With the 2025 entry draft taking place this past Friday and Saturday, I thought we could look back at how Western Teams have fared from 2009 through 2024.

I chose 2009 as the cutoff, as there are still quite a few players from that draft year playing significant roles on teams today.

We are going to list the Western Teams from worst to best based on their success drafting in the first round since 2009, with consideration given for some later round successes. Teams that have been consistently good for the past 15 years should be near the bottom, as they have probably traded some of their high picks away in order to compete for the Stanley Cup.

#16 – Vegas Golden Knights (1 for 4 1st round hits; 25.0%)

A combination of being very competitive right out of the gate and drafting only since 2017 has combined to make Vegas the least effective team at drafting to this point.

Hits: Their best draft pick to date has been Nick Suzuki (13th overall – 2017), who they traded to Montreal and has 375 points in 455 NHL games. No other draft pick has more than 100 career NHL points.

Misses: Peyton Krebs (17th overall – 2019), Cody Glass (6th overall – 2017), and Erik Brannstrom (15th overall – 2017) have all been disappointing so far, and I'd classify all of them as misses.

The jury is out on Brendan Brisson (29th overall – 2020), Zach Dean (30th overall – 2021), David Edstrom (32nd overall – 2023) and Trevor Connelly (19th overall – 2024).

Of their eight first-round picks, only Connelly remains as property of Vegas.

Their best value picks were with Pavel Dorofeyev (79th overall – 2019), Nicolas Hague (34th overall – 2017) and Paul Cotter (115th overall – 2018).

Vegas didn't have a 1st round pick in 2018 and 2022.

The Golden Knights have built their roster outside of the draft process and had great success.

#15 – Vancouver Canucks (5 for 12; 41.7%)

Hits: Bo Horvat (9th overall – 2013), Elias Pettersson (5th overall – 2017), Brock Boeser (23rd overall – 2015), Quinn Hughes (7th overall – 2018) and Jared McCann (24th overall – 2014).

Misses: Jake Virtanen (6th overall – 2014), Olli Juolevi (5th overall – 2016), Vasili Podkolzin (10th overall – 2019), Jordan Schroeder (22nd overall – 2009), Brendan Gaunce (20th overall – 2012), Niklas Jensen (29th overall – 2011) and Hunter Shinkaruk (24th overall – 2013).

The jury is out on Jonathan Lekkerimaki (15th overall – 2022), and Tom Willander (11th overall – 2023).

The Canucks whiffed on five of seven 1st round picks from 2009 to 2014 outside of Horvat and McCann (2 for 7). The pick that hurt the most was Juolevi in 2016.

Vancouver didn't have 1st round picks in 2020, 2021 and 2024.

The only solace in recent drafts is that they managed to get Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson.

#14 – Calgary Flames (4 of 9; 44.4%)

Hits: Matthew Tkachuk (6th overall – 2016), Sean Monahan (6th overall – 2013), Sam Bennett (4th overall – 2014) and Mark Jankowski (21st overall – 2012).

Misses: Sven Baertschi (13th overall – 2011), Juuso Valimaki (16th overall – 2017), Tim Erixon (23rd overall – 2009), Emile Poirier (22nd overall – 2013), Morgan Klimchuk (28th overall – 2013)

The good news is that the Flames are trending up as Connor Zary (24th overall – 2020), Matt Coronato (13th overall – 2021), and Zayne Parekh (9th overall – 2024) are looking like locks to be hits.

It is too early to tell with Jakob Pelletier (26th overall – 2019), Samuel Honzek (16th overall – 2023) and Matvei Gridin (28th overall – 2024).

I think the Flames will be 7 for 12 (58.3%) by the end of 2025-26.

Some great late picks were Johnny Gaudreau (104th overall – 2011), Adam Fox (66th overall – 2016) and Rasmus Andersson (53rd overall – 2015).

#13 – Utah Mammoth – (8 of 15; 53.3%)

Hits: Clayton Keller (7th overall – 2016), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (6th overall – 2009), Max Domi (12th overall – 2013), Dylan Strome (3rd overall – 2015), Jakob Chychrun (16th overall – 2016), Connor Murphy (20th overall – 2011), Dylan Guenther (9th overall – 2021) and Logan Cooley (3rd overall – 2022).

