All-Draft Teams - 1984

After reviewing the 1983 draft - and seeing some of the very interesting players that came from there, we can move along to 1984.

Check the draft for yourself!

The first line: Brett Hull, Mario Lemieux and Luc Robitaille
2nd: Stephane Richer, Mike Stapleton, Gary Roberts
3rd: Ed Olcyk, Cliff Ronning and Kirk Muller
4th: Scott Mellanby, Tony Hrkac and Shayne Corson

D: Al Iafrate, Todd Gill,
Sylvaine Cote, Kjells Samuelsson
Petr Svoboda, Kevin Hatcher

G: Patrick Roy
Kirk McLean
Craig Billington

There is some incredible star power in that first line for the team, and of course Patrick Roy is an all-time great goalie in the league, but is a HUGE first line and giant star-power in net enough to make this the best team? I'll argue, no. While this team might beat the others on a consistent basis, it still isn't a great all around team, but rather dependent on a giant first line and a giant in net.

After the first two teams, the defense looks kinda weak comparatively, as well. No doubt, the first two drafts developed some incredible defensemen, but the '83 d-corps is below-par, even for the 80s. But, you can judge for yourself.

Among forwards: 13,645 games played, 4,887 goals, 6,324 assists, 11,211 points, 12,410 PIM, 1,620 PP goals, 640 Game Winners in the regular season.
In the playoffs, 1,380 GP, 468 goals, 538 assists, 1,006 points, 1,433 PIM and 153 PPG and 173 game-winning goals.

11 Stanley Cups, 2 All-Rookie teams, 2 Conn Smythe Trophies, 13 First-Team All-Stars, 2 Calder Trophies, 5 Pearson Awards, 1 Lady Byng, 4 Hart Trophies, 6 Art Ross Trophies, 2 Masterton Memorial Trophies, and 1 Patrick Award and 43 All-Star appearances.

Among defensemen: 5,975 GP, 689 G, 1,825 A, 2,514 PTS, 7,282 PIM, 220, PPG, 114 GWG.
In the playoffs: 644 GP, 67 G, 170 A, 237 PTS, 897 PIM, 23 PPG, 6 GWG.

3 Stanley Cups, 14 All-Star appearances

Among Goalies:
1,973 GP, 906 wins, 726 losses, 234 ties, 97 Shut outs
Playoffs: 323 GP, 185 W, 130 L, 29 SO

14 All-Star appearances, 4 Stanley Cups, 1 All-Rookie team, 3 Conn Smythe Trophies, 5 Jennings Trophies, 4 First-Team All-Stars, and 3 Vezinas.

Total: 71 All-Star appearances, 18 Stanley Cups, 3 All-Rookie teams, 5 Conn Smythes, 5 Jennings, 17 First-Team all-Stars, 3 Vezinas, 2 Calders, 5 Pearsons, 1 Lady Byng, 4 Harts, 6 Art Ross Trophies, 2 Masterton Memorial Trophies, and a Patrick Award.

The first line of Hull, Lemieux and Robitaille is unbeatable. I don't think we'll find another threesome in the history of the draft to make a line like that - but the rest of the forwards just aren't fantastic. No doubt, most of the achievements and awards in this draft generate from those three players - and if it doesn't come from them, then Patrick Roy is reeling in the rest.

This foursome makes this an incredible draft for the NHL loaded with talent, successes and Hall of Famers. Pretty awesome. Incredibly awesome - is it better than the '82 draft? The defense is weak, I'd say three of the lines on this team aren't better than the '82 draft.

In this draft, you'll be surprised to see what kinds of stars are loaded toward the end, yet how much talent was identifiable at the top of the draft, as well. This could be the first draft where the top five picks are on the all-draft team.

Draft numbers from 1982:

• M. Lemieux (1)
• K. Muller (2)
• E. Olcyk (3)
• A. Iafrate (4)
• P. Svoboda (5)
  
• S. Corson (8)
• S. Cote (11)
  
• G. Roberts (12)
• K. Hatcher (17)
• C. Billington (23)
  
• T. Gill (25)
  
• S. Mellanby (27)
  
• S. Richer (29)
• T. Hrkac (32)
• P. Roy (51)
• K. McLean (107)
  
• B. Hull (117)
• K. Samuelsson (119)
  
• M. Stapleton (132)
• C. Ronning (134)
• L. Robitaille (171)
  

Once again - lots of strong defensemen selected high in the draft. Lucky Luc gets picked 171st overall? Brett Hull at 117? That's pretty unbelievable - Lemieux was a no brainer at first overall - just like Gretzky would have been if he ever was drafted. I think Roy at 51 was a pretty good steal, as well. That's like almost the third round, I think.

I feel like the '84 team is just too unbalanced, but you can't argue with supreme star power of that first line and in net. You just can't. I gotta rank this team higher than '82 and '81.

Rankings:
(1) 1983
(2) 1984
(3) 1982
(4) 1981

Player of the Draft:
My "Player of the Draft" from 1982 is: Mario Lemieux, of course

Regular season: 915 GP, 690 G, 1,033 A, 1,723 PTS, +115, 834 PIM, 236 PPG, 74 GWG.
Playoffs: 107 GP, 76 G, 96 A, 172 PTS, +20, 87 PIM, 29 PPG, 11 GWG
2 Stanley Cups ('91, '92), All-Rookie Team ('85), Calder Trophy ('85), 4 Pearson Awards ('86, '88, '93, '96), 5 First All-Star Teams ('88, '89, '93, '96, '97), 6 Art Ross Trophies ('88, '89, '92, '93, '96, '97), 3 Hart Trophies ('88, '93, '96), 2 Conn Smythe Trophies ('91, '92), 1 Masterton Memorial Trophy ('93), 1 Patrick Trophy ('00), 10 All-Star appearances.

Honorable mentions go to Patrick Roy, Luc Robitaille and Brett Hull, but Lemieux trumps almost any drafted player in the history of the NHL.