Seattle Kraken Misuse of Shane Wright Unprecedented
The Seattle Kraken got a steal when Shane Wright fell to them with the fourth overall pick this year. The problem is he doesn't get enough ice time to develop.
Revisiting the Last Five #4 Picks (2021-2017)
In 2021, the New Jersey Devils held the fourth-overall pick and selected Luke Hughes, brother of Quinn Hughes and Jack Hughes.
Quinn plays in Vancouver, and Jack is one of the young stars assisting the Devils’ rebuild. Luke has yet to play a game in the NHL, opting to continue his career at the University of Michigan.
The Detroit Red Wings landed the fourth-overall pick in 2020 and used it on Lucas Raymond. He made his debut at the start of the 2021-22 season, playing in all 82 games and netting 57 points. Additionally, Raymond earned All-Rookie honors at the season’s end as a 19-year-old, playing 18:09 a night.
Bowen Byram was the Colorado Avalanche’s first pick (fourth overall) in the 2019 Entry Draft. As a rookie in 2020-21, he appeared in 19 games averaging 17:31 minutes.
Byram bumped up to 30 games and 18:48 minutes during the 2021-22 season. During the Avs Stanley Cup run, he played in 20 games averaging 19:22.
The Ottawa Senators are one of the league’s early success stories in 2022-23, and it all starts with captain Brady Tkachuk, their pick (4th overall) in the 2018 Entry Draft.
After leaving Boston University, he jumped to the NHL as a 19-year-old, appearing in 71 games and averaging 16:01 minutes a night. After 282 games, he’s already collected 200 points.