Misses: Brendan Perlini (12th overall – 2014), Pierre-Olivier Joseph (23rd overall – 2017), Nick Merkley (30th overall – 2015), Victor Soderstrom (11th overall – 2019), Brandon Gormley (13th overall – 2010), Henrik Samuelsson (27th overall – 2012) and Mark Valentin (27th overall – 2010).

Some picks on the fence still are Barrett Hayton (5th overall – 2018), Conor Geekie (11th overall – 2022), Maveric Lamoureux (29th overall – 2022), Daniil But (12th overall – 2023), Dmitry Simashev (6th overall – 2023), Cole Beaudoin (24th overall – 2024) and Tij Iginla (6th overall – 2024).

Some might think that it is too early to deem Guenther and Cooley as hits, but I think they have established what they can do in this league. Hayton hasn't yet, and we might know by the end of 2025-26 if he is a hit or a miss.

Some great late-round picks were Conor Garland (123rd overall – 2015) and Michael Bunting (117th overall – 2014).

Utah could climb up into the top five of these rankings in the next year or two.

#12 – Seattle Kraken (0 for 0; 0%)

The Kraken had made four 1st round picks in their first four entry drafts.

It's too early to tell for Matty Beniers (2nd overall – 2021), Shane Wright (4th overall – 2022), Eduard Sale (20th overall – 2023) and Berkly Catton (8th overall – 2024).

At the end of 2023-24, I would have said that Beniers was a hit, but he struggled in 2024-25 and hasn't quite lived up to the 2nd overall tag yet.

#11 – Colorado Avalanche (5 for 9, 55.5%)

Hits: Nathan MacKinnon (1st overall – 2013), Matt Duchene (3rd overall – 2009), Mikko Rantanen (10th overall – 2015), Gabriel Landeskog (2nd overall – 2011), Cale Makar (4th overall – 2017).

Misses: Tyson Jost (10th overall – 2016), Martin Kaut (16th overall – 2018), Duncan Siemens (11th overall – 2011) and Joey Hishon (17th overall – 2010).

I'm not prepared to make a decision on Justin Barron (25th overall – 2020), Alex Newhook (16th overall – 2019), Bowen Byram (4th overall – 2019), Calum Ritchie (27th overall – 2023) or Oskar Olausson (28th overall – 2021).

I think Newhook is leaning towards a career like Jost, while Byram is probably leaning towards a hit, but not there yet.

#10 – Dallas Stars (8 for 14, 57.1%)

Hits: Valeri Nichushkin (10th overall – 2013), Miro Heiskanen (3rd overall – 2017), Radek Faksa (13th overall – 2013), Wyatt Johnston (23rd overall – 2021), Jason Dickinson (29th overall – 2013), Jamie Oleksiak (14th overall – 2011), Thomas Harley (18th overall – 2019) and Jake Oettinger (26th overall – 2017).

Misses: Denis Gurianov (12th overall – 2015), Ty Dellandrea (13th overall – 2018), Julius Honka (14th overall – 2014), Jack Campbell (11th overall – 2010), Riley Tufte (25th overall – 2016) and Scott Glennie (8th overall – 2009).

Players who are still in limbo are Mavrik Bourque (30th overall – 2020), Lian Bichsel (18th overall – 2022) and Emil Hemming (29th overall – 2024).

I think Bourque and Bichsel are trending for hits, but there isn't much in the cupboard in Dallas now.

Some good late-round picks by Dallas were Reilly Smith (69th overall – 2009), John Klingberg (131st – 2010), Jason Robertson (39th overall – 2017) and Roope Hintz (49th overall – 2015).

#9 – Edmonton Oilers (7 for 11 – 63.6%)

Hits: Connor McDavid (1st overall – 2015), Leon Draisaitl (3rd overall – 2014), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (1st overall – 2011), Taylor Hall (1st overall – 2010), Darnell Nurse (7th overall – 2013), Evan Bouchard (10th overall – 2018) and Dylan Holloway (14th overall – 2020).

Misses: Kailer Yamamoto (22nd overall – 2017), Nail Yakupov (1st overall – 2012), Jesse Puljujarvi (4th overall – 2016) and Magnus Paajarvi (10th overall – 2009).

Players for whom it is too early to decide on are Philip Broberg (8th overall – 2019), Xavier Bourgault (22nd overall – 2021), Reid Schaefer (32nd overall – 2022) and Sam Reilly (32nd overall – 2024).

Broberg is an example of a player who many considered a bust, but he had a good playoff for Edmonton in 2023-24 and was signed by the Blues for 2024-25 where he looked like a hit.

