With the NHL Entry Draft fast approaching and the Oilers scheduled to draft someone at 56th overall with their first of only three picks, I figured that I would take a dip in the pool of league history to learn about the players that have been taken in that slot over the years to see if there are any patterns to be found. Is there anything there? Let’s find out together.
Once again, before we even get started on this first countdown, I’m readily acknowledging the obvious fact that looking back at the past five drafts won’t tell us anything about the player the Oilers may or may not select two weeks from now or how he’ll perform at the NHL level. Regardless of that admission, I know that someone will still point out in the comment section that I’m an idiot for putting this together even though I just think it’s fun to go back and see the general type of player that gets taken around that spot. Obviously, no two drafts are ever the same and we know that some of the picks taken at #56 will work out while others won’t, but since this is only the third time the Oilers have picked in the 56th slot since 1980, I thought it would be fun to dig into the past and see if there are any clues available that can help us prepare for what’s to come.
Not to mention, I needed to write something today and figured we might enjoy this little stroll through NHL history so here we are. Now that we’ve got the disclaimer out of the way, let’s bring this blog post to 88mph and head back in time.

2018 – Jacob Olofsson – C – Montreal Canadiens

Rookie Season: N/A
2022-23 Season (w/ Bjorkloven IF): 20GP – 8G, 4A = 12 points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
Two-way center with middle-six upside. Well-rounded player with decent skating and puck skills but hasn’t shown high-end offensive creativity.
At 23 years old, it’s tough to predict what the future holds for Jacob Olofsson even though you absolutely know that the Habs would have wanted him to be closer to cracking the NHL roster. Now five years out from his draft, an NHL career looks to be a stretch for the guy even though stranger things have happened. Needless to say, not a great start to our countdown.

2019 – Brett Leason – RW – Washington Capitals

Rookie Season (2021-22): 36GP – 3G, 3A for six points
2022-23 Season (w/ Anaheim): 54GP – 6G, 3A = 9 points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
Savvy with and without the puck, his hockey IQ is the backbone of his game and he loves to use his big frame in puck battles. Has an NHL caliber wrist shot, with a super quick release. He positions himself very well on the puck, and has plus hand-eye coordination.
Claimed off waivers by Anaheim in October of 2022, Brett Leason is only just starting his NHL career but looks to have a solid opportunity ahead of him with the rebuilding Ducks. While not yet an everyday player, Leason has 90 career games under his belt and will be looking to solidify his place on the Anaheim in this last year of his ELC that pays him $775K.

2020 – Tristen Robins – C – San Jose Sharks

Rookie Season: N/A
2022-23 Season (w/ San Jose Barracuda): 64GP – 17G, 21A = 38 points
2022-23 Season (w/ San Jose Sharks): 3GP – 0G, 0A
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
He’s a gifted puck-handler, capable of blending pass receptions into detailed maneuvers and freezing his opponents with deceptive elements. He evades defenders with ease using a variety of around and triangle dekes. The way that Robins can shoot the puck, handle the puck, and support the puck in the offensive zone is pretty rare for a first-time draft-eligible skater.
Tristen Robins got his first taste of NHL action in 2022-23 after a strong rookie season with the San Jose Barracuda, and you’d have to imagine that has Sharks fans excited about his future. While there are no guarantees in pro sports, Robins’ scouting report certainly makes it seem like he has the tools to succeed at hockey’s highest level, but whether or not he can put it all together remains to be seen. Either way, it looks like the Sharks got a decent depth piece with the 56th overall pick in 2020.

2021 – Evan Nause – D – Florida Panthers

Rookie Season: N/A
2022-23 Season (w/ Quebec Remparts): 40GP – 5G, 24A = 29 points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
His skill as a skater lends itself exceptionally well to the breakout. Nause creates advantages for himself on every defensive zone puck retrieval, shoulder checking for options, using the environment to obstruct forecheckers, adapting his speed to the situation, and using the middle of the ice to create controlled exits.
With one more year of junior eligibility available to him, I’d imagine Evan Nause will be back with the Quebec Remparts as they look to defend their Memorial Cup win from last month. Given that Nause was drafted only two years ago, it’s no surprise that he’s not exactly close to cracking the Panthers’ lineup, but at the same point, you do have to appreciate the way he’s excelling with his junior team. We’ve still got a ways to go here.

