NHL Draft 2012: Looking Back at the 10 Biggest Steals of the 2007 NHL Draft

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With this year's NHL draft approaching rapidly (the countdown sits at 15 days for those of you wondering), now is the perfect time to look back at some of the biggest steals in the last few NHL drafts.

Today, we examine the 2007 NHL entry draft held in Columbus, Ohio and determine the 10 biggest steals that team executives managed to pull off.

In the time leading up to this year's NHL entry draft in Pittsburgh, we'll also look back at the 2008 and 2009 drafts.

Unfortunately, most players from the 2010 and 2011 drafts are still developing and playing in junior hockey or the minor leagues, so we will have to wait a while before gauging the biggest draft steals of those years.

10. Dwight King

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While Dwight King may not come to mind as a steal of a pick for most, his five goals so far this postseason with Los Angeles (including a few game winners) earns him a spot on this list.

King was taken with the 109th overall selection in 2007 by the Kings (I know, what a coincidence) and though his 14 points in a meager 33 NHL games may not be overwhelming, the aforementioned playoff stats from 2012 speak for themselves.

9. Keith Aulie

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Another controversial selection on this list, Keith Aulie's size has always made him a somewhat coveted prospect.

Though he fell to the 116th pick in 2007, Aulie is still just 22 years old (he'll be 23 in less than a week, however) and developing into a more gifted defenseman.

Nonetheless, in his 76 career NHL games, Aulie has posted a player rating of minus-8, which isn't too bad considering he's spent his entire career playing for teams with miserable defense (Tampa Bay and Toronto).

He may not seem like a steal quite yet, but mark my words, three years from now, teams will wish they didn't let the 6'6" Saskatchewan native slip to the fourth round.

8. Matt Frattin

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Before you comment with what I know you want to, let me say, no this is not any personal bias speaking, I swear.

Matt Frattin has shown over the last season that his attitude towards hockey is very serious, and it shows.

Despite slipping to the fourth round in 2007 (he was taken 99th overall), Frattin has looked like a higher-round selection.

Yes, there were bumps on the road, and Frattin took his time making it to the NHL, but today Frattin is one of the Maple Leafs' top prospects. In fact, hockeysfuture.com has him listed as Toronto's top right-wing prospect.

In his brief stint with the Leafs this season, he showed an incredible amount of hustle, grit and talent, though the points seemed hard to come by.

Before being injured in the 2012 Calder Cup playoffs, Frattin looked like a man among boys, averaging nearly a goal per game.

To not consider him a steal at 99th overall in any draft would be foolish.

7. Yannick Weber

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The last two seasons have served as a coming out party for the Swiss-born Weber.

Don't let his player rating of minus-7 in 101 games played fool you, Yannick Weber has become a staple of the Montreal Canadiens' defensive corps.

While he may not tally points at a torrid pace, he has logged an average of nearly 16 minutes per game for the Habs over the last two years.

Not too shabby for a third-round pick.

6. Alec Martinez

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With the 95th pick in 2007, the Los Angeles Kings selected American defenseman Alec Martinez.

He may not be a household name around the league, but Martinez has done a great job for Los Angeles on the back-end, posting a player rating of plus-8 in his 115 career regular season games, and a plus-3 rating in 23 career playoff matches.

Martinez may never be a big-time offensive contributor from the point, but he's served the Kings well at being a shutdown defenseman.

5. Carl Gunnarsson

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Last Maple Leaf, I promise.

How can anyone deny the fact that Carl Gunnarsson was an absolute steal at pick No. 194 though?

Gunnarsson was one of the final 20 selections in 2007, but the smooth-skating Swedish defenseman has worked in way into Toronto's top two pairings, logging 187 careers games and tallying 54 points in the process.

4. Wayne Simmonds

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How NHL executives passed on this kid 60 times is beyond me.

Simmonds may not be a future Hall-of-Famer, but the 23-year-old native of Toronto, Ontario is one of the best versatile forwards in hockey.

He skates extremely well, has a nasty edge to him and is gifted offensively.

Drafting him at No. 60 overall and parlaying him (along with Brayden Schenn) into Mike Richards may very well help Philadelphia win a Stanley Cup.

If hockey executives were to re-do the 2007 NHL entry draft, Wayne Simmonds would certainly be chosen much earlier than he was the first time around.

3. Carl Hagelin

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Carl Hagelin is undoubtedly one of the nicer surprises of the 2011-2012 season.

The 23-year-old Swedish speedster burst onto the scene this season, after spending each of the last four years with the University of Michigan.

Hagelin provided the New York Rangers with 38 points in 64 regular season games in about 15 minutes of ice time per game.

His speed also created an abundance of energy for his club, and his plus-21 player rating was a byproduct of his two-way game and his willingness to buy into the Rangers defensive minded system.

I would say it's a safe bet that the 168th overall pick in 2007 will be around the Rangers' locker room for a while (barring injury of course).

2. P.K. Subban

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In any other year, P.K. Subban falling to pick No. 43 would probably be the biggest steal of the draft.

Subban is currently Montreal's best defenseman, and along with Carey Price, is the cornerstone of one of the most historic franchises in sports.

Subban is the type of player that makes you wish you hadn't traded away both your first- and second-round picks in 2007 (trust me, I know).

He's a defenseman with a great shot, a nasty edge and an ability to shutdown opponents' top lines.

In his NHL career, Subban has nearly posted 0.5 points-per-game (very respectable for a defenseman), as well as 245 penalty minutes in 160 games.

His year-to-year improvement has also been reflected in his ice time, which has increased with every season he's played, topping out at over 24 minutes-per-game in 2011-2012.

1. Jamie Benn

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Perhaps the fact that Jamie Benn played in the BCHL and the CHL in 2006-2007 before he entered the draft hurt his stock.

Whatever the reason may be, there is not a general manager in hockey who wishes they couldn't have their selections from the first four rounds back.

128 players were chosen ahead of the 22-year-old Victoria native. Only two of them (Patrick Kane, selected first overall, and Logan Couture, selected ninth overall) have been chosen to take part in the All-Star game.

Jamie Been has been there, and done that.

There has been no more productive pick from the 2007 NHL entry draft than the Dallas Stars' at No. 129.

 

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