One could argue that the Oilers should be a lot better than they have been with four first overall picks during this stretch.

#8 – Los Angeles Kings (5 for 7; 71.4%)

Hits: Brayden Schenn (5th overall – 2009), Adrian Kempe (29th overall – 2014), Tanner Pearson (30th overall – 2012), Gabriel Vilardi (11th overall – 2017), Quinton Byfield (2nd overall – 2020), Derek Forbort (15th overall – 2010).

Misses: Alex Turcotte (5th overall – 2019), Tobias Bjornfot (22nd overall – 2019).

Players not quite decided are Brandt Clarke (8th overall – 2021), Rasmus Kupari (20th overall – 2018), and Liam Greentree (26th overall – 2024).

Clarke looks like he will get there, while Kupari is probably a miss after 2025-26.

The Kings just don't have enough picks that are hits or much in the pool to be higher than this.

#7 – Nashville Predators – (5 for 5; 100%

Hits: Kevin Fiala (11th overall – 2014), Seth Jones (4th overall – 2013), Ryan Ellis (11th overall – 2009), Eeli Tolvanen (30th overall – 2017), and Dante Fabbro (17th overall – 2016).

Misses: No big misses

I'd be tempted to count Austin Watson (18th overall – 2010) as a miss, but he has played 528 NHL games. He might not have lived up to his pick, but he's a veteran.

Players on the cusp of the hill are Philip Tomasino (24th overall – 2019), Fedor Svechkov (19th overall – 2021), Zachary L'Heureux (27th overall – 2021), Yaroslav Askarov (11th overall – 2020), Matthew Wood (15th overall – 2023), Tanner Molendyk (24th overall – 2023), Joakim Kemell (17th overall – 2022), and Egor Surin (22nd overall – 2024).

Tomasino has an important 2025-26 to go either way, while L'Heureux, Svechkov and Askarov should start making inroads to becoming hits.

#6 – Chicago Blackhawks (7 for 11; 63.6%)

Hits: Teuvo Teravainen (18th overall – 2012), Kevin Hayes (24th overall – 2010), Nick Schmaltz (20th overall – 2014), Phillip Danault (26th overall – 2011), Ryan Hartman (30th overall – 2013), and Connor Bedard (1st overall – 2023).

Misses: Adam Boqvist (8th overall – 2018), Dylan Olsen (28th overall – 2009), Nicolas Beaudin (27th overall – 2018), Mark McNeill (18th overall – 2011).

Players on the bubble are Kirby Dach (3rd overall – 2019), Lukas Reichel (17th overall – 2020), Frank Nazar (13th overall – 2022), Kevin Korchinski (7th overall – 2022), Nolan Allan (32nd overall – 2021), Artyom Levshunov (2nd overall – 2024), Sam Rinzel (25th overall – 2022), Oliver Moore (19th overall – 2023), Sacha Boisvert (18th overall – 2024), and Marek Vanacker (27th overall – 2024).

I want to put Dach on the hit side, but his injuries and inconsistencies are too great for a 3rd overall pick to this point. Nazar, Levshunov, Rinzel and Moore look like they might be hits, while Reichel and Korchinski need to turn things around.

#5 – San Jose Sharks (6 of 9; 66.6%)

Hits: Tomas Hertl (17th overall – 2012), Charlie Coyle (28th overall – 2010), Timo Meier (9th overall – 2015), Josh Norris (19th overall – 2017), Macklin Celebrini (1st overall – 2024), William Eklund (7th overall – 2021).

Misses: Nikolay Goldobin (27th overall – 2014), Mirco Mueller (18th overall – 2013), Ryan Merkley (21st overall – 2018).

Players who haven't gone one way or the other are Ozzy Wiesblatt (31st overall – 2020), Sam Dickinson (11th overall – 2024), Quentin Musty (26th overall – 2023), Will Smith (4th overall – 2023) and Filip Bystedt (27th overall – 2022).

Celebrini, Eklund, Dickinson and Smith should be cornerstones for the Sharks for the next five to ten years.

#4 – St. Louis Blues (6 for 9; 66.6%)

Hits: Vladimir Tarasenko (16th overall – 2010), Jaden Schwartz (14th overall – 2010), Robert Thomas (20th overall – 2017), Tage Thompson (26th overall – 2016), Robby Fabbri (21st overall – 2014), Jake Neighbours (26th overall – 2020).

