The debate for the No. 1 pick of the 2010 NHL Draft came down to one question: Taylor or Tyler?
Would the team with the first selection opt for high-scoring left wing Taylor Hall, who was dominating opponents with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League? Or would the playmaking skills of center Tyler Seguin, of the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL, be too much to pass on?
But what the ensuing five years have proven is that there was a pool of talent picked that weekend at Staples Center in Los Angeles that went far deeper than just two players.
hough a few players from the 2010 draft class already have attained superstar status, several others are just starting to establish themselves as top-end NHL players with bright futures.
However, not every player picked will reach that lofty status. So with five 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. Tyler Seguin, C, Dallas Stars (2)
Taken with the No. 2 pick by the Boston Bruins, Seguin won the Stanley Cup as a rookie and helped Boston get back to the Cup Final in 2013. Traded to the Stars in the summer of 2013, he's had back-to-back 37-goal seasons. His 130 goals and 282 points lead all players from his draft class.
2. Ryan Johansen, C, Columbus Blue Jackets (4)
He broke out in a big way in 2013-14 with 33 goals and 63 points, and six points in six games in his first trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was even better this season with 71 points.
3. Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, St. Louis Blues (16)
After a strong 2013-14 season, Tarasenko had 37 goals this season, tied for fifth in the League and the most by a Blues player since Brad Boyes had 43 in 2007-08. He had two point streaks of at least seven games, and two hat tricks.
4. Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, Washington Capitals (26)
The wait of nearly four full seasons for Kuznetsov to arrive from Russia appears to be worth it. He had nine points in 17 games late in the 2013-14 season, then solidified himself as a long-term answer at second-line center with 11 goals and 37 points in 80 games this season. His five goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs tied Alex Ovechkin for the Capitals lead.
5. Taylor Hall, LW, Edmonton Oilers (1)
The first pick of the draft scored at least 22 goals in three of his first four seasons, and he likely would have reached that number this season had he not missed nearly seven weeks because of a cracked bone in his leg. His 263 points are second in the draft class, and his 106 goals are third.
6. Jeff Skinner, LW, Carolina Hurricanes (7)
Three times in five seasons he's been healthy enough to play 70 games, and in two of those seasons he's scored at least 30 goals. He had 31 goals as a rookie in 2010-11 and won the Calder Trophy. He played 77 games this season and had 18 goals, but the Hurricanes were among the lowest-scoring teams in the League. Skinner's 115 goals are second in the 2010 draft class.
7. Nick Bjugstad, C, Florida Panthers (19)
This season, his second spent entirely in the NHL, he led the Panthers with 24 goals despite playing most of the season with a back injury that required surgery. At 6-foot-6, 218 pounds, he still can get stronger and continue to develop into a franchise center.
8. Jaden Schwartz, LW, St. Louis Blues (14)
Schwartz, taken two picks before Tarasenko, has back-to-back 25-goal seasons. His 66 goals are fifth in the 2010 draft class, and his 135 points are sixth.
9. Justin Faulk, D, Carolina Hurricanes (37)
The second-round pick broke out with 15 goals and 49 points this season, his fourth. The Hurricanes' struggles the past few seasons have kept him below the radar, but those within the game know how skilled Faulk is.
10. Tyler Toffoli, C, Los Angeles Kings (47)
A natural center, he played right wing most of last season on the Kings' "That 70s Line," with Jeff Carter and Tanner Pearson. Toffoli's 23 goals were third on the Kings this season, and his plus-25 rating was first. He also played a key role in the Kings' 2014 Stanley Cup championship with seven goals and 14 points in 26 playoff games.
11. Kevin Hayes, RW, New York Rangers (24)
Picked by the Chicago Blackhawks, he ended up signing with the Rangers as a free agent last summer. He was fifth among rookies this season with 45 points and sixth with 17 goals. He also had seven points in 19 playoff games.
12. Brendan Gallagher, RW, Montreal Canadiens (147)
The fifth-round pick showed this season he could be more than a shift disturber. His 24 goals were third on the Canadiens, and he had 47 points. He also drew 15 penalties, third on Montreal, according to War-on-Ice.com, and was called for eight.
13. Mark Stone, RW, Ottawa Senators (178)
Stone worked his way up the lineup as the season progressed. He earned a spot on the top line and was tied for the lead among NHL rookies with 64 points and tied for second with 26 goals. He got better as the season went on; in 31 games after Feb. 10, he had 35 points, tied for second most in the League. He is a finalist for the Calder Trophy.
