There wasn't much debate regarding who the first pick of 2005 NHL Draft would be, and 10 years later there isn't much more Sidney Crosby could have done for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins were the lucky team that won a special lottery drawing for the right to pick first, and the reward has been a player who has ranged from outstanding to dominant during the past decade.
Crosby has won the Hart Trophy twice, the Art Ross Trophy twice and two Olympic gold medals. He captained the Penguins to the 2009 Stanley Cup one season after helping them reach the Stanley Cup Final.
A number of the players picked after Crosby have done pretty well also. But with 10 years of hindsight, how would that draft go if the same players were made available today?
Note: Players listed with current teams; original draft position in parentheses
1. Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins (1)
Crosby's 1.36 points-per-game average is fifth in the expansion era behind four of the game's legends, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy and Bobby Orr. His 302 goals and 853 points top all players in his draft class. Few players ever have entered the League with as much hype as Crosby, and he's lived up to every bit of it.
2. Anze Kopitar, C, Los Angeles Kings (11)
The best all-around player on two Stanley Cup championship teams, his 218 goals and 610 points are second to Crosby among players from the 2005 draft. Kopitar's defensive play is among the best in the League.
3. Carey Price, G, Montreal Canadiens (5)
Price led the League in wins, goals-against average and save percentage this season to win the first goaltending "Triple Crown" since since Ed Belfour in 1990-91. He's a finalist for the Hart and Vezina trophies; no goalie has won the Hart since Jose Theodore in 2002. Price's 99 wins since the 2012-13 season are the most in the League.
4. Jonathan Quick, G, Los Angeles Kings (72)
A third-round pick by the Kings, he was the backbone of two Stanley Cup championship teams. His 1.41 goals-against average in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs is the best in League history among goalies to play at least 17 games, according to Hockey-Reference.com.
5. Anton Stralman, D, Tampa Bay Lightning (216)
A seventh-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs, he finally came into his own when he signed with the New York Rangers in 2011. He was a key part of the Rangers' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 and did the same with the Lightning this year.
6. Tuukka Rask, G, Boston Bruins (21)
A first-round pick by the Maple Leafs, he was traded to the Bruins a year later for goaltender Andrew Raycroft. Rask led the League in GAA and save percentage in 2009-10, backstopped the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013 and won the Vezina Trophy in 2014.
7. Kris Letang, D, Pittsburgh Penguins (62)
A third-round pick by the Penguins, Letang has developed into one of the most offensively gifted defensemen in the League. He's been dogged by health issues the past few seasons; he was a Norris Trophy contender this season before sustaining a concussion in March. His 66 goals and 285 points are second among defensemen in the draft class.
8. Bobby Ryan, RW, Ottawa Senators (2)
Selected by the Anaheim Ducks one spot after Crosby, Ryan had four 30-goal seasons playing alongside Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. Traded to the Senators in 2013, he has 41 goals and 102 points in two seasons with them. His 188 goals are third among players in his draft class.
9. Marc-Edouard Vlasic, D, San Jose Sharks (35)
A second-round pick, he's been a stalwart for the Sharks since arriving as a 19-year-old in 2006. His nine goals this season were a career high, but he's never been a big point-producer. He's relied on his smarts and skill, which are among the best in the League, in the defensive zone.
10. Ben Bishop, G, Tampa Bay Lightning (85)
A third-round pick of the St. Louis Blues, Bishop didn't get a chance to be a No. 1 goalie until he was traded to the Lightning late in the 2012-13 season. Since then, he's gotten the Lightning to the playoffs twice, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final this season. He had 40 wins this season, and his 77 wins the past two seasons are more than any goalie except Price.
11. James Neal, LW, Nashville Predators (33)
A second-round pick of the Dallas Stars, he was a three-time 20-goal scorer with the Stars, then had a career-best 40 with the Penguins in 2011-12. He's scored at least 20 goals in all seven of his NHL seasons.
12. Niklas Hjalmarsson, D, Chicago Blackhawks (108)
A fourth-round pick, he has been a key part of the Blackhawks' three Stanley Cup championship teams in the past six seasons. His 66 blocked shots led all players in the 2015 playoffs, including 23 in six games against the Lightning in the Cup Final.
13. Keith Yandle, D, New York Rangers (105)
A fourth-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes, his 67 goals and 322 points lead all defensemen in his draft class.
14. Marc Staal, D, New York Rangers (12)
He's recovered from concussions and an eye injury to get back to being one of the Rangers' most defensively sound players. He also rediscovered his offensive game this season; his five goals and 20 points were the most he's had since the 2010-11 season.
15. Patric Hornqvist, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins (230)
Taken by the Predators with the final pick of the draft, he's had at least 20 goals in five of the past six seasons. This season, his first with the Penguins, he had 25 goals and 51 points in 64 games.
