From Prospect to Flameout to Star? Expert Opinions Needed...

[RiceBondsMntna2Young]

Hi folks,

The hockey knowledge at HI can be intimidating at times, and I mean that as a compliment. I remember reading a series of awesome threads where collectors reminisced about 1999-00 card releases and laughed about which prospects were the "it" thing back then and how silly that all was...I guess back when autograph and jersey cards were super rare.

I was curious (regarding skaters only): can you name any highly touted prospects who fell way below projections from the ages of 18-23 and then lit it up at 24 and went on to have a very nice careers in the modern era NHL?

I'm wondering if James Sheppard, Mueller, Turris, Bogosian, Filatov, and players of their career trajectory have any shot whatsoever of becoming stars if they haven't developed into solid NHLers already.

Yes, I'm one of those post-Crosby whippersnappers but humor me?

 

[spooner9ball]

Alexander Daigle kind of fits the bill if you consider his two years in Minnesota a moderate success. Hell, he didn't flameout, he flat out quit!!

 

[Beezer34]

I would say Olli Jokinen fits the bill. Picked 3rd overall, great hype around him. Then he failed in Los Angeles, failed in Islanders until he finally find home in Florida. He became the captain of the team with two almost 90 point seasons (89 and 91 points) .

To Islanders Kvasha&Parrish

To Florida Jokinen&Luongo


Good old Milbury :giggity:

 

[RiceBondsMntna2Young]

I would say Olli Jokinen fits the bill. Picked 3rd overall, great hype around him. Then he failed in Los Angeles, failed in Islanders until he finally find home in Florida. He became the captain of the team with two almost 90 point seasons (89 and 91 points) .

That's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for...thanks a lot. Keep em coming!

 

[Beezer34]

Here are few more:


Dan Cleary, drafted #13 ,highly touted, but put it all together when he went to Detroit

J.P Dumont drafted #3 1996, it took him 5 years and couple teams to finally break out

Danny Briere #24 1996, finally made breakout 2001-02

Jason Allison #17 1993, didn´t make anything until he was traded to Boston and in his first full season there (97-98) 33+50=83 out of nowhere and had many solid seasons after that

Todd Bertuzzi #23 1993, didn´t breakout in Islanders, and didn´t do that right away in Vancouver either, but hit 50 points finally 99-00 and had couple amazing seasons after that

............
Newer ones are hard to predict yet but here are few:

Lauri Korpikoski #19 2004 , found home in Phoenix, has been amazing two-way forward last two years (37 and 40 points) without PP-time, has played solid PK though

Loui Eriksson #33 2003, don´t know if he was so highly touted,but since the draft he played 2 seasons in Sweden with quite low point totals, then 2 seasons between AHL-NHL, but since then he has scored over 25 goals 4 seasons in a row ( 36,29,27,26) and over 70 points in last 3 seasons (71,73,71)

 

[timber09]

Cleary and Bertuzzi were the first two that I thought of as well - may have to think on this one a bit.

I haven't looked at any of the stats but could Marc-Andre Fleury go into that category? He stuggled coming out of the gates and has since put together a solid resume. I know it takes goalies a little longer to develop - especially those on awful teams - but it hit my brain so I'm throwing it out there with no research.

 

[numbern9ne]

I would, from a Detroit fan standpoint, say Danny Cleary too..

He was a high pick that never thrived with Chicago, Edmonton or Phoenix

Then after the lockout, something clicked with Detroit... and at that point, he would have been in his late 20s.

 

[richie.rocket.cards]

How about Stephen Weiss? He was drafted 4th overall. His Premier RC, and Top Shelf RC still seem to command some coin. He had 21-29-21 point seasons before a semi-breakout with 20 goals in 06-07 (aged 23). Kind of fits your bill I think.

 

[RiceBondsMntna2Young]

These are great leads guys, thanks a lot. No Martin St. Louis-like late blooming superstars in there amongst the top prospects but some really good players.

I'm going to study their careers and maybe there's hope yet, however slim, for San Jose Shark James Sheppard.

Also, I pulled his FWA Limited several years ago. Also, I own his Ice RC BGS 10. Ok so I have a bit of additional rooting interest. Ah these new collectors, always the ulterior (but shamefully transparent) motives.

If you think of anymore, don't mind me...I'll just be lurking.

 

[Drewphoria]

I'm not sure why Dan Cleary is in this discussion... he's the guy who gets about 40 points per season, right? Far from being a star.

 

[RiceBondsMntna2Young]

I'm not sure why Dan Cleary is in this discussion... he's the guy who gets about 40 points per season, right? Far from being a star.

I also found that curious, but 3 different people brought him up. His conversion from a perennial 17pt/season player to a steady 40 doesn't seem outstanding. But I figured he had intangibles or something. Maybe it ha to do with having played with Chelios, Lidstrom, Yzerman, Shanahan, Datsyuk, and Zetterberg.

 

[Beezer34]

These maybe don´t belong in this thread, but Joe Thornton and Vinny Lecavalier. Both picked first and didn´t deliver right away.

Both picks were questioned after the first few years, especially Thornton as Boston also picked Samsonov (#8 overall) in the same draft and he produced a lot in his first season (Thornton 55 games 3+4=7 points vs Samsonov 81 games 22+25=47 points).
But we all know how great player Jumbo Joe became inthe next few years.

 

[Kyle]

I could see Erik Johnson fitting the description here. 1st overall, so-so rookie year, then missed his 2nd (or was it 3rd?) year entirely because of a torn ACL. I've heard some people call him a bust. I don't think so.

 

[hccollector]

Pacioretty

D