The 2009 NHL draft was highlighted with superstars such as John Tavares and Victor Hedman but there were other great players taken later in the draft,
such as Ryan O'Reilly, Tyson Barrie, Mattias Ekholm, Anders Lee and Mike Hoffman.
If the 2009 draft was redrafted, the landscape of the NHL would be very different.
*Check out my previous redrafts on my blog*
1. New York Islanders-(C) John Tavares
Original pick: John Tavares
New York Islanders still select John Tavares, as he is clearly the best player available in the draft.
From the first game with Islanders to his last game with the club, he was dominant, and carried a mostly pedestrian team 3 times.
Tavares still managed to put up 272 goals and 621 points n 669 despite never playing with another star player on the Islanders.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning-(D) Victor Hedman
Original pick: Victor Hedman
Tampa Bay Lightning still select Victor Hedman because he is still head and shoulders the 2nd best player in the 2009 draft.
Since the 2013-14 season, Hedman has put up 10+ goals in every season and at least 50+ points in every seasons except for one where he had 47.
By the time his career is over, Hedman should own all of Tampa Bay's club records for defenseman.
3. Colorado Avalanche-(C) Ryan O'Reilly
Original pick: Matt Duchene
At the draft, Matt Duchene was so highly hyped that some scouts had him ranked higher than John Tavares but if you ask most people now,
he wouldn't even be drafted over his former teammate Ryan O'Reilly.
Ryan O'Reilly is now considered to be one of the best two way centers and is one of the premier faceoff men in the league;
he was a vital part of the St.Louis Blues Championship team from 2019, as he was awarded the Conn Smythe winner for MVP of the playoffs.
Without Matt Duchene, Ryan O'Reilly would be tasked with more responsibility and perhaps he might not have been traded to Buffalo.
4. Atlanta Thrashers-(D) Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Original pick: Evander Kane
Although the Thrashers do need wingers, OEL is too good to pass, especially because the thought of him and Erik Karlsson playing together on the powerplay is freighting.
Oliver Ekman Larsson is very prolific offensively, he scored the most goals and most powerplay goals by a defenseman in Arizona Coyotes history.
The Thrashers also have Alex Edler in the pipeline, which means the Thrashers can spread out Karlsson, OEL and Edler on three different d pairs.
5. LA Kings-(C) Matt Duchene
Original pick: Brayden Schenn
LA Kings need a number 1 center, luckily for them, Matt Duchene is available and he would most definitely flourish in LA.
Matt Duchene has game breaking speed and is a fantastic playmaker as well and is a great fit with the players they already have.
The Kings draft Max Pacioretty in 2007, he and Duchene could make a great duo.
6. Phoenix Coyotes-(C) Brayden Schenn
Original pick: Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Oliver Ekman-Larsson isn't available anymore, so the Phoenix Coyotes select Brayden Schenn, a highly skilled forward.
Brayden Schenn is a versatile forward capable of playing center and wing that plays with a bit of edge to his game;
he has put up at least 50 points in 5 straight seasons.
With a team in need of a go to forward, Schenn would very quickly be a top 6 forward.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs-(D) Ryan Ellis
Original pick: Nazem Kadri
In 2008, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Roman Josi, in this draft they will select his defense partner Ryan Ellis.
Ryan Ellis is quite underrated because he hasn't really lived up to his draft hype but he is very much a valuable part of Nashville's defense;
Ellis and Josi are always tasked with playing against top lines and have always had a great plus/minus despite that.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have just landed one of the top defensive pairs in the league, which is going to change the structure of their team moving forward.
8. Dallas Stars-(LW/RW) Mike Hoffman
Original pick: Scott Glennie
The Dallas Stars need a goal scoring winger, luckily for them Mike Hoffman is there for the taking.
Mike Hoffman is a goal scoring machine, he has scored 20+ goals in every full season he has played in the NHL.
It might take some time but it won't be long before Hoffman is filling the nets for Dallas.
9. Ottawa Senators-(D) Tyson Barrie
Original pick: Jared Cowen
After losing Erik Karlsson last draft, the Ottawa Senators add a premier puck moving defenseman in Tyson Barrie.
Tyson Barrie has been very productive since entering the NHL, he has had 6 seasons with 10+ goals and 35+ points;
this includes three 12+ goals and 50+ points seasons as a member of the Colorado Avalanche.
10. Edmonton Oilers-(LW) Evander Kane
Original pick: Magnus Paajarvi
Magnus Paajarvi never lived up to his draft hype, so they select Evander Kane, a great power forward.
Evander Kane has played on many bad teams but still managed to put up 6 20+ goal seasons, including two 30 goal seasons.
