With the 2019-20 NHL season on pause due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, NHL.com will reimagine one NHL Draft each week. Today, we look back at the 2000 NHL Draft, which was held at Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary on June 24-25, 2000.
2000 NHL Redraft: Lundqvist climbs more than 200 spots to No. 1
Islanders take Rangers goalie instead of DiPietro; Williams, Gaborik go second, third
Henrik Lundqvist has put up Hockey Hall of Fame-worthy numbers for the New York Rangers.
He's sixth in NHL history with 459 wins, and his .922 save percentage in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is tied for 10th among goalies with a minimum of 35 starts.
Now, imagine if he had done it in a New York Islanders jersey instead.
The Islanders did take a goalie with the No. 1 pick in the 2000 NHL Draft, but it was Rick DiPietro. With 20 years of hindsight, NHL.com had Lundqvist move up from the seventh round (No. 205) to be the top pick of its 2000 redraft.
Though Lundqvist made the biggest leap, he was not the only prominent player who jumped to the top of the class after being undervalued in 2000.
Forward Justin Williams was selected in the top 10 after going No. 28 to the Philadelphia Flyers, as was defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who was taken No. 29 by the Detroit Red Wings.
DiPietro, who went 130-136-28 with eight ties in 11 seasons for the Islanders, fell to the bottom of the first round.
Who else would move up? Who else would drop? Thirty NHL.com staffers, using the draft order and class from 2000, and selected in random order, have answered those questions. Here are the results. For reference, here is how the original draft went.
1. Henrik Lundqvist, G, New York Islanders (originally selected No. 205 by New York Rangers) -- Though it's hard to imagine Lundqvist playing for the Rangers' top rival, this was the clear choice for the Islanders. Since entering the NHL in 2005-06, Lundqvist has unquestionably been one of the best goalies. He is second in wins (459) in that span behind Marc-Andre Fleury (462); first in shutouts (64); and tied for sixth in goals-against average (2.43) and tied for fifth in save percentage (.918) among the 40 goalies with a minimum of 350 games. Voted the winner of the Vezina Trophy as the best NHL goalie in 2011-12, Lundqvist is second in victories (61; Fleury, 78) and shutouts (10; Fleury, 15) in the playoffs since 2006. His brilliant play in net, as well as his considerable style off the ice, would have helped him remain a star in New York. -- John Ciolfi, senior producer, LNH.com
NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win
2. Justin Williams, RW, Atlanta Thrashers (No. 28 by Philadelphia Flyers) -- When a player's nickname is Mr. Game 7, it probably means he's done a lot of winning, and that's something the Thrashers didn't do enough of during their time in Atlanta. Williams has won the Stanley Cup three times in his 19 NHL seasons (2006 with Carolina Hurricanes; 2012, 2014 with Los Angeles Kings) and is 7-0 with 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in seven Game 7s. He's been a pretty good regular-season player as well, with seven 20-goal seasons. His 797 points are second and his 320 goals fourth among players drafted in 2000, and he's still playing a significant role on and off the ice in his second stint with the Hurricanes. -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor
CAR@DET: Williams buries one-timer for PPG
3. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, RW, Minnesota Wild (No. 3 by Minnesota Wild) -- The Wild got what they were looking for the first time around with the first pick in their history, so they decided to go with Gaborik again. Among players in the 2000 draft class, he is first in goals (407) and points (815), third in assists (408), and tied for sixth in games (1,035). Gaborik, who last played in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators in 2017-18, scored 306 goals from 2001-12, eighth most in the NHL in that stretch. He had three 40-goal seasons and four more with at least 30, and his 219 goals for the Wild are the most in their history. Gaborik scored 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 18 games in the 2003 playoffs, the most in a single postseason for Minnesota. Gaborik won the Stanley Cup with Los Angeles in 2014, when he led the NHL playoffs with 14 goals and was fourth with 22 points. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer
4. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets (No. 2 by Atlanta Thrashers) -- What better way for an expansion team to capture the imagination of its fan base than with a dynamic offensive player who could bring people out of their seats? Heatley was just that. He is third in points (719) and second in goals (372) and assists (419) from the 2000 draft. He had back-to-back 50-goal seasons for the Senators from 2005-07 and four others with at least 39. Heatley, who last played in the NHL in 2014-15, holds the Senators records for goals (50) and points (105) in a season. He excelled during Ottawa's run to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, averaging more than one point per game, with 22 (seven goals, 15 assists) in 20 games. A great start here for the Blue Jackets. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
5. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, LW, New York Islanders (No. 6 by Nashville Predators) -- Just like the first time around, after selecting their goalie of the future with the No. 1 pick, the Islanders went with a left wing here at No. 5. Only instead of Raffi Torres, this time they selected Hartnell, who is second among players drafted in 2000 in games (1,249) behind Williams (1,264), third in goals (327) and hits (1,848), and fourth in points (707). A gritty, durable two-way forward who retired after the 2017-18 season, Hartnell scored at least 20 goals nine times in the NHL, including a career-high 37 in 2011-12 for the Flyers, and had at least 100 penalty minutes 11 times. With his ability to play in any scenario, whether it was as a net-front presence, on the power play, or in his own zone, Hartnell would have been a solid addition for the Islanders, who were coming off a last-place finish in the Atlantic Division. -- Brett Amadon, staff writer
6. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, D, Nashville Predators (No. 29 by Detroit Red Wings) -- A productive, physical defenseman, he's sixth in the 2000 class in assists (349), eighth in games (953) and points (432; second among defensemen), and 10th in hits (1,239). The Predators would have been able to build their defense around Kronwall, who showed throughout his 15-season NHL career that he could help shut down the opposition's top lines in critical situations. He won the Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and helped them advance to the Cup Final in 2009. Kronwall, who retired after the 2018-19 season, averaged 21:42 of ice time in his NHL career, second among players drafted in 2000. -- Rob Reese, fantasy editor
7. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, D, Boston Bruins (No. 18 by Pittsburgh Penguins) -- After getting nothing out of the defenseman they selected here in 2000 (Lars Jonsson), the Bruins selected Orpik, who played in his 1,000th NHL game with the Washington Capitals on Jan. 14, 2019, before retiring after the season. He had 194 points (18 goals, 176 assists) and a plus-79 rating in 1,035 NHL games, and no one in the 2000 class came close to his 3,148 career hits. Orpik won the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh (2009) and Washington (2018), scoring the winning goal for the Capitals in Game 2 of the Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
CAR@WSH, Gm2: Orpik rips one-timer for OT winner
8. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, D, Tampa Bay Lightning (No. 118 by Los Angeles Kings) -- An offensive-minded defenseman, he ranks first at the position from the 2000 draft in goals (128), assists (367), points (495) and points per game (0.56). Visnovsky, who last played in the NHL for the Islanders in 2014-15, had the three highest-scoring seasons among defensemen from the 2000 class (68 points for Anaheim Ducks in 2010-11; 67, 58 for Kings in 2005-06, 2006-07). He would've been a great choice to quarterback the Lightning's top power-play unit (his 241 power-play points are 61 more than Kronwall and Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win had for second at the position in the class) and to be their No. 1 defenseman for many seasons to come. -- Matt Cubeta, Editor-in-Chief, NHL.com International
9. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, G, Calgary Flames (No. 44 by Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) -- The Flames were 25th out of 28 NHL teams in goals-against (256; 3.12 per game) in 1999-00. Bryzgalov was not the flashy choice here, but he was the right one for Calgary. He is second among goalies in the 2000 class in wins (221), shutouts (34) and games (465; Lundqvist, 887), going 221-162-54 with a 2.58 GAA and .912 save percentage from 2001-15 for five teams in his NHL career. As a rookie in 2005-06, he had 13 wins in the regular season and helped Anaheim reach the Western Conference Final, going 6-4 and leading the NHL with a 1.46 GAA, a .944 save percentage and three shutouts in 11 playoff games. He had 42 wins in a breakout season with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2009-10 and finished second to Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres in voting for the Vezina. -- Frank Giase, staff writer
10. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, D, Chicago Blackhawks (No. 62 by New Jersey Devils) -- It was a coup to get a reliable two-way defender at this point of the draft, and that is what Martin was throughout an NHL career that encapsulated 870 regular-season games and another 122 in the playoffs. Martin did it all for each of the three teams he played for during his 14 NHL seasons. He is fourth among defensemen drafted in 2000 with 320 points (50 goals, 270 assists), fifth with an average of 0.37 points per game, and one of four with at least 100 power-play points (105). But he was even better in his own end. Shot attempts did not become an official stat in the NHL until 2009-10, but no player in the 2000 class did better than the plus-848 shot attempts differential he had in his career, which ended after the 2017-18 season. Finally, no player in this draft averaged more than Martin's 22:42 per game in the NHL. -- Shawn P. Roarke, Senior Director of Editorial
11. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, D, Chicago Blackhawks (No. 159 by Colorado Avalanche) -- With the second of back-to-back selections in the first round, the Blackhawks took another defenseman. Liles exhibited some offensive flair early in his NHL career, scoring at least 10 goals in four of his first five seasons. Befitting of this draft position, he's third in the 2000 class among defensemen in points (370) and points per game (0.44). During 13 seasons in the NHL, his last in 2016-17, Liles displayed versatility and remarkable scoring balance, with 189 even-strength points (47 goals, 142 assists) and 180 power-play points (39 goals, 141 assists). He is second among defensemen in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history with 275 points (68 goals, 207 assists) in 523 games, behind Tyson Barrie (307 points; 75 goals, 232 assists in 484 games). -- Barry Rubinstein, manager, assignments
12. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, C, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (No. 55 by Ottawa Senators) -- The Mighty Ducks went with the best prospect from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, just ahead of the Montreal Canadiens, and added a two-way center to their already solid depth chart. Vermette is one of seven players drafted in 2000 to play 1,000 NHL games (1,046). He scored 515 points (228 goals, 287 assists) in 14 NHL seasons, including his final two for Anaheim from 2016-18, and had a career face-off winning percentage of 56.6 percent (8,948 of 15,813), tops in the 2000 class. -- Guillaume Lepage, staff writer, LNH.com
13. Ron Hainsey, D, Montreal Canadiens (No. 13 by Montreal Canadiens) -- Montreal's original choice here still was the best one 20 years later. Hainsey is one of four current NHL players who was drafted in 2000 (Lundqvist, Williams, Deryk Engelland). Of his 1,132 NHL games, third most in the class, he played 32 for the Canadiens, who would have benefited from his steady presence at defenseman over 17 NHL seasons. He is third in the NHL in blocked shots since 2005-06, his 1,933 tops among players from the 2000 draft in that span, 141 more than Orpik in second place. Hainsey won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2017. -- David Satriano, staff writer
OTT@NYR: Tkachuk feeds Hainsey for tap-in goal
14. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, C, Colorado Avalanche (No. 25 by Dallas Stars) -- The Avalanche were heading into what would be a Stanley Cup championship season and had grit and glue at the time, but they would have found Ott to be just the kind of player they were looking for when he entered the NHL full-time in 2003-04. Beloved by teammates and hated by opponents in his 14 NHL seasons, his ability to stir it up was not his only important quality. He is one of 11 players in the 2000 class to score at least 100 NHL goals and is second in hits (2,399) and penalty minutes (1,555; Hartnell, 1,809). Intangibles and moderate production made Ott a solid choice in the middle of the first round. -- Tim Campbell, staff writer
15. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, RW, Buffalo Sabres (No. 24 by Toronto Maple Leafs) -- DiPietro was arguably the best player available at this stage of the redraft, but the Sabres still had Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win at the time and had selected Miller, their starter of the future, in the fifth round (No. 138) in the 1999 NHL Draft. Buffalo instead went with Boyes, who ended up having three seasons of at least 65 points in the NHL. He scored an NHL career-high 43 goals for the St. Louis Blues in 2007-08 and a career-best 72 points (33 goals, 39 assists) for them in 2008-09. He played on the Islanders' top line with center John Tavares and scored 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists) in 48 games (0.73 points per game) during the shortened 2012-13 season. Boyes, who last played in the NHL in 2015-16 (24 points in 60 games for Toronto), ranks sixth in the 2000 draft class in goals (211) and points (505). -- Pete Jensen, senior fantasy editor
16. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, D, Montreal Canadiens (No. 33 by Minnesota Wild) -- After David's very unoriginal pick of Hainsey at No. 13, where the Canadiens had selected him in 2000, I gave him a defense partner who played a similar game. Schultz, a smart, role-oriented defenseman who played 1,069 NHL games, fourth most in the 2000 class, didn't fill up the score sheet in his 15 NHL seasons (175 points; 30 goals, 145 assists), but he always was willing to sacrifice his body. He is third in the 2000 class with 1,664 blocked shots since 2005-06, and his 1,035 career hits are 11th. -- Dan O'Leary, staff writer
17. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, G, Edmonton Oilers (No. 171 by Philadelphia Flyers) -- The Oilers went with the then-29-year-old goalie from the Czech Republic to help and possibly succeed Tommy Salo, who played 70 games in 1999-00 and 73 in 2000-01. Cechmanek is first among goalies drafted in 2000 who played at least 200 games in GAA (2.08) and save percentage (.919), and he ranks third in shutouts (25), fourth in wins (110) and tied for fourth in games (212). As a rookie in 2000-01, he was the runner-up to Hasek for the Vezina and finished fourth in voting for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP after going 35-15 with six ties, a 2.01 GAA, a .921 save percentage and 10 shutouts. Cechmanek shared the William M. Jennings Trophy with teammate Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win and Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win of the Devils after Philadelphia and New Jersey each allowed an NHL-low 166 goals-against in 2002-03. He last played in the NHL in 2003-04 (49 games for Los Angeles). -- William Douglas, staff writer
18. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins (No. 20 by Los Angeles Kings) -- The Penguins would have been happy to take Cechmanek with this pick, but since William beat them to it on behalf of the Oilers, they pivoted to Frolov, who scored at least 21 goals in five consecutive seasons from 2003-09, including an NHL career-high 35 in 2006-07 for the Kings. Though a knee injury in 2010-11 with the Rangers and subsequent move to the Kontinental Hockey League following that season ended his days in the NHL, Frolov is seventh in the 2000 class in goals (175) goals, ninth in points (397) and third in points per game (0.69). -- Jim Cerny, senior editor
19. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, C, Phoenix Coyotes (No. 95 by New York Rangers) -- Moore never scored more than 18 goals or 41 points in his 13 NHL seasons. But with 10 jersey changes after starting his career with New York, including two tours of duty each with the Rangers and Maple Leafs, the journeyman was hugely useful in various roles and immensely popular with his teammates, a generous mentor for young players breaking into the NHL. What he lacked in size was made up for with his hockey smarts and his strength as a forechecking, backchecking center with good speed who created offensive chances. -- Dave Stubbs, columnist
20. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, LW, Los Angeles Kings (No. 5 by New York Islanders) -- The Kings were pleased to land a feisty forward with a knack for hitting the net. Torres scored at least 14 goals in six of the eight NHL seasons that he played a minimum of 39 games and ranks eighth in the 2000 class with 137 goals. When he was able to keep his emotions in check, Torres was a player who elevated his play when the stakes were high. Despite being tied for 13th among players from the 2000 draft with 68 NHL playoff games, he is eighth with 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) and only Williams (eight) has scored more game-winning goals in the postseason than his four. -- Sebastien Deschambault, managing editor, LNH.com
21. Deryk Engelland, D, Ottawa Senators (No. 194 by New Jersey Devils) -- The Senators added more grit to a stout defense that was tied for 10th in goals-against (210) in 1999-00. Perseverance paid off for Engelland, who made his NHL debut Nov. 10, 2009, after playing his first six professional seasons in the ECHL and American Hockey League. He has 127 points (30 goals, 97 assists) and a plus-4 rating in 671 NHL games, and has played a big role in helping his hometown Golden Knights make their mark in the NHL and Las Vegas since entering the League in 2017-18. -- Jon Lane, staff writer
CHI@VGK: Engelland wires wrister upstairs
22. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, RW, New Jersey Devils (No. 224 by Dallas Stars) -- With the options limited, the Devils took Miettinen, who had good size (6-foot, 190 pounds) and more importantly is 11th in goals (97) and 12th in points (230) among forwards drafted in 2000. He was productive in three seasons in Europe after playing 539 NHL games for the Stars, Wild and Winnipeg Jets from 2003-13, so those ranks would have been higher had he stayed in the League. -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief
23. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, C, Vancouver Canucks (No. 46 by Calgary Flames) -- Vancouver would have been happy to select Stoll, who never signed with Calgary and was selected by Edmonton in the second round (No. 36) of the 2002 NHL Draft. Stoll started his NHL career as an offensive weapon for the Oilers, with 165 points (59 goals, 106 assists) in 286 games, but adapted his game to play more of a shutdown role on two Cup-winning teams with the Kings (2012, 2014). He could have been a big part of the Canucks' resurgence when they made the playoffs 10 times in 12 seasons between 2000-13 and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2011. -- Pat Pickens, staff writer
24. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, D, Toronto Maple Leafs (No. 21 by Ottawa Senators) -- With most offensive talent off the board, the Maple Leafs went with arguably one of the grittiest players of his generation. Volchenkov's consistent ability to make a huge clean hit along the boards and his fearless attitude toward the puck earned him a lot of respect with teammates. Volchenkov was one of the top shot blockers in the NHL. In 2006-07, he led the NHL with 273 blocked shots for the Senators in 2006-07, and his total of 1,129 in six seasons between 2005-2011 were tops in the League. After 12 seasons and 696 games in the NHL for Ottawa, New Jersey and Nashville from 2002-15, Volchenkov has played four seasons in the KHL. -- Paul Strizhevsky, columnist, NHL.com/ru
25. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, C, Dallas Stars (No. 215 by Edmonton Oilers) -- Lombardi proved to be a productive two-way center and top penalty-killer over nine NHL seasons. His 262 points (101 goals, 161 assists) in 536 NHL games would have been 15th most in the 2000 class, but he never signed with Edmonton and was taken in the third round (No. 90) of the 2002 NHL Draft by Calgary. He's one of 13 players drafted in 2000 to score at least 100 NHL goals, and his average of 1:43 of shorthanded ice time is tied for ninth among forwards. He had 167 points (65 goals, 102 assists) and 11 shorthanded goals in 347 games over five seasons with the Flames. He played 189 games for the Coyotes, Predators, Maple Leafs and Ducks his final five seasons from 2008-13. -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer
26. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, C, Washington Capitals (No. 220 by Buffalo Sabres) -- The Capitals opted for the grit and team-first attitude of Gaustad, who made a career out of his big body (6-5, 227) and his proficiency in the face-off circle (career winning percentage of 56.3 percent; 5,692 of 10,114). Gaustad ranks 19th in the 2000 draft class in games, with 727 over 12 NHL seasons (2002-16). He finished his career, split between the Sabres and Predators, with 231 points (89 goals, 142 assists) as a third- and fourth-line center. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
27. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, D, Boston Bruins (No. 4 by Columbus Blue Jackets) -- The Bruins chose a big defenseman (6-3, 215) with the talent to go near the top of the draft. In 659 games with the Blue Jackets and Coyotes from 2000-14, Klesla averaged 20:02 of ice time and scored 48 goals, sixth among defensemen in the 2000 class, and 159 points (ninth). Maybe he's better in Boston. -- Nick Cotsonika, columnist
28. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, LW, Philadelphia Flyers (No. 155 by Calgary Flames) -- There wasn't much offensive talent remaining, so the Flyers opted to add some grit and size (6-2, 215) with Moen, a shutdown forward from Kelowna of the Western Hockey League. Moen never was a big scorer, but he played 747 NHL games with five teams, finishing his career in 2016 with 136 points (59 goals, 77 assists). He scored 11 goals in 83 NHL playoff games, including the Cup-winner for the Ducks in 2007. -- John Kreiser, managing editor
29. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, G, Detroit Red Wings (No. 1 by New York Islanders) -- Injuries derailed DiPietro's career, which ended in 2013 after he gave it one last shot with Charlotte of the AHL. But over four seasons from 2003-08, he had 111 wins (eighth in NHL in span; first in 2000 class) and 14 shutouts (11th; second), representing the Islanders at the 2008 NHL All-Star Game. He's understandably forever linked to the 15-year contract he signed with New York on Sept. 12, 2006, but there's no disputing how talented DiPietro was when healthy. -- Brian Compton, deputy managing editor
30. Video: NYR@DET: Lundqvist records 64th shutout in 1-0 win, D, St. Louis Blues (No. 97 by Carolina Hurricanes) -- The Blues went with the steady defenseman with the final pick. Wallin didn't put up big offensive numbers during his 10 NHL seasons from 2000-11 (79 points in 614 games; 21 goals, 58 assists) but had some big moments in the playoffs. He scored three of his four NHL postseason goals in overtime, including two during Carolina's run to the 2002 Stanley Cup Final and the other in Game 2 of the 2006 Eastern Conference Semifinals against New Jersey to help propel the Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup championship. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
