un-drafted players who made it despite having the odds stacked against them
Every kid with a hockey dream wants to play in the NHL, and have the chance to live out their very own personal draft experience.
However, each year there are player's who get passed over and either sign as free agents or go back to junior, or whichever league they played in pre-draft. I will do a piece on the future about recent player's who weren't drafted, but found their way onto an NHL team. These five players draft days have come and gone, and they didn't have their names called; instead they just kept working, and exceeded expectations.
Here are five undrafted players, who carved themselves out a career in the NHL despite being passed over in the draft.
1. Martin St. Louis - You read that right, yes that is the Martin St. Louis who is currently coaching the Montreal Canadiens, he also had a Hall-of-Fame career, and won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2005. Martin St. Louis's draft weekend came, and went without his name being called, he was invited to Ottawa Senators camp; but released by mid-September 1997, and didn't find employment until signing as a free agent in February 1998 with the Calgary Flames; he would play 95 games over three seasons with the AHL's Stockton Heat, before being released - on July 31, 2000 St. Louis signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the rest is history. St. Louis earned a hockey Hall-of-Fame induction in 2018.
2. Dino Ciccarelli - Ciccarelli was passed over in his draft year, but never let that deter him. He would go on to play a 19-year NHL with 1232 games, scoring 608 goals, 598 assists, and 1,200 points. From playing in the OHL with the London Knights, to being passed-over in the draft, to signing as a free agent in 1998 with the Minnesota North Stars, after Lou Nanne took a chance and signed the played twice passed over at the NHL Draft. Ciccarelli was inducted into the Hockey Hall-of-Fame class of 2010.
3. Dan Boyle - A steady, poised influence on whichever blueline he played, Boyle was a delight for his defensive partners, and team-mates. Boyle played the game with smooth skating, strong awareness, great vision and strength to pair with his brilliant hockey mind. During Boyle's career he played for the Florida Panthers, the San Jose Sharks, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Rangers. He put up 163 goals, 442 assists for 605 points in 1,093 games over a 17-year NHL career.
4. Ed Belfour - Ed �The Eagle' Belfour as hockey fans knew him, was known for acrobatic stops, and strong positioning to keep the puck out of his net. Belfour went undrafted out of , and went on to play 963 games over an 18-year career, recording 484 wins, 320 losses and 125 ties., posting a career .906 save percentage, and 2.50 goals/against average. Belfour retired after a 58 game stint with the Panthers in 2006, but played on four different teams; including the Chicago Blackhawks, the Dallas Stars, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers throughout his career.
5. Adam Oates - A Hall-of-Famer who was snubbed during his draft year, Oates put all of his frustration about going undrafted together and used it to stay motivated. He would go on to play 1,337 games, scoring 341 goal, 1,079 assists for 1420 points. Oates played for the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, St Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks and the Washington Capitals over his 19-year career. Oates was inducted into the hockey Hall-of-Fame class of 2011.
| POLL | ||
Who surprised you the most on this list of un-drafted NHL players? | ||
| Martin St.Louis | 118 | 29.5 % |
| Belfour | 119 | 29.8 % |
| Oates | 113 | 28.3 % |
| Other | 50 | 12.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
