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.
Going Back Further – NHL Drafts (2016-2012)
The Edmonton Oilers selected Jesse Puljujarvi with the fourth-overall pick in the 2016 Entry Draft. He broke into the league as an 18-year-old and suited up for 28 games, averaging 11:15 a game. He’s struggled early in his career. But several seasons later, Puljujarvi reached a personal best of 16:14 in 2021-22 when he played 65 games.
Only die-hard Toronto Maple Leafs’ fans remember that Mitch Marner was the fourth-overall pick in the 2015 Entry Draft. In 2016-17 he joined the Leafs, where he’s been a mainstay, scoring 139 goals in 433 games. During his first season, 77 games, Marner averaged 16:49 minutes a night and rewarded his team with 61 points.
The Calgary Flames selected Samuel Bennett with the fourth-overall pick in the 2014 Entry Draft. He played one game in 2014-15 before cracking the lineup the following season. In 77 games, he scored 36 points and averaged 15:09 a game as a 19-year-old.
Seth Jones is another defenceman who went fourth overall, this time to the Nashville Predators in the 2013 Entry Draft. As a 19-year-old in the 2013-14 season, he made his NHL debut and tallied 25 points in 77 games, averaging 19:37 minutes a game.
Finally, the New York Islanders selected Griffin Reinhart as the fourth-overall pick in the 2012 Entry Draft. He has played only 37 games between the Islanders and Edmonton Oilers. Despite his lack of playing time, he did average 17:14 minutes a night when he did suit up.