Looking Back: The 1998 NHL Entry Draft

By Joy Kim, December 2001


(continued from previous page)

A player-by-player look at the first-round of the 1998 draft:

1. Tampa Bay: Vincent Lecavalier, C
Stats: 262 GP, 68G-93A-161P, 145 PIM, -78
Points per game: 0.61
Notes: Lecavalier has been in the news a lot recently and for all the wrong reasons. He held out for a bigger contract over the summer, lost his "C", and reportedly demanded a trade. No trade has been made, mostly because the Lightning are reluctant to get rid of a player who has so much potential.

Over the years, Tampa Bay has been a city where first-rounders have gone to die. Lecavalier could still become the next Lemieux, the next Mike Modano, the next Stevie Y--or he could remain simply an above-average forward on a below-average team. Lecavalier's future is very tightly bound to the future of his team. If Tampa Bay's management turns things around and gets rid of the losing atmosphere, Lecavalier could very well become the Michael Jordan of hockey. If they don't, Lecavalier's best hope for hockey superstardom will be somewhere else.

2. Nashville: David Legwand, C
Stats: 186 GP, 35G-55A-90P, 106 PIM, Even
Points per game: 0.48
Notes: Unlike Lecavalier, Legwand did not immediately jump to the NHL after the draft. His development has been somewhat hampered by injuries, and he has also suffered from playing on an expansion team. Like Lecavalier, however, there's no reason at the moment to feel that Legwand is a bust. At 22 he is obviously a solid NHL player, and as he matures, he could very well become the superstar that he was expected to be.

3. San Jose: Brad Stuart, D
Stats: 193 GP, 18G-56A-74P, 113 PIM, +18
Points per game: 0.38
Notes: Named to 1999-2000 All-Rookie Team. Finalist for the Calder Trophy in 1999-2000. Stuart has become of the Sharks' best overall defensemen. Defensemen generally take longer to develop than forwards, and that's true with Stuart. While he's been a full-time NHL player over this 2.5 years in the league, he can still be pressured into positional mistakes. Stuart's development remains on schedule, however, and he's a bright part of the Sharks' long-term future.

4. Vancouver: Bryan Allen, D
Stats: 13 GP, 0G-0A-0P, 6 PIM, +1
Points per game: 0.00
Notes: Currently toiling in the AHL with Manitoba, Bryan Allen still seems to be potential star defenseman. So far, however, he's only been potential. Unlike Brad Stuart, Allen has had no impact at the NHL level. There's little reason to expect he'll ever put up big numbers--he hasn't at any other level--and he'll have to push to move up on the Canucks' depth chart. Allen looks to be a bonafide NHLer someday, but it's debatable at this time whether he merited a top 5 pick.

5. Anaheim: Vitali Vishnevski, D
Stats: 144 GP, 2G-14A-16P, 163 PIM, -10
Points per game: 0.11
Notes: Vishnevski has developed into an aggressive and physical defenseman for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. He's often compared to Pittsburgh's Darius Kasparaitus. He was lauded as an offensive dman on draft day, though he looks to be more of a defensive dman at the NHL level

6. Calgary: Rico Fata, C
Stats: 32 GP, 0G-1A-1P, 10 PIM, -4
Points per game: 0.08
Notes: Originally drafted by Calgary, Fata is now part of the New York Rangers organization after being claimed off waivers this fall. A change of scenery might be just what he needed. His speed is his biggest asset, but he's show little offensive ability at the NHL level (1 point in 32 games). At this point he's looking more like a checking forward than a big point-scorer--and teams don't expect to get merely a checking forward with the #6 pick in the draft. Obviously, Calgary got very little for their pick from Fata. We'll see what happens with him in New York.

7. NY Rangers: Manny Malhotra, C
Stats: 177 GP, 12G-19A-31P, 56 PIM, -15
Points per game: 0.18
Notes: Like Legwand and Lecavalier, Malhotra has suffered from entering to NHL as a teenager on a very bad team. On draft day, Malhotra was expected to be a decent scorer with a good defensive conscience and great leadership skills. The Rangers rushed him to the NHL, however, and thus his offensive upside has never been developed. He's frequently mentioned in trade rumors, possibly because he gets little ice time behind the likes of Eric Lindros, Petr Nedved, and Mark Messier. For that reason, he may be converted to a left-wing.

8. Chicago: Mark Bell, C
Stats: 51 GP, 8G-13A-21P, 47 PIM, Even
Points per game: 0.41
Notes: Playing in his rookie year, Bell is emerging as a possible candidate for the Calder Trophy at year's end. He has not turned into the player that the Blackhawks expected on draft day, though it looks like he could have a long career in the NHL.

9. NY Islanders: Michael Rupp, LW
Stats: No NHL games played.
Points per game: N/A
Notes: Re-entered draft in 2000, drafted 76th overall by New Jersey. The Islanders got nothing for this pick, and Rupp's not doing very much to distinguish himself in the deep New Jersey system. Now playing for Albany in the AHL, Rupp has 11 points in 29 games and he is a whopping -10. He was a risky pick at #9 that has not panned out at all.