14. John Klingberg, D, Dallas Stars (131)
The fifth-round pick made his NHL debut Nov. 11 and led all rookie defensemen with 40 points. Stars coach Lindy Ruff showed immediate trust in Klingberg, playing him an average of 21:50 per game.
15. Cam Fowler, D, Anaheim Ducks (12)
After a solid regular season with seven goals and 34 points in 80 games, Fowler had two goals and 10 points in 16 playoff games. His 150 points are the most among defensemen in the draft class.
16. Mikael Granlund, C, Minnesota Wild (9)
Granlund has developed into a solid second-line center. He hasn't scored a lot yet, but during the playoffs this year, he had six points in 10 games. At 23, the best could be yet to come.
17. Frederik Andersen, G, Anaheim Ducks (187)
A seventh-round pick by the Hurricanes, he never signed and was selected in the third round (No. 87) in 2012 by the Ducks. He was supposed to back up John Gibson this season but instead took the starting job and never let it go. He had 35 wins and three shutouts during the regular season and a 2.34 goals-against average in 16 playoff games.
18. Jason Zucker, LW, Minnesota Wild (59)
A second-round draft pick, Zucker earned a full-time NHL job this season. Injuries limited him to 51 games, but he scored 21 goals.
19. Petr Mrazek, G, Detroit Red Wings (141)
The fifth-round draft pick turned a strong finish to the regular season as Jimmy Howard's backup to the starting job in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Red Wings lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference First Round, but the 23-year-old had a .925 save percentage in seven games.
20. Nino Niederreiter, RW, Minnesota Wild (5)
After parts of two seasons with the New York Islanders, Niederreiter has found a home with the Wild. He had 24 goals and 37 points in 80 games this season, and four goals in 10 playoff games.
21. Riley Sheahan, C, Detroit Red Wings (21)
He spent the entire season in the NHL for the first time and responded with 13 goals and 36 points in 79 games. He also had two goals, each on the power play, in seven playoff games. If coach Jeff Blashill keeps Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk on the same line next season, Sheahan could be the second-line center.
22. Brock Nelson, C, New York Islanders (30)
Nelson rode a hot start to his first 20-goal season; he also had 42 points. He's versatile enough to play center or the wing.
23. Charlie Coyle, C, Minnesota Wild (28)
Drafted by the San Jose Sharks but traded one year later to the Wild as part of the Brent Burns trade, Coyle had 11 goals and 35 points during the 2014-15 regular season, when he ramped up his physical play; he was second on the Wild in hits during the regular season and led them during the playoffs. And he hit clean, whistled for 39 penalty minutes during the regular season and none in the playoffs.
24. Jesper Fast, RW, New York Rangers (157)
The sixth-round pick had his most extensive NHL time this season and responded with six goals and 14 points in 58 regular-season games. He had three goals in 19 playoff games, including two goals in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final. He could be in line for a full-time NHL job next season.
25. Erik Gudbranson, D, Florida Panthers (3)
The 6-foot-5, 216-pound defender showed some offense to go along with a robust physical game. His four goals and 13 points in 76 games were career highs.
26. Patrik Nemeth, D, Dallas Stars (41)
A serious arm injury sidelined the second-round pick more than four months, but he remains a top prospect for the Stars. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound left-shot defender should slide into a top-two defense pairing next season.
27. Ryan Spooner, C, Boston Bruins (45)
An injury to top-line center David Krejci provided an opening and the second-round pick took full advantage, with eight goals and 18 points in 29 games. His American Hockey League days should be over.
28. Devante Smith-Pelly, RW, Montreal Canadiens (42)
A second-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks, he was traded to the Canadiens on Feb. 24. He had three points in 20 games but was able to use his physical play to great advantage.
29. Beau Bennett, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins (20)
A string of injuries have kept him from showing the skill that made him a first-round pick. This season it was lower-body injuries that limited him to 49 games. He scored 41 goals in 56 games in junior hockey, so there obviously is talent there; he just has to stay healthy.
30. Radko Gudas, D, Philadelphia Flyers (66)
A knee injury limited the third-round pick to 31 games this season. He was acquired by the Flyers in February as part of the Braydon Coburn trade; Philadelphia wanted him to add an element of nastiness to its defense.
Missing first-round picks: Brett Connolly (6), Alexander Burmistrov (8), Dylan McIlrath (10), Jack Campbell (11), Brandon Gormley (13), Derek Forbort (15), Joey Hishon, (17), Austin Watson (18), Jarred Tinordi (22), Mark Pysyk (23), Quinton Howden (25), Mark Visentin (27), Emerson Etem (29).
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