The 2005 Draft was headlined by Sidney Crosby but there many other great players taken as well such as Carey Price, Anze Kopitar, Jonathan Quick, Kris Letang, Ben Bishop.
If the 2005 NHL draft were to be redrafted, the landscape of the league would be very different.
*Check out my previous two NHL Redrafts before continuing with this one*
1. Pittsburgh Penguins-(C) Sidney Crosby
Original pick: Sidney Crosby
The Pittsburgh Penguins still select Sidney Crosby because he is widely reguarded as one of the best players of the decade.
Crosby won the Hart, Art Ross and Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy twice and led the Penguins to 3 Stanley Cups, winning two Conn Smythes in the process.
Sidney Crosby turned the franchise around from his first game in the league and is a first ballot hall of famer.
2. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim-(G) Carey Price
Original pick: Bobby Ryan
Its rare to pick a goaltender this high in the draft, but Carey Price is an exception because he is a goalie that can steal games on his own.
From 2010-2018, Carey Price was undisputedly the best goalie in the league and is was a top 10 player in the league reguardless of position.
Price's 2014-15 season was remarkable, which resulted in him taking home the Vezina, Jennings, Hart and Ted Lindsay Trophy that year.
3. Carolina Hurricanes-(C) Anze Kopitar
Original pick: Jack Johnson
Rather than picking Jack Johnson with the 3rd pick, the Hurricanes select, Anze Kopitar, a talented two way center.
Anze Kopitar is a lethal offensive player, with 950 points in 1073 games and a tremendous defensive player, with 2 selke trophies.
Kopitar, along with Patrice Bergeron would form one of the best one two tandems at center in the NHL for the Hurricanes.
4. Minnesota Wild-(D) Kris Letang
Original pick: Benoit Pouliot
Instead of picking Benoit Pouliot, who was a major dissapointment as a 4th overall pick, the Wild select Kris Letang, a tremendous offensive defenseman.
Letang is a 3 time stanley cup champion with the Penguins and has been a key cog on the Penguins blueline since 2008.
The Minnesota Wild are in need of a Franchise defenseman and Letang could be that for them.
5. Montreal Canadiens-(G) Jonathan Quick
Original pick: Carey Price
It would be tough to replace Carey Price, but Jonathan Quick is an acceptable replacement as he too has put together an impressive resume.
Jonathan Quick was a major reason why the LA Kings won 2 cups from 2012-2014 and was a top goalie in the league for a decade.
Carey Price may be the bigger name on paper, but Jonathan Quick is the goalie you want if you want to win.
6. Columbus Blue Jackets-(G) Tuukka Rask
Original pick: Gilbert Brule
Instead of picking one of the biggest busts in franchise history, the Columbus Blue Jackets select their goalie of the future, Tuukka Rask.
Tuukka Rask has been one of the best goalies in the NHL since his debut, winning the stanley cup with the Bruins in 2011 and the Vezina as top goalie in the 2013-14 season.
Now that Tuukka Rask is with the Blue Jackets, he will be the Number 1 goalie right away as soon as the 2009 season.
7. Chicago Blackhawks-(D) Keith Yandle
Original pick: Jack Skille
Jack Skille was a bust as a first round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, they Keith Yandle, a talented offensive defenseman instead.
Yandle is a stat sheet stuffer, he has put up more than 40 points in all but 3 season split between the Phoenix Coyotes, New York Rangers, Florida Panthers.
With Keith Yandle on the team, the Blackhawks would not have to go out and sign Brian Campbell to a massive deal in free agency.
8. San Jose Sharks-(C) Paul Stastny
Original pick: Devin Setoguchi
Rather than picking Devin Setoguchi with the 8th pick, the San Jose Sharks selcet Paul Stastny, a great playmaking center.
In his first 8 seasons with Colorado, Stastny was a very productive Center, putting up at least 20 goals, 50 points in 5 of the 8 seasons.
Paul Stastny would be a great 2nd line center behind Joe Thornton for the San Jose Sharks.
9. Ottawa Senators-(G) Ben Bishop
Original pick: Brian Lee
Instead of picking Brian Lee, who was a big bust for the Ottawa Senators, they select Ben Bishop, a 6'7" goalie with tremendous puck handling abilities.
Bishop was a late bloomer but once he develops into a starter, he will be one of the best in the league.
With Ben Bishop in goal, they potentially have their number 1 goalie of the future for the next decade.
10. Vancouver Canucks-Marc-Eduord Vlasic
Original pick: Luc Bourdon
Vancouver Canucks needed a solid defensive and the best option available in the draft is Marc Eduord Vlasic.