10.Toronto: Nikolai Antropov, C
Stats: 129GP, 19G-30A-49P, 75 PIM, +18
Points per game: 0.37
Notes: Antropov is perhaps best known for being one of the players that Toronto offered to Philadelphia in a potential Eric Lindros deal. That aside, Antropov has been nothing to write home about. Physically huge, he has frustrated Pat Quinn through his inconsistency. It culminated in Antropov being sent down to St. John's in the AHL after playing in 129 NHL games. Antropov's been productive at the AHL level (averaging a point per game) and will be looking for a callup to a currently successful Toronto club. The jury's still out on Antropov, who needs to show that he won't be a work-in-progress forever.

11.Carolina: Jeff Heerema, RW
Stats: No NHL games played.
Points per game: N/A
Notes: Heerema's a speed demon now playing for the Lowell Lock Monsters in the AHL. Through 33 games in the AHL thus far, he has 29 points and is +14. The organization was disappointed in his first pro season (2000-2001, with the IHL Cyclones), but Heerema could be redeeming himself this year. On the other hand, he doesn't seem like someone who should have drafted ahead of Tanguay, Gagne, Gomez, and company.

12.Colorado: Alex Tanguay, C
Stats: 190GP, 50G-100A-150P, 81 PIM, +46
Points per game: 0.79
Notes: Won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2000-2001. Tanguay has been flat out a great pick. There were fairly high expectations for him from Colorado, and Tanguay seems destined to fulfill all of them. He's already produced a good deal at the NHL level. He had an excellent playoff run in 2000-2001, the year that the Avs won the Stanley Cup, and he has the good fortune of playing with Joe Sakic and Milan Hejduk a good deal. Tanguay's numbers are down in his third pro season, however, which probably cost him a spot on the Canadian Olympic Team. With his speed and talent with the puck, Tanguay is going to be a big part of the next generation of elite wingers.

13.Edmonton: Michael Henrich, RW
Stats: No NHL games played.
Points per game: N/A
Notes: Henrich's played very inconsistently for the Edmonton organization since being drafted. Despite having all the talent in the world, Henrich has yet to play in a single NHL game and he's going to need to really exert himself to get on a very good, young Edmonton squad. Now playing in his second season with Hamilton in the AHL, Henrich has 19 points in 22 games. Itıs a partial redemption of last season, and it's still way too early to call him a bust. But more was expected of him by now.

14.Phoenix: Patrick DesRochers, G
Stats: 4 GP, 2 GS, 182 min, 0W-2L-1T, 11 GA, 3.63 GAA, 66 sv, .857 save %
Notes: Goaltenders must be developed slowly. More than any other position, they benefit from a couple years in the minors, where they face lots of rubber and play behind rather porous defenses. That said, DesRochers' numbers in the AHL and in his few NHL games have been underwhelming. This year he has a 4.51 GAA in 9 games for Springfield in the AHL. With his size and athleticism, DesRochers mainly needs to work on his mental game in the minors before he can seriously challenge for a slot in the NHL.

15.Ottawa: Mathieu Chouinard, G
Stats: No NHL games.
Notes: As with DesRochers, Chouinard is a goalie and thus must be developed slowly. Thus it is no surprise or disappointment that he has yet to play in a single NHL game. Now in his second pro season, playing with the Grand Rapid Griffins of the AHL, Chouinard has a 2.53 GAA in 18 games played. In a near future, he could be challenging for a slot in the NHL. There's no reason to think Chouinard was a bad pick, and every reason to think he could turn out to be a very good one.

16.Montreal: Eric Chouinard, C
Stats: 13GP, 1G-3A-4P, 0 PIM, Even
Points per game: 0.31
Notes: Eric Chouinard has faced all the pressure that comes with being a French-Canadien prospect in the Montreal organization. There's a little extra twist to his pressure, however. Chouinard is a great friend of Simon Gagne, who was his teammate in midget and juniors. Montreal was widely expected to take Gagne when they took Chouinard instead. So far Gagne's looking like the better player, and in comparison Chouinard seems like a disappointment.

That said, Chouinard is an excellent goal scorer who has been productive this year for Quebec in the AHL (26 points in 29 games). There's a good chance he'll be converted to a winger (not having the defensive game to make it as a center in the NHL), but he's also in the position of needing to prove he has more than potential.

17.Colorado: Martin Skoula, D
Stats: 199GP, 15G-39A-54P, 82 PIM, +19
Points per game: 0.27
Notes: Named to Team Czech Republic for 2002 Olympics. Won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2000-2001. Skoula was another great pick by the Colorado Avalanche, as he's becoming one of the best young blueliners in the NHL. With Rob Blake and Adam Foote as teammates, Skoula has the luxury of somewhat less pressure in these formative years. Skoula will probably be a #1 or #2 dman sometime in the future.

