REWIND: THE 2008 NHL DRAFT

Players selected in the 2008 NHL Draft, held last June in Ottawa, have already made a significant impact this season. While scouting is important in finding the best possible player for a team, luck certainly plays into the equation as well. If some GMs had known then what they know now, the top 10 would probably have looked a bit different. In fact, it may have looked something like this.

1. Tampa Bay selects: Steven Stamkos
The 19-year-old forward hasn't fulfilled expectations as the franchise's "savior"...yet. The unfair pressure placed on him probably stunted his growth a little, but he should be fine. In the long run, the expectations will help him, but he will need a few years to develop into a star. Don't worry, he will.

2. Los Angeles selects: Drew Doughty
No need to change this selection either. The Kings must be thrilled with the contributions Doughty has given them in his first year in professional hockey. A strong, physical defenseman, Doughty has 16 points in 53 games for the big club this season.

3. Atlanta selects: Luke Schenn
Another physical d-man, Schenn was actually taken fifth by the Maple Leafs, and Brian Burke appears poised to make him the franchise's cornerstone player. If the draft were being held again today, I'm pretty sure the Thrashers would take him over defenseman Zach Bogosian.

4. St. Louis selects: Josh Bailey
Bailey, who went ninth to the Islanders, has exceeded all expectations so far. There is no doubt the Blues would have taken someone other than Alex Petriangelo, not as far along as they had hoped, and Bailey would have been as good a pick as any.

5. Toronto selects: Zach Bogosian
Bogosian, while he may not be as well rounded as Luke Schenn, is still a fantastic pickup. He's a solid defenseman and one Brian Burke could build around if he had to, instead of his actual selection.

6. Columbus selects: Nikita Filatov
This one is right on the money. Filatov has been up and down this season, but appears poised to develop into a scoring machine alongside Rick Nash in the near future.

7. Nashville selects: Mikkel Boedker
Boedker, who went eighth to Phoenix, is one of coach Wayne Gretzky's favorite players already. The Great One plays Boedker big minutes for someone so young, and he is playing really well for the Coyotes. In this theoretical draft, the Preds would have pounced on Boedker if he was still there at number seven.

8. Phoenix selects: Alex Pietrangelo
With nobody still available who could help the Coyotes this season, they select Pietrangelo, a rugged defenseman who will help the financially strapped franchise, wherever they are playing, in the future.

9. New York (Islanders) selects: Colin Wilson
Wilson went back to Boston University for another season, but will certainly contribute once he joins the club. A talented center, Wilson has 35 points in 37 games for the Terriers this year, and will almost certainly be a solid player at the next level, whenever he gets there.

10. Vancouver selects: Cody Hodgson
The Canucks appear to have gotten this one right as well. Hodgson, the 19-year-old captain of the Brampton Battalion in the OHL will be a top flight scorer in the NHL soon enough. Even though he won't contribute right away for Vancouver, they were smart to lock him up now, as he will no doubt be a threat when he eventually makes it.