Evander Kane would be a great fit on the line with Logan Couture, whom they drafted in 2007.
11. Nashville Predators-(RW) Kyle Palmieri
Original pick: Ryan Ellis
With Ryan Ellis not available anymore and the defenseman available not worth taking yet, the Predators select Kyle Palmieri.
Kyle Palmieri is quite underrated because he spent his prime on a bad New Jersey Devils team but he has still managed to score 20+ goals every season with New Jersey.
Adding Palmieri adds some instant offense to the Nashville Predators, a team in dire need of goal scoring.
12. New York Islanders-(LW) Anders Lee
Original pick: Calvin De Haan
New York Islanders still select Anders Lee but in the 1st round rather than the 6th round.
Anders Lee had 5 20+ goal season, including a two 30+ goal seasons and a 40 goal campaign in 2017-18.
Lee would be a great fit on the top line with John Tavares.
13. Buffalo Sabres-(C) Nazem Kadri
Original pick: Zack Kassian
Rather than selecting a glorified 3rd liner in Zack Kassian, the Buffalo Sabres select Nazem Kadri, a fantastic two way center.
Nazem Kadri plays in all situations and its he his job to play abouts other teams top players and get under their skin.
Buffalo really needs a player like Nazem Kadri because he is the type of player that could really change the energy of the team.
14. Florida Panthers-(D) Mattias Ekholm
Original pick: Dmitri Kulikov
Instead of selecting Dmitri Kulikov, the Florida Panthers select Mattias Ekholm, a terrific two way defenseman.
Mattias Ekholm had been a workhorse on defense and has appeared in 538 games while averaging 21:29 of ice time and a +71 plus/minus rating.
Ekholm would have instantly changed the Panthers defense and could have possibly played on their top pair with how weak their defense was.
15. Anaheim Ducks-(LW) Tomas Tatar
Original pick: Peter Holland
Rather than selecting Peter Holland, the Anaheim Ducks select Tomas Tatar.
Tomas Tatar is a very skilled Winger that has seemingly gotten better every season in Montreal;
he has 6 straight 20+ goal season and doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Tatar would immediately be a top 6 winger on the Anaheim Ducks, a team in desperate need of top wingers.
16. Minnesota Wild-(D) Nick Leddy
Original pick: Nick Leddy
Minnesota Wild still select Nick Leddy because he has quietly been a real good defenseman.
Leddy won a Stanley cup with Chicago in 2013 and has put up at least 30 points in 5 straight seasons, including back to back 40+ point seasons.
Leddy will be an important part of the Minnesota blueline for a long time.
17. St.Louis Blues-(D) Sami Vatanen
Original pick: David Rundblad
David Rundblad was a bust for the St.Louis Blues, so they select Sami Vatanen instead.
Sami Vatanen is an offensive defenseman that has struggled with various injuries but when healthy is very productive;
he put up back to back 30+ point seasons seasons also had two 20+ point season in which he played less than 60 games.
Sami Vatanen is a major upgrade over David Rundblad on the St.Louis Blues blueline.
18. Montreal Canadiens-(LW) Chris Kreider
Original pick: Louis Leblanc
Louis Leblanc was a bust for the Montreal Canadiens, so they select Chris Kreider instead.
Chris Kreider is a speedy winger with game breaking ability and put up 5 20+ goal seasons.
Chris Kreider would be a great part of the top 6 for the Montreal Canadiens.
19. New York Rangers-(RW) Reilly Smith
Original pick: Chris Kreider
Since Chris Kreider isn't available anymore, the New York Rangers select Reilly Smith, a gritty two way forward.
Reilly Smith is a complete player, that plays in all situations, is a great penalty killer and has put up 50 points in 5 different seasons.
Reilly Smith might take some time to develop but when he does, the Rangers will be getting a real good player.
20. New Jersey Devils-(D) Dmitry Orlov
Original pick: Jacob Josefson
Jacob Josefson never lived up to his draft hype, so the New Jersey Devils draft Dmitry Orlov instead.
Dmitry Orlov is a very good two way defenseman, that can sometimes be high-risk high reward but he has consistently put up around 30 points a season the past 5 years.
The Devils are in dire need of an impact defenseman and Dmitry Orlov would very quickly become one on the Devils.
21. Columbus Blue Jackets-(D) David Savard
Original pick: John Moore
The Columbus Blue Jackets still end up selecting David Savard but in the 1st round rather than the 4th round.
David Savard is a reliable two way defenseman that gets the job done and has been a workhorse on the Blue Jackets' blueline for years,
so it makes sense for them to grab David Savard because without him their defense isn't the same.