18.Buffalo: Dimitri Kalinin, D
Stats: 99GP, 5G-21A-26P, 46 PIM, -8
Points per game: 0.26
Notes: A solid pick, like Martin Skoula who was taken before him. Kalinin is developing right on schedule and looks to have all-star potential for his future. For now, he's a solid NHLer who will probably be one of the Sabres' top four blueliners.

19.Colorado: Robyn Regehr, D
Stats: 163GP, 7G-13A-20P, 145 PIM, -16
Points per game: 0.12
Notes: Another great Colorado pick. Regehr has recovered miraculously from a major car accident that he was involved in before turning pro. Part of the Theo Fleury trade, Regehr is now plying his trade on the Calgary blueline with the young, flashy Derek Morris. His character and physical game suggest that he will be a rock-solid defensive defenseman for many years to come.

20.Colorado: Scott Parker, RW
Stats: 122GP, 2G-3A-5P, 302 PIM, -6
Points per game: 0.04
Notes: Won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2000-2001. Parker's developing into an ideal young enforcer with a little skill on top. He'll be nothing more than a role player, however, and he's still a defensive liability. Parker's fists will give him a job in the NHL, but I don't know how many teams want to use a first-round pick on a tough guy.

21.Los Angeles: Mathieu Biron, D
Stats: 85GP, 4G-5A-9P, 54 PIM, -13
Points per game: 0.11
Notes: Now in Tampa Bay after being acquired from NY Islanders in June 2001. Biron is another young blueliner who mainly needs some NHL experience to polish his game. Biron has a good shot from the point and more offensive potential than his numbers thus far might suggest. A diamond-in-the-rough, but still a diamond.

22.Philadelphia: Simon Gagne, C
Stats: 183GP, 62G-79A-141P, 54 PIM, +55
Points per game: 0.77
Notes: Named to 1999-2000 All-Rookie Team. Named to 2000-2001 NHL All-Star Team (Injury replacement). Named to Team Canada for 2002 Olympics. Gagne was one of the best players in the first round of the 1998 draft and with Scott Gomez, one of its biggest steals. Now in his third NHL season, Gagne keeps improving. He had a 48 point rookie campaign, avoided sophomore slump, played in the All-Star Game, and now is averaging a point per game in his third pro season. He's also been named to Team Canada for the Olympics, and he's the youngest player on the team. Gagne's been everything the Flyers have hoped for (and more), and he's going to be one of their core players for many years to come.

23.Pittsburgh: Milan Kraft, C
Stats: 77GP, 12G-9A-21P, 18 PIM, -11
Points per game: 0.27
Notes: Many European players take a couple of extra years after being drafted before coming over to North America. Such is the case with Milan Kraft, who spent part of 2000-2001 in the AHL and is now the Penguins third-line center. Although his production has not been very exciting thus far, he's a player to be excited about with his world-class skill and vision. Kraft could become one of the other big steals of the 1998 first-round.

24.St. Louis: Christian Backman, D
Stats: No NHL games played.
Points per game: N/A
Notes: This Swedish blueliner has yet to come over to North America. He's projected to become a top offensive defenseman, and the Blues hope that he will eventually join the rest of their fearsome blueline arsenal. That said, there's some concern about the fact that Backman has not yet come over. It might be better for him to get North American experience in the AHL rather than another year in the Swedish Elite League. He's one of just five players drafted in the first-round of the 1998 draft who has yet to play in a single NHL game.

25.Detroit: Jiri Fischer, D
Stats: 141GP, 2G-19A-21P, 145 PIM, +9
Points per game: 0.15
Notes: Jiri Fischer was another major steal of the 1998 draft. The Wings are one of the deepest teams in the league, and that's the only reason that Fischer has had problems getting enough playing time. His size, physical play, and mobility promise to make him a top two defenseman at the NHL level someday.

26.New Jersey: Mike Van Ryn, D
Stats: 3GP, 0G-0A-0P, 0 PIM, -1
Points per game:: 0.00
Notes: Van Ryn became a free agent due to a hockey loophole and signed a lucrative contract with St. Louis. He was recently called up from Worcester in the AHL. He has the potential to be a very complete defenseman, but he's behind a lot of very good players on the St. Louis blue line. Obviously, New Jersey has gotten nothing for this pick (which just goes to show you shouldn't draft someone that you can't sign), but it looks like Van Ryn could end up being a good player for the Blues.

27.New Jersey: Scott Gomez, C
Stats: 192GP, 36G-110A-146P, 142 PIM, +5
Points per game: 0.76
Notes: Winner of Calder Trophy in 1999-2000. Named to 1999-2000 All-Rookie Team. Won the Stanley Cup with the Devils in 1999-2000. Played in 1999-2000 NHL All-Star game. The very last pick of the first-round of the 1998 draft, Gomez is the player who enjoyed the most immediate NHL success. He won the Calder Trophy in a year with some very good rookies (Stuart, Tanguay, Gagne, Boucher). He had a case of the sophomore slumps last season, and this season his point totals have declined perilously (mostly due to the departure of Alexander Mogilny). He has a lot of talent and a great disposition, however, and this season will probably be no more than a slight aberration in a star career.


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