NHL: The Five Worst No. 1 Draft Picks of All Time

Oh, the NHL Draft—a time of "can't miss" players being selected first overall, right?

Wrong!

This list makes it look like the GM's that selected these guys couldn't pick their nose, let alone an NHL player.

5. Gord Kluzak (Boston Bruins in 1982)

In a draft where the Bruins could have selected Scott Stevens, it should drive Beantown fans berzerk that Kluzak was selected with their top pick.

He only played four full seasons for the Bruins, as his career was cut short with knee problems. In 299 games, Kluzak picked up just 25 goals and was basically a bust on Boston's blue line.

4. Alexandre Daigle (Ottawa Senators in 1993)

Touted as a "can't miss" prospect, you have to feel for the Senators for drafting this ex-junior phenom. After all, he did score 137 points in 53 games with the QMJHL Victoriaville Tigres.

Daigle also looked like the real deal in his first few seasons with the Sens as well. He scored 20 goals and 31 assists in his rookie campaign, and 16 goals and 21 assists in a strike-shortened 47 game season.

He also put up decent numbers in his fourth season with Ottawa, scoring a career high 26 goals and adding 25 assists in 82 games, but that would be the highlight of a brutal career.

It would take Daigle six seasons before he reached 20 goals again, after stints in Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, New York and Pittsburgh didn't work out. He landed in Minnesota for the 2003-04 season and matched his career-best 51 points.

What may be a harder pill to swallow is that the Sens passed up on drafting Chris Pronger, Paul Kariya and Adam Deadmarsh.

The former NHL superstar-in-waiting has found a home in Davos playing in the Swiss Elite League.

3. Patrik Stefan (Atlanta Thrashers in 1999)

This Czech phenom was deemed NHL-ready when the Thrashers used their first overall selection to grab him in what was supposed to be a deep draft.

Boy, were the scouts wrong on this kid.

Stefan has never scored more than 14 goals or 40 points in the NHL in seven seasons.

In a draft that featured the Sedin twins, Henrik Zetterberg, and Martin Havlat, the Thrashers' brass should be shot for even taking a sniff at Stefan.

2. Greg Joly (Washington Capitals in 1974)

The first player ever drafted by the Caps, Joly was supposed to be the next Bobby Orr.

The team rushed him in as an 18-year-old and he scored one goal and seven assists in 44 games, as the Capitals finished with the worst record in NHL history (8-67-5).

After a solid sophomore season that saw Joly score 8 goals and 17 assists in 54 games, he was shipped to the Red Wings where he would score just 12 goals in seven seasons.

Joly didn't come close to Orr's numbers, finishing with 97 points in his career.

1. Brian Lawton (Minnesota North Stars in 1983)

Maybe what makes this pick even more significant is that the North Stars passed up on drafting Steve Yzerman, Cam Neely, Tom Barrasso, and Pat LaFontaine.

Lawton was a huge disappointment to say the least. His career best was 44 points in 12 NHL seasons, and he only played over 66 games once in his career.

At least he has done better off the ice, as Lawton is a player agent for such stars as Mike Modano and R.J. Umberger.

Honorable mentions include Bryan Berard, Dale McCourt, Doug Wickenheiser and Chris Phillips.