Mirtle asks his readers to vote on reader submitted premise {Red Wings Hardware blog} that the 1989 Wings draft class was the best ever in Wings history.
Something to discuss while we wait for training camp.
Scott's done some research on this and said he can't find another draft class with more than 5,000 games, so by that definition anyway, this is pretty darn impressive. The '79 Oilers class was just more than 4,100 and had Messier leading an impressive group in its own right. The '77 Canadiens was at about 4,600, albeit with 27 draft picks that year, including my pal Rod Langway.
If you're just going by # of games played, the Wings 1983 draft is #2 alltime behind the 1989 draft. Featured Yzerman, Probert, Klima, Kocur and Grimson for a total 5,069 games.
Other top classes by # of games
1984 Calgary 4,975: Roberts, Ranheim, Hull, Gary Suter
1979 Boston 4,934: Bourque, McCrimmon, Crowder, Melnyk, Krushelnyski
1980 Los Angeles 4,883: Murphy, Fox, Terrion, Bozek, Nicholls
1980 Chicago 4,472: Savard, Troy Murray, Wilson, Larmer
1977 Montreal 4,591: Napier, Langway, Alain Cote, Gordie Roberts, Laughlin [Habs had 27 picks]
1987 Montreal 4,577: Cassels, LeClair, Desjardins, Schneider
Some impressive strings of drafts by Buffalo, Montreal, New Jersey and the Islanders.
Buffalo:
1979: 3,073 games
1982: 3,811 games
1983: 4,400 games
1985: 3,820 games
1988: 3,166 games
Montreal:
1971: 3,644 games
1974: 3,692 games
1978: 3,350 games
1980: 3,713 games
1981: 3,792 games
1984: 4,267 games
New Jersey
1984: 3,385 games
1985: 3,240 games
1990: 4,016 games
1992: 3,638 games
NY Islanders:
1972: 3,466 games
1973: 3,247 games
1974: 3,372 games
Not close....even though the self promoted Mr Leadership Mark Messier is in there, he was not a draft pick of the Oilers, he was picked up from a WHA team that was folding. Not the same, in my opinion, as picking amateurs.
Being a Leafs fan, seeing this draft is quite depressing. Three first round picks turning into Scott Thornton, Rob Pearson and Steve Bancroft. Although the draft didn't appear too top heavy with talent.
However, quite jealous of you guys picking up Nik Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov and Vladimir Konstantinov in the same draft, let alone guys like Dallas Drake and Bob Boughner. That is a very, very, very successful draft