Vlasic isn't a huge point producer but he is a reliable workhorse defenseman that can be used on a shutdown pair.
With Marc Eduord Vlasic on the team, the Canucks now have a defenseman to pair other top lines in the league.
11. LA Kings-(LW/RW) James Neal
Original picks: Anze Kopitar
It will be impossible to replace Anze Kopitar, so the Kings select the best player available James Neal.
James Neal scored 20+ goals in 11 straight seasons from 2008 to 2018, he is one of the more consistent scorers in the league.
The LA Kings would be getting a really good goal scorer in James Neal, that could play on either wing.
12. New York Rangers-(D) Matt Niskanen
Original pick: Marc Staal
The New York Rangers really need to draft a top 4 defenseman, Matt Niskanen is the best defenseman available.
Matt Niskanen is an underrated defenseman but he is a great two way defenseman who can be used on a shutdown pair.
Matt Niskanen would be a major part of the Rangers blueline as soon as the 2007 season.
13. Buffalo Sabres-(RW) Bobby Ryan
Original pick: Marek Zagrapan
The Buffalo Sabres need to select an impact Right winger, luckily for them Bobby Ryan is available.
Bobby Ryan may be a washed up player now but when he was coming into the league, he was a tremendous powerforward.
Ryan scored 30+ goals in 4 straight seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, so he would be a great fit on a line with Eric Staal.
14. Washington Capitals-(RW/C) TJ Oshie
Original pick: Sasha Pokulok
The Washington Capitals need to get a Right Winger to play alongside Alex Ovechkin and TJ Oshie seems to be the best option available.
TJ Oshie is a better player than what his stats show because his prime years years were wasted in a defense oriented St.Louis team.
Putting Oshie on the same line as Ovechkin for his entire career would ultimately increase his career point total.
15. New York Islanders-Patric Hornqvist
Original pick: Ryan O'Marra
Ryan O'Marra was a bust as a first round pick, so the New York Islanders select Patric Hornqvist, a gritty goal scorer instead.
Hornqvist is an under the radar player and very quietly has put together 8 20+ goal seasons.
Patric Hornqvist would be a perfect fit next to any star player they may acquire in the future.
16. Atlanta Thrashers-(D) Marc Staal
Original pick: Alex Bourret
The Atlanta already selected Alex Edler in the last draft, but a team can never have too many top defensive prospects.
Marc Staal is a solid defensive defenseman, who can be a good two way defenseman with the right coaching.
The Thrashers defensive core looks pretty good with Alex Edler and Marc Staal in the pipelines.
17. Phoenix Coyotes-(D) Niklas Hjalmarsson
Original pick: Martin Hanzal
Martin Hanzal was somewhat a disappointment for the Phoenix Coyotes, so they select Niklas Hjalmarsson instead.
Niklas Hjalmarsson is a shotblocking machine and a tremenedous penalty killer, he played a huge role in Chicago's 3 Stanley Cups.
Niklas Hjalmarsson will be a major part of the Phoenix Coyotes defensive core moving forward.
18. Nashville Predators-(D) Jack Johnson
Original pick: Ryan Parent
Ryan Parent did not live up to expectations as a first round pick, so the Nashville Predators select Jack Johnson, a highly touted prospect instead.
Even though Jack Johnson might not play for the Nashville Predators, he is clearly the best player available.
Jack Johnson will most likely be used as trade bait to acquire players to fill a team need.
19. Detroit Red Wings-(D) Anton Stralman
Original pick: Jakub Kindl
Jakub Kindl didn't fulfill his expectations as a first round pick for the Detroit Red Wings, so they select Anton Stralman instead.
Anton Stralman was a late bloomer but he did establish himself as a fixture on defense for the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers.
Stralman could be a solid bottom pair defenseman at first that works his way up into the top 4 of the Red Wings.
20. Florida Panthers-(C/LW) Andrew Cogliano
Original pick: Kenndal McArdle
Kenndal McArdle was a huge bust for the Florida Panthers, so they select Andrew Cogliano instead.
Andrew Cogliano is a speedy two way player who can play both center and wing and is a tremendous penalty killer.
Cogliano would be a good third line player for the Florida Panthers.
21. Toronto Maple Leafs-(G) Ondrej Pavelec
Original pick: Tuukka Rask
There is no player left in the draft that could possibly replace Tuukka Rask but Ondrej Pavelec was a pretty good goalie for several seasons.
Ondrej Pavalec was the starting goalie for the Atlanta/Winnipeg Franchise, he won 20+ games 5x in his career.
