Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Drafting in pro sports is a funny business. And the NHL is no different, as for every Sidney Crosby or Steven Stamkos there’s an Alexandre Daigle or Patrick Stefan. The bottom line is the draft is an inexact science that once the names are called is almost meaningless as first-round picks can fail and later picks like Pavel Datsyuk can become first ballot Hall of Famers. In fact, the draft is so inexact that Tampa Bay Lightning star Tyler Johnson went undrafted entirely — not once, not twice but three times. With Johnson putting on an absolute clinic in the 2015 playoffs and the draft six weeks away, there’s no better personification of the imperfections of the draft process than the Spokane, Wash. native.
Johnson — who is leading the league with eight goals in the 2015 — is small in stature but immense in skill and hockey IQ, as time and time again he’s been in the right place at the right time to bury timely goals. The limitations in his size surely scared off a few scouts in the Western Hockey League and NHL drafts, as he was drafted by the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL almost out of courtesy for being a local product. In four years in the Western league, Johnson got better every year and ended his junior career as one of the best players in the league. Johnson’s exploits weren’t limited the WHL, as he was also dominant at the international level, leading Team USA to a Gold Medal at the 2010 World Junior Championships.
Tampa signed Johnson as a free agent in 2011, and the rest, as they say, is history. After two years in the AHL, Johnson became an NHL regular in 2013-14 and earned a Calder Trophy nomination. This year Johnson emerged as one of the elite scorers in the NHL, finishing 15th in league scoring and showing an amazing two-way game. The playoffs, however, have been Johnson’s “breakout party” as evidenced by his buzzer-beating, game-winning goal against the Montreal Canadiens. If the Bolts do in fact go on to win the Stanley Cup, Johnson would have to be considered a Conn Smythe front-runner. The biggest irony is that Johnson is carrying the Bolts, while all-world superstar and a former No. 1 overall pick in Stamkos has had a relatively quiet go of it in the playoffs.
Whenever you’re feeling bad about your job performance remember that with Johnson on the board the Dallas Stars drafted Tyler Beskorowany, Scott Glenine and Jack Campbell — who have combined for two total NHL games — in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 drafts respectively. A total of over 630 players were drafted over Johnson. Once upon a time an undrafted star forward — Johnson’s former teammate Martin St. Louis — led the Lightning to the Stanley Cup; fans in Tampa surely hope they’re seeing history repeat itself.
