Not long after their first pick at 14th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Blue Jackets are set to be on the clock once again at No. 20 – a position in the NHL draft the franchise has never held before.
Last year, the New York Islanders were gifted with what many called a steal in the 2024 NHL Draft, selecting sniper Cole Eiserman at 20th overall. Eiserman was ranked No. 12 among North American skaters and, after his selection, posted 25 goals as a true freshman at Boston University.
Eiserman is not the lone example of a prime prospect to be picked at No. 20 – Stanley Cup champions, Calder Trophy winners, Vezina Trophy winners and more have been selected the latter half of the first round. Here's a look at some players who have excelled after being chosen 20 picks in.
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Notable Active Players
Brent Burns (Minnesota Wild, 2003): Burns spent seven seasons with the Wild, but his career took off after joining the San Jose Sharks in 2011. Burns won the Norris Trophy in 2017, a year after helping San Jose reach its first-ever Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2015-16. Across 21 NHL seasons, Burns has played in 1,497 games and posted 910 points, including a career-high 83 in 2018-19.
Robert Thomas (St. Louis Blues, 2017): After hoisting the Stanley Cup as a rookie back in 2019, Thomas has emerged as a leader in St. Louis, serving as an alternate captain since 2022. His last two seasons have been two of his best, posting 167 points in 152 games. He’s become a reliable top-six center at just 25 years old.
Connor Murphy (Phoenix Coyotes, 2011): Murphy – a product of the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets junior program and son of former Blue Jackets assistant coach Gord Murphy – is a reliable defender and the longest tenured player on the Chicago Blackhawks. Murphy has played in 745 NHL games over 12 seasons, put up 160 career points and played in five IIHF World Championships, serving as an alternate captain in 2016 and 2018 and as captain in 2017.
Top Historical Players
Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils, 1990): One of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history, Brodeur won three Stanley Cups with the Devils and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Brodeur holds the NHL record for most wins (691) and shutouts (125) and is the only goaltender in NHL history with eight 40-win seasons. Along with his three Stanley Cups, Brodeur is a four-time Vezina Trophy winner, a five-time William M. Jennings Trophy winner, a Calder Trophy recipient, and a 10-time NHL All-Star. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he also leads all NHL goaltenders in goals scored (three).
Michel Goulet (Quebec Nordiques, 1979): Another future Hockey Hall of Famer selected at 20th overall, Goulet spent 11 seasons with the Nordiques and five seasons with the Blackhawks, hitting the 50-goal mark in four consecutive years. In all, Goulet was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998 after scoring 548 goals and more than 1,100 points in his career.
Larry Robinson (Montreal Canadiens, 1971): Earning a spot on the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players list, Robinson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995. Reaching 958 points in 20 NHL seasons, the defenseman posted eye-popping numbers away from the score sheet, posting an overall plus/minus of +722 in his career and even reaching +120 in a single season. He won the Norris Trophy twice, the Conn Smythe once and the Stanley Cup six times before moving into the coaching ranks, where he led the Devils to the 2000 Stanley Cup.
Last Five Picks
2024: Cole Eiserman (New York Islanders): As previously mentioned, Eiserman was a tremendous get at 20th overall. He’s won gold medals at both the Under-18 and Under-20 international level with Team USA, set the USNTDP career goal scoring record, and led BU in goals as an 18-year-old freshman. His ability to score goals at every level to this point should make him a prospect to keep an eye on.
2023: Eduard Sale (Seattle Kraken): Named the Czech Extraliga Rookie of the Year leading up to the 2023 NHL Draft, Sale is a winger that was tabbed as the No. 4 international skater in his class. He’s represented his country at the World Junior Championships three times, earning two bronze medals and a silver. After signing an entry-level contract with the Kraken last summer, he spent all of 2024-25 in the American Hockey League, posting 21 points in 51 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
2022: Ivan Miroshnichenko (Washington Capitals): Another decently sized winger selected 20th overall, Miroshnichenko has spent parts of the last two seasons in both the NHL (39 games) and AHL. He helped the Hershey Bears to a Calder Cup in 2023-24, posting seven goals and 12 points in 20 playoff games after a nine-goal regular season.
2021: Jesper Wallstedt (Minnesota Wild): Wallstedt was one of two goaltenders selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft, and no goalie has been selected in the opening round since. Wallstedt – the top international goalie prospect during his draft year – has played in five NHL games but has largely skated in the AHL, posting a .902 save percentage in 110 games.
2020: Shakir Mukhamadullin (New Jersey Devils): A 6-4 defenseman from Russia, Mukhamadullin has developed into a promising defensive prospect. After being traded from New Jersey to San Jose as part of the Timo Meier deal in 2023, Mukhamadullin settled in well on the West Coast, posting 34 points in 55 AHL games in 2023-24. After splitting time between the NHL and AHL this past season, Mukhamadullin earned himself a contract extension in San Jose.