Misses: David Rundblad (17th overall – 2009), Jordan Schmaltz (25th overall – 2012) and Dominik Bokk (25th overall – 2018).

Players on the fence are Klim Kostin (31st overall – 2017), Zachary Bolduc (17th overall – 2021), Jimmy Snuggerud (23rd overall – 2022), Dalibor Dvorsky (10th overall – 2023), Otto Stenberg (25th overall – 2023), Theo Lindstein (29th overall – 2022) and Adam Jiricek (16th overall – 2024).

Bolduc and Snuggerud are leaning to the hit side, while Kostin might be a miss after 2025-26.

The Blues have a lot of talent coming down the pipeline in the next few years. I'd slot them marginally ahead of San Jose, although the Sharks have the higher-end prospects.

#3 – Anaheim Ducks – (8 for 12; 66.7%)

Hits: Kyle Palmieri (26th overall – 2009), Rickard Rakell (30th overall – 2011), Cam Fowler (12th overall – 2010), Shea Theodore (26th overall – 2013), Hampus Lindholm (6th overall – 2012), Trevor Zegras (9th overall – 2019), Leo Carlsson (2nd overall – 2023), and Mason McTavish (3rd overall – 2021).

Misses: Peter Holland (15th overall – 2009), Emerson Etem (29th overall – 2010), Max Jones (24th overall – 2016) and Jacob Larsson (27th overall- 2015).

Players who might be one or the other are Isac Lundestrom (23rd overall – 2018), Jamie Drysdale (6th overall – 2020), Pavel Mintyukov (10th overall – 2022), Jacob Perreault (27th overall – 2019), Brayden Tracey (29th overall – 2017), Beckett Sennecke (3rd overall – 2024), Nathan Gaucher (22nd overall – 2022) and Stian Solberg (23rd overall – 2024).

Mintyukov and Sennecke are likely to hit, while Lundestrom and Drysdale are on the bubble. Perreault, Tracey, and Gaucher are trending misses.

The Ducks drafted Troy Terry (148th overall – 2015) and Josh Manson (160th overall – 2011).

The Ducks have drafted in the top three in three of the past five drafts, and two 10th picks for the other two.

#2 – Winnipeg Jets (8 for 11; 72.7%)

Hits: Mark Scheifele (7th overall – 2011), Evander Kane (4th overall – 2009), Kyle Connor (17th overall – 2015), Nikolaj Ehlers (9th overall – 2014), Patrik Laine (2nd overall – 2016), Josh Morrissey (13th overall – 2013), Jack Roslovic (25th overall – 2015), and Jacob Trouba (9th overall – 2012).

Misses: Alexander Burmistrov (8th overall – 2010), Kristian Vesalainen (24th overall – 2017), Chaz Lucius (18th overall – 2021).

Players who are on the fence are Cole Perfetti (10th overall – 2020), Logan Stanley (18th overall – 2016), Ville Heinola (20th overall – 2019), Rutger McGroarty (14th overall – 2022), Brad Lambert (30th overall – 2022), and Colby Barlow (18th overall – 2023).

It's a shame to have put Lucius in the misses, but the same holds for players who couldn't get over some injuries to realize their potential.

Perfetti might be a hit while Stanley and Heinola are leading to the miss.

#1 – Minnesota Wild (9 for 11; 81.8%)

Hits: Mikael Granlund (9th overall – 2010), Nick Leddy (16th overall – 2009), Alex Tuch (18th overall – 2014), Joel Eriksson Ek (20th overall – 2015), Jonas Brodin (10th overall – 2011), Matt Dumba (7th overall – 2012), Matthew Boldy (12th overall – 2019), Luke Kunin (15th overall – 2016), and Marco Rossi (9th overall – 2020).

Misses: Filip Johansson (24th overall – 2018), and Zack Phillips (28th overall – 2011).

Players who have yet to go either way are Liam Ohgren (19th overall – 2022), Jesper Wallstedt (20th overall – 2021), Zeev Buium (12th overall – 2024), Charlie Stramel (21st overall – 2023), Danila Yurov (24th overall – 2022), and Carson Lambos (26th overall – 2021).

Ohgren, Wallstedt and Buium might have opportunities with the Wild in 2025-26.

Just a reminder that Kirill Kaprizov was drafted 135th overall in 2015.

Thank you very much for reading, and if you have any comments, please leave them below or follow me on Twitter @gampbler15