The Dallas Stars are a powerhouse this season, leading their division and ranking fifth in the NHL at this time. They are led by three young players who all happen to have been chosen from the same draft in 2017. Seeing how good all three of these players already are in their careers, I’m confident in saying this is the best draft by a team in NHL history by using just these three players as proof.
The Stars jumped up in the draft lottery that season and picked third overall. With that pick they chose defenceman Miro Heiskanen. They also had the 26th overall pick where they drafted their future goaltender, Jake Oettinger. They then picked early in the second round with their third pick in the draft and chose forward Jason Robertson. The Stars addressed all three positions and couldn’t have imagined a better outcome. The draft is the main reason why the franchise has been turned around and why they are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.
Miro Heiskanen
Though the 2017 NHL Entry Draft wasn’t the typical star-studded group that it sometimes is, there were a number of very good players that have emerged from the draft already at age 23. Hieskanen went behind only Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick. Hischier is just coming into his own offensively now, but we all know the bust that Patrick is due to injuries. Heiskanen was the top defender drafted and the Stars had hoped they found their franchise defenceman. They were right.
Even though Cale Makar went at number four, the Heiskanen pick cannot be criticized as he is the clear number one defenceman on the team and one of the best and most underrated in the league. He has racked up five goals and 26 points in 33 games this season while playing over 25 minutes a night against the top players. He has 38 goals and 157 points in 308 career games and ranks second among defencemen in the draft as well as seventh overall in points. Heiskanen is only getting better and has the potential to win a Norris in the NHL.
Jake Oettinger
Now one of the best goalies in the NHL, the Stars had hoped this was the type of franchise goaltender they would get when they took a chance and chose a goalie in the first round. Oettinger first came onto the scene in Dallas in 2020-21 when he appeared in 29 games. He wasn’t the starter, but quickly took over as such. This is his second season as the starter for the Stars and he is one of the top goaltenders in the league. People really started paying attention when he put on one of the greatest series by a goalie last playoffs against the Calgary Flames. He posted a 1.81 GAA and .954 SV% with a shutout, but the Stars lost in seven games.
Oettinger has improved his numbers each season. He started with a .911 SV% in 2020-21, upped it to .914 last season, and is at a .919 SV% this season. He has also improved on his quality start percentage and goals saved above expected. His name is right near the top of the Vezina conversation and he will win one soon.
Jason Robertson
Robertson is a later bloomer than the other two drafted before him to the Stars in 2017 even though forwards tend to be NHL ready sooner than defencemen or goaltenders. He had a three-game trial in 2019-20, but his first full season was in 2020-21 where he finished second in Calder Trophy voting to Kirill Kaprizov. Despite scoring 17 goals and 45 points in 51 games, Robertson really broke out last season when he topped 40 goals and was above a point-per-game. He has built upon that even more this season.
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Robertson is in the discussion for the Hart Trophy already as he has 24 goals and 51 points in 35 games. He ranks fourth in the NHL in goals and third in points, but has also put together an 18-game point streak that ended a bit ago. He has been extremely impressive since entering the league just a few seasons ago.
I know it is just over five years since the draft, but do you agree that this is the best draft in NHL history? Let me know in the comments.
