pandolfo (NJ) – 32nd overall, Jamie Langenbrunner (DAL) – 35th overall, Bryan McCabe (NYI) – 40th overall
Dmitri Nabakov – 19th overall in 1995
Picks after Nabakov: Alexei Morozov (PIT) – 24th overall, Jan Hlavac (NYI) – 28th overall, Georges Laraque (EDM) – 31st overall
Ty Jones – 16th overall in 1997
Picks after Jones: Scott Hannan (SJ) – 23rd overall, Brenden Morrow (DAL) – 25th overall
Mark Bell – 8th overall in 1998
Picks after Bell: Alex Tanguay (COL) – 12th overall, Martin Skoula (COL) – 17th overall, Robyn Regehr (COL) – 19th overall, Simon Gagne (PHI) – 22nd overall, Scott Gomez (NJ) – 27th overall
Kyle Beach – 11th overall in 2008
Picks after Beach: Tyler Myers (BUF) – 12th overall, Erik Karlsson (OTT) – 15th overall, Jake Gardiner (ANA) – 17th overall, Michael Del Zotto (NYR) – 20th overall, Jordan Eberle (EDM) – 22nd overall, Tyler Ennis (BUF) – 26th overall
Chicago Blackhawks Top 5 Draft Busts
5. Ken Yaremchuk – 7th overall in 1982
Selected from WHL Portland after a productive 157-point season in 1981-82, Yeremchuk showed promise early in his career. After posting a mere 13 points (47 games) as a rookie, Ken responded by posting 26 points in 1984-85, followed by 34 points in 1985-86.
He was traded to Toronto in September 1986 (with other pieces) for compensation for Chicago signing Gary Nylund. He played a total of 27 games for Toronto over the next two years, spending the majority of his time with the Canadian National Team.
Yaremchuk eventually left North America in 1989-90 to play in Italy. He spent his last seven years of pro hockey in the Swiss-A league.
Picks after Yeremchuk: Rich Sutter (PIT) – 10th overall, Michel Petit (VAN) – 11th overall, Dave Andreychuk (BUF) – 16th overall, Murray Craven (DET) – 17th overall, Ken Daneyko (NJ) – 18th overall
4. Adam Bennett – 6th overall in 1989
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Simply put, Adam Bennett was an offensive blueliner that never managed to materialize.
He spent the majority of his first three years of pro hockey in the IHL (Indianapolis Ice) and saw a couple of short stints with Chicago.
He was eventually traded to Edmonton in 1993, appearing in 48 games for the Oilers that season.
Adam Bennett split his final year of pro hockey (1994-95) between AHL Cape Breton and ECHL Richmond, but only played 15 games between both clubs.
Picks after Bennett: Bobby Holik (HRT) – 10th overall, Mike Sillinger (DET) – 11th overall, Olaf Kolzig (WSH) – 19th overall, Adam Foote (QUE) – 22nd overall, Patrice Brisebois (MTL) – 30th overall
3. Jack Skille – 7th overall in 2005
If you’re looking for a positive from missing at the top of one of the strongest draft classes in history, take comfort in knowing that core piece Niklas Hjalmarsson was a 4th round steal that year.
At the same time, it’s enough to make a fan sick seeing some of the names that came off the board following Jack Skille.
Picks after Skille: Anze Kopitar (LA) – 11th overall, Marc Staal (NYR) – 12th overall, Martin Hanzal (ARZ) – 17th overall, Tuukka Rask (TOR) – 21st overall, T.J. Oshie (STL) – 24th overall, Andrew Cogliano (EDM) – 25th overall, Matt Niskanen (DAL) – 28th overall
2. Mikhail Yakubov and Pavel Vorobiev – 10th and 11th overall in 2000
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Miss on one pick, understandable. Miss on two in a row and that basically sums up the fortunes of the Chicago Blackhawks before the franchise managed to turn things around.
Between both Russian players, Yakubov and Vorobiev totaled 110 NHL games (57 for Vorbiev, 53 for Yakubov).
In 2006-07, both players left North America to return to play in Russia, eventually joining the KHL as it emerged.
Picks after Yakubov and Vorobiev: Ron Hainsey (MTL) – 13th overall, Brooks Orpik (PIT) – 18th overall, Anton Volchenkov (OTT) – 21st overall, Brad Boyes (TOR) – 24th overall, Steve Ott (DAL) – 25th overall, Justin Williams (PHI) – 28th overall, Niklas Kronwall (DET) – 29th overall
Next: 10 NHL Careers Cut Early
1. Cam Barker – 3rd overall in 2004
This should be a sore spot for Chicago Blackhawks fans. A highly touted offensive defender from WHL Medicine Hat, Cam Barker showed a lot of promise in his first three seasons. Spending the majority of 2008-09 with Chicago, Barker posted 40 points in 68 games.
His production slipped in 2009-10 posting a mere 14 points in 51 games before being traded to Minnesota. After spending time with the Wild, Oilers, and Canucks, Cam Barker has since spent the last three years playing in the KHL.
Picks after Barker: Andrew Ladd (CAR) – 4th overall, Blake Wheeler (ARZ) – 5th overall, Ladislav Smid (ANA) – 9th overall, Drew Stafford (BUF) – 13th overall, Devan Dubnyk (EDM) – 14th overall, Lauri Korpikoski (NYR) – 19th overall, Travis Zajac (NJ) – 20th overall, Cory Schneider (VAN) – 26th overall, Mike Green (WSH) – 29th overall