With the draft talk heating up, I took a look back at each of the drafts since 2000, looked at who the Ottawa Senators selected, and who was still on the board at that time that was overlooked and turned out to be a better option.
Essentially, what if we could jump in the DeLorean and go back and simply swap a pick for another name, what the Senators draft boards could have looked like in a perfect world.
Of course, as I said on Saturday drafting is far from a perfect science, and each and every team would have a similar tale to tell, but look at the names that the Senators passed on that were still available when they made some dubious selections that never panned out.
In some cases there wasn't really much of an upgrade available, and in others the names that were passed over makes you shake your head...most notably and famously the selection of Brian Lee and also the entire 2007 Senators draft.
It is a lengthy list, but interesting nonetheless, at least for me. And it just goes to illustrate just how much of a crap shoot the draft really is, and how much luck is involved.
And again, I know full well that every NHL team will have the same story of hits and misses if you look back, but from the guys that were on the board when Ottawa picked, and players who went within 5 or even 10 picks of an Ottawa bust, it is quite eye-opening. And this isn't re-drafting the entire draft in hindsight, but just looking at who was still available when Ottawa selected.
It is like I said on Saturday using the Red Wings as an example, there is as much luck involved as there is good scouting and good management.
Some things just make you want to cry.