22. Vancouver Canucks-(RW) Jakob Silfverberg
Original pick: Jordan Schroeder
Instead of selecting Jordan Schroeder, the Vancouver Canucks select Jakob Silfverberg.
Jakob Silfverberg has done nothing but score goals since his rookie year in the league; he has had 4 20 goal seasons.
Not only is Silfverberg a good scorer but he is also a solid two way player as well.
Silfverberg would be a great fit on the Right wing alongside the Sedin Twins.
23. Calgary Flames-(D) Brian Dumoulin
Original pick: Tim Erixon
Brian Dumoulin is quietly one of the most underrated defenseman in the NHL.
Without Dumoulin in the lineup, the Pittsburgh Penguins defense is significantly worse.
Brian Dumoulin could be a trade chip because the Calgary Flames are quite crowded on defense.
24. Washington Capitals-(G) Robin Lehner
Original pick: Marcus Johansson
Since Marcus Johansson isn't available anymore, the Washington Capitals select Robin Lehner.
Robin Lehner was a late bloomer but after turning his career around with the New York Islanders he has become a NHL caliber starter.
Since the Capitals don't have Braden Holtby at their services anymore, it's highly likely that Lehner could be the goalie of the future.
25. Boston Bruins-(C/LW/RW) Marcus Johansson
Original pick: Jordan Caron
Jordan Caron was a major bust, so the Boston Bruins select Marcus Johansson, a versaitile playmaking forward.
Marcus Johansson started off his career pretty good with the Washington Capitals, putting up 102 goals and 290 points in 501 games.
Unfortunately he was misused in New Jersey and Buffalo and he hasn't cracked 40 points since leaving Washington.
Johansson actually played pretty well with the Bruins, he put up 11 points in 22 playoff games during their 2019 stanley cup run.
26. Anaheim Ducks-(G) Darcy Kuemper
Original pick: Kyle Palmieri
Kyle Palmieri isn't available anymore, so the Anaheim Ducks select Darcy Kuemper.
Although Darcy Kuemper took longer to become a started in the NHL, he put up some of the best statistics the past two seasons.
Kuemper might become trade bait because the Ducks already have Jonas Hiller and Carey Price.
27. Carolina Hurricanes-(C/LW) Erik Haula
Original pick: Philippe Paradis
Philippe Paradis never played a game in the NHL, so the Carolina Hurricanes should Erik Haula instead.
Erik Haula is a versatile forward that can play both center and wing, he's a great player when healthy.
Erik Haula played well as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes before having his season cut short with injury, he had 12 G and 22 points in 41 games with the Hurricanes.
28. Chicago Blackhawks-(D) Ben Chiarot
Original pick: Dylan Olsen
Dylan Olsen was a bust for the Chicago Blackhawks, so they select Ben Chiarot, a solid Defensive defenseman.
Although Chiarot isn't flashy nor does he put up a whole lot of points, he is a physical defenseman and is reliable in his own zone, making him a good stay at home defenseman.
Ben Chiarot could be a good defenseman to pair with a defenseman who isn't as reliable defensively.
29. Tampa Bay Lightning-(D) Brayden McNabb
Original pick: Carter Ashton
Rather than selecting Carter Ashton, the Tampa Bay Lightning select Brayden McNabb.
Brayden McNabb was a late bloomer but he steadily became a reliable defensive defenseman in the NHL and is now an important piece on defense for the Vegas Golden Knights.
McNabb needs to be paired with a great skating defenseman so he only needs to worry about playing defense.
30. Pittsburgh Penguins-(C) Cody Eakin
Original pick: Simon Despres
Instead of selecting Simon Despres, the Pittsburgh Penguins select select Cody Eakin instead.
Cody Eakin is a good two way center that is good on faceoffs and is a good penalty killer.
Eakin would be a good 3rd line center on a contending team.
Winners:
Atlanta Thrashers
Added: Oliver Ekman Larsson Lost: Evander Kane
Toronto Maple Leafs
Added: Ryan Ellis Lost: Nazem Kadri
Edmonton Oilers
Added: Evander Kane Lost: Magnus Paajarvi
Florida Panthers
Added: Mattias Ekholm Lost: Dmitri Kulikov
Losers:
Ottawa Senators
Lost: Jakob Silfverberg, Robin Lehner, Mike Hoffman, Jared Cowen Added: Tyson Barrie
Colorado Avalanche
Lost: Matt Duchene, Tyson Barrie
Nashville Predators
Lost: Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm Added: Kyle Palmieri
Phoenix Coyotes
Lost: Oliver Ekman-Larsson Added: Brayden Schenn
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