Now with Ondrej Pavelec in the mix, the Leafs might trade away Pogge instead because Pavelec was more NHL ready.
22. Boston Bruins-(C) Martin Hanzal
Original pick: Matt Lashoff
It is never a bad idea to draft a big hulking center like Martin Hanzal, especially with how the Bruins play.
Hanzal is a better fit in the Bruins' system than in the Coyotes system because he can just play the checking line role,
rather than be forced to play as the Coyotes 1st line center, which he is not.
23. New Jersey Devils-(D) Kris Russell
Original pick: Niclas Bergfors
Instead of picking Niclas Bergfors, who was an important piece in the Ilya Kovalchuk trade, the New Jersey Devils select Kris Russell.
Kris Russell a solid defensive defenseman, who has led the league in blocked shots several years.
Russell fits in perfectly with the defensive oriented structure of the Devils.
24. St.Louis Blues-(D) Cody Franson
Original pick: TJ Oshie
It will be hard for the St.Louis Blue to replace TJ Oshie at this point in the draft; the St.Louis Blues select the best player available, Cody Franson.
Cody Franson is an offensive defenseman who was effective his first couple years in the league with the Leafs and Predators,
but fizzled out with the Sabres and Blackhawks and was out of the league in 2017.
Franson could be a top 4 defenseman for the St.Louis Blues for a few years.
25. Edmonton Oilers-(RW) Devin Setoguchi
Original pick: Andrew Cogliano
Andrew Cogliano is no longer available, so the Edmonton Oilers select the best player available, Devin Setoguchi.
Setoguchi had 3 very good years in the league with the San Jose Sharks and could be a good role player on the Edmonton Oilers.
Devin Setoguchi can be a good fit a line with Shawn Horcoff and Milan Michalek.
26. Calgary Flames-(LW/RW) Justin Abdelkader
Original pick: Matt Pelech
Rather than selecting Matt Pelech with their first round pick, the Calary Flames select Justin Abdelkader.
Justin Abdelkader is a gritty winger, who can play in the top 6 if he plays alongside a star player.
Its more likely that the Flames will end up using Abdelkader as a 3rd or 4th liner than in the top 6.
27. Washington Capitals-(LW) Mason Raymond
Original pick: Joe Finley
Instead of selecting Joe Finley, the Washington Capitals select Mason Raymond, a speedy Left Winger.
For a team who is bound to be a contending team like the Capitals, it is important to have speedy players,
and Raymond is one of the fastest players in the draft.
Mason Raymond can be a good third line player for the Capitals.
28. Dallas Stars-(LW) Benoit Pouliot
Original pick: Matt Niskanen
Matt Niskanen was a tremendous pick at 28, but unfortunately he isn't available anymore, so the Dallas Stars select Benoit Pouliot.
Benoit Pouliot is a third line forward that can chip in 10-15 goals a year on a contending team like the Dallas Stars.
29. Philadelphia Flyers-(LW) Sergei Kostitsyn
Original pick: Steve Downie
Sergei Kostistyn had 2 good years in the league, but that is better than the other players in this draft.
Kostistyn had 176 points in 353 games, which is about half a point a game.
Perhaps the Flyers could have used a highly skilled player like Sergei Kostitsyn better than he was.
30. Tampa Bay Lightning-(C/RW/LW) Darren Helm
Original pick: Vladimir Mihalik
Instead of picking a major bust in Darren Helm, the Tampa Bay Lightning could have drafted Darren Helm.
Darren Helm is speedy forward that can play all three forward positions, a team like the Tampa Bay Lightning could really use a player like him.
Helm could be an important 3rd line player for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Winners:
Carolina Hurricanes
Added: Anze Kopitar Lost: Jack Johnson
Minnesota Wild
Added: Kris Letang Lost: Benoit Pouliot
Columbus Blue Jackets
Added: Tuukka Rask Lost: Gilbert Brule
Buffalo Sabres
Added: Bobby Ryan Lost: Marek Zagrapan
Vancouver Canucks
Added: Marc Eduord Vlasic Lost: Luc Bourdon
Losers:
LA Kings
Lost: Anze Kopitar, Jonathan Quick Added: James Neal
St.Louis Blues
Lost: Ben Bishop, TJ Oshie Added: Cody Franson
Dallas Stars
Lost: Matt Niskanen, James Neal Added: Benoit Pouliot
Toronto Maple Leafs
Lost: Tuukka Rask Added: Ondrej Pavelec
Edmonton Oilers
Lost: Andrew Cogliano Added: Devin Setoguchi
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