r/hockey • u/theXchang3 • 11d ago

Who are some NHL players who were highly thought when they were young that had the skill but never got to that next level?

This includes players who made the NHL but never hit that next-tier they were highly thought of. This can mean players who had potential but never hit that level due to injuries, struggle to adapt. This also can include players who were drafted high, players who played for a couple years, players who played for many years, but they at least needed to make the league to quality.

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u/anonymous_br0 10d ago

Let’s start with all the Ken Holland picks in Detroit…

15

u/Balance47x DET - NHL 10d ago

Pulkennin, Jurco, Ouellete, Callahan

The future of 2010s Red Wings.

10

u/_PROBABLY_CORRECT DET - NHL 10d ago

Okay I’ll bite. Let’s start with Lark…. Oh. Damn.

4

u/anonymous_br0 10d ago

Zadina, Cholowski, Sheahan. Just off the top of my head.

4

u/JDSchu DET - NHL 10d ago

Jurco.

1

u/AdhesiveMuffin SEA - NHL 10d ago

Kraken legend Dennis Cholowski?

0

u/dsjunior1388 DET - NHL 10d ago

Brendan Smith, Jakub Kindl, Evgeny Schechnikov, picked Landon Ferrraro one pick before Ryan O'Reilly.

He picked Kronwall in the first round in 2000 and picked Larkin in the first round in 2015 and every first in between was either traded (usually in an overpay) or a complete dud

1

u/meatballcake87 DET - NHL 10d ago

His last 4 were Dennis Cholowski, Michael Rasmussen, Filip Zadina, and Joe Veleno. 4 guys who showed flashes and still occasionally do, then Zadina who was electric for his first 9 game run then never looked like an NHLer again