16. T.J. Oshie, RW, St. Louis Blues (24)
He had career bests of 21 goals and 60 points in 2013-14, the same season his Olympic shootout skill earned him the nickname "T.J. Sochi." He had 19 goals and 55 points this season; his 310 points are sixth among players picked in 2005.
17. Paul Stastny, C, St. Louis Blues (44)
A second-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche, he scored at least 20 goals in six of his first eight NHL seasons. Stastny, who grew up in St. Louis, had 16 goals and 46 points this season, his first with the Blues. His 504 points are third in his draft class.
18. Justin Abdelkader, LW, Detroit Red Wings (42)
The second-round pick spent three seasons in college and two more bouncing between the Red Wings and the American Hockey League before he was determined to be ready for full-time NHL duty. He had career bests of 23 goals and 44 points this season.
19. Matt Niskanen, D, Washington Capitals (28)
A first-round pick by the Stars, he had career bests of 10 goals and 46 points in 2013-14 with the Penguins. This season, his first with the Capitals, he had 31 points and a plus-7 rating in 82 games.
20. Jack Johnson, D, Columbus Blue Jackets (3)
Drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings before playing for them. His best seasons have come since being traded to the Blue Jackets in 2012; he had 40 points this season, the second highest total of his NHL career, and in parts of four seasons with the Blue Jackets, he has 22 goals and 106 points.
21. Darren Helm, C, Detroit Red Wings (132)
A fifth-round pick, Helm has developed into a dogged checking forward and key part of the Red Wings' penalty-killing. He had career bests of 15 goals and 33 points this season.
22. Andrew Cogliano, LW, Anaheim Ducks (25)
A first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers, he's never missed a game in eight NHL seasons. He had a career-best 21 goals for the Ducks in 2013-14; this season he had 15 goals and 29 points in the regular season and nine points in 16 playoff games. His 120 goals and 266 points are in the top 10 for his draft class.
23. Vladimir Sobotka, LW, Avangard Omsk (KHL) (106)
A fourth-round pick of the Bruins, Sobotka became a key bottom-six forward for the Blues and had nine goals and 33 points in 61 games in 2013-14, when he last played in the NHL.
24. Benoit Pouliot, LW, Edmonton Oilers (4)
Inconsistent play has seen Pouliot skate for six teams since the Minnesota Wild drafted him. A strong season with the Rangers in 2013-14 got him a long-term contract last summer from the Oilers, and he responded with a career-best 19 goals.
25. Mason Raymond, LW, Calgary Flames (51)
A second-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks, he scored 25 goals in 2009-10 and had 19 goals with the Maple Leafs in 2013-14. This season, his first with the Flames, he had 12 goals in 57 games; he missed more than six weeks because of a shoulder injury sustained Oct. 25.
26. Cody Franson, D, Nashville Predators (79)
A third-round pick of the Predators, he was traded after two seasons to the Maple Leafs and became a solid second-pair defenseman. Nashville re-acquired him in February to add defensive depth. A 6-foot-5, 213-pound right shot, the Predators will allow him to become a free agent in July.
27. Alex Stalock, G, San Jose Sharks (112)
The fourth-round pick missed a year after severing the peroneal nerve in his left leg in 2011. Healthy now, he outplayed veteran Antti Niemi at times and could be the Sharks' starter next season.
28. Kris Russell, D, Calgary Flames (67)
A third-round pick of the Blue Jackets, Russell has had his best seasons after being traded to the Flames in 2013. He had career-bests of 34 points and a plus-18 rating this season.
29. Ondrej Pavelec, G, Winnipeg Jets (41)
A second-round pick when the franchise was in Atlanta, he helped get the Jets to the playoffs this season for the first time since returning to Winnipeg. His 2.28 goals-against average and .920 save percentage were his best in eight NHL seasons.
30. Matt D'Agostini, RW, Geneve-Servette (SUI) (190)
A sixth-round pick of the Canadiens, D'Agostini had 21 goals and 46 points with the Blues in 2010-11. For the most part, he was a dependable bottom-six forward with good speed. He had 37 points in 40 games in Switzerland this season.
Missing first-round picks: Gilbert Brule (6), Jack Skille (7), Devin Setoguchi (8), Brian Lee (9), Luc Bourdon (10), Marek Zagrapan (13), Sasha Pokulok (14), Ryan O'Marra (15), Alex Bourret (16), Martin Hanzal (17), Ryan Parent (18), Jakub Kindl (19), Kenndal McArdle (20), Matt Lashoff (22), Niclas Bergfors (23), Matt Pelech (26), Joe Finley (27), Steve Downie (29), Vladimir Mihalik (30).
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