Why would you want to be drafted high?

Seriously, why would a hockey player want to be drafted 1st overall?

A guy like Cherepanov had to be really happy that he dropped to 17th. I mean, he's gonna start his career with a pretty good team.

Now look at guys like Lecavalier or Ovechkin. They were both drafted 1st. Both went through several years of misery. Ovechkin is still down there by the way.

I think guys like Thornton and Lecavalier are good examples of having a ton of pressure on them. I think Ovechkin is a bad example because he did so well and flourished in the lime light. But I know what you're saying. Really it doesn't matter where you get drafted, look at a guy like Theoren Fleury or Luc Robatialle, do well in camp and play well for the team and I don't think the team cares if you're taken 1st or 300th.

Seriously, why would a hockey player want to be drafted 1st overall?

A guy like Cherepanov had to be really happy that he dropped to 17th. I mean, he's gonna start his career with a pretty good team.

Now look at guys like Lecavalier or Ovechkin. They were both drafted 1st. Both went through several years of misery. Ovechkin is still down there by the way.


I agree with the premise of the post, but you missed the obvious answer to your question....$$$$$$$$$$$

Look at a guy like Daigle. He was terrible after a year or two, and then quit, took his money (signing bonus mostly) and went to Hollywood. After that didn't work, he came back to hockey. The difference between being picked 1st and 17th isn't NEARLY as big in the NHL as it is in the NFL, but it's still a difference, in terms of the signing bonus money, etc. The new CBA has somewhat limited this difference though, and for that reason, it would be nice to go to a better team.

agree on a different level. This isn't the NFL where draft position determines income, a player drafted first overall will get 875k or whatever and a player who doesn't sign right away and is drafted in the 4th or 5th round but makes a strong impression in camp can get a fair amount close to that 875k. I really like the rookie cap for this reason, allows players to focus on their game and not their draft position. Afterall I don't think players who make it big after being drafted late regret it at all. Personally i'd rather come from nowhere than have all the pressure of coming from the top.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


EDIT: AHH, beat me to it!