2022 – Rieger Lorenz – LW – Minnesota Wild

Rookie Season: N/A
2022-23 Season (w/ University of Denver): 37GP – 2G, 9A = 9 points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
He’s interesting because of his physical game and his ideas, his ability to use space with and without the puck, and the occasional flash of playmaking, like the assist he got by sliding the puck under a stick with one-hand and backhanding it to a teammate across the ice for a shot. Lorenz can link plays all over the ice.
Not much to say about a kid that only got picked up last year apart from wondering how much progress he’ll make in his second year at the University of Denver. Either way, the Wild will need some of their prospects to pick up steam in the near future as the franchise continues to battle the wild amounts of dead cap space on their books from the Parise and Suter buyouts.

MORE 56th OVERALL PICKS

Do you think that showing only the last five 56th overall picks isn’t enough? I agree with you. So here’s a list of everyone taken in this slot going back to 1980, and as you’ll soon see, it’s a real mixed bag in terms of what you may or may not get.
YearPlayerPositionTeamGPGAPtsPIM
2017
Josh Brook
DEFENSE
Montreal Canadiens
2016
Dillon Dube
FORWARD
Calgary Flames
186
28
37
65
48
2015
Vince Dunn
DEFENSE
St. Louis Blues
331
39
92
131
163
2014
Ryan Donato
FORWARD
Boston Bruins
241
49
53
102
66
2013
Marco Roy
FORWARD
Edmonton Oilers
2012
Sam Kurker
FORWARD
St. Louis Blues
2011
Lucas Lessio
FORWARD
Phoenix Coyotes
41
3
4
7
12
2010
Johan Larsson
FORWARD
Minnesota Wild
475
52
74
126
244
2009
Kevin Lynch
FORWARD
Columbus Blue Jackets
2008
Danny Kristo
FORWARD
Montreal Canadiens
2007
Akim Aliu
DEFENSE
Chicago Blackhawks
7
2
1
3
26
2006
Blake Geoffrion
FORWARD
Nashville Predators
55
8
5
13
34
2005
Marc-Andre Cliche
FORWARD
New York Rangers
151
3
11
14
34
2004
Nicklas Grossmann
DEFENSE
Dallas Stars
592
13
73
86
314
2003
Patrick O’Sullivan
FORWARD
Minnesota Wild
334
58
103
161
116
2002
Vladislav Yevseyev
FORWARD
Boston Bruins
2001
Andrei Medvedev
GOALIE
Calgary Flames
2000
Alexander Suglobov
FORWARD
New Jersey Devils
18
1
0
1
4
1999
Matt Zultek
FORWARD
Boston Bruins
1998
Tomek Valtonen
FORWARD
Detroit Red Wings
1997
Vratislav Cech
DEFENSE
Florida Panthers
1996
Zdeno Chara
DEFENSE
New York Islanders
1667
207
469
676
2077
1995
Shane Willis
FORWARD
Tampa Bay Lightning
174
31
43
74
77
1994
Dorian Anneck
FORWARD
Winnipeg Jets
1993
Valeri Karpov
FORWARD
Anaheim Mighty Ducks
76
14
15
29
32
1992
Jarrett Deuling
FORWARD
New York Islanders
15
0
1
1
11
1991
George Breen
FORWARD
Edmonton Oilers
1990
Brad Bombardir
DEFENSE
New Jersey Devils
356
8
46
54
127
1989
Scott Thomas
FORWARD
Buffalo Sabres
63
6
4
10
34
1988
Craig Fisher
FORWARD
Philadelphia Flyers
12
0
0
0
2
1987
Todd Lalonde
FORWARD
Boston Bruins
1986
Kevin Kerr
FORWARD
Buffalo Sabres
1985
Keith Gretzky
FORWARD
Buffalo Sabres
1984
Alan Perry
GOALIE
St. Louis Blues
1983
Mitch Messier
FORWARD
Minnesota North Stars
20
0
2
2
11
1982
Kevin Dineen
FORWARD
Hartford Whalers
1188
355
405
760
2229
1981
Mike Vernon
GOALIE
Calgary Flames
781
0
39
39
271
1980
Sean McKenna
FORWARD
Buffalo Sabres
414
82
80
162
181

THE WRAP…

Seeing as I’ve been doing this series for the last handful of years, I’ve learned that the NHL Entry Draft is a crapshoot no matter how deep that year’s class is reported to be. Not on is the NHL’s annual prospect fishing derby like throwing darts at the best of times, but the later you get into the draft, the more time it takes for some of these kids — if at all of them — to make the show and that’s why it’s no surprise to see that only a couple of the players listed above have NHL games on their resumes. Again, I know that this is not an exact science by any stretch of the imagination, but I do find it useful in a weird way to see what flavour of player generally gets taken in our range.

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