Fellow Czech defenseman Ivan Majesky played for three different teams in three
NHL seasons. His 6-foot-5 frame helped him record 234 penalty minutes in 202
games. He played in four different leagues across Europe before retiring in
2017.7: 1993, GM Bobby ClarkeNotable Selections: Rob Niedermayer (Rd. 1, 5th
overall), Kevin Weekes (Rd. 2, 41st overall)

Center Rob Niedermayer was the Panthers'; prized selection of their inaugural
entry draft. The younger brother of Hall-of-Fame defenseman Scott, he enjoyed
his own share of NHL success. His best regular-season totals came as part of
the Panthers'; 1996 team, recording 26 goals and 35 assists. After some head
injuries, he was forced to transition into a more defensive, penalty-killing
forward.

Together with his brother, they helped lead the Anaheim Ducks to their first
Stanley Cup championship in 2007. They would play in Anaheim for a total of
four seasons together before Rob was signed by New Jersey in 2009. He recorded
469 points and 904 penalty minutes in 1153 games.

Canadian goalie Kevin Weekes was able to get a wide scope of the NHL, playing
for seven different teams during his 11 year career. His prime was in the early
 2000';s when he was a starter for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina
Hurricanes. Weekes posted a career 0.903 save percentage in 348 games played.
Today, he is still involved in hockey as a member of the media, and you can
regularly find his face and analysis on NHL Network.6: 2002, GM Rick
DudleyNotable Selections: Jay Bouwmeester (Rd. 1, 3rd overall), Gregory
Campbell (Rd. 3, 67th overall)

Canadian gold medalist and two time All-Star Jay Bouwmeester is still enjoying
a long career in the NHL despite an injury last season. He owns the
fifth-longest consecutive games played streak in history at 737 games and
second in Panthers all-time points among defensemen. He';s had tenures with the
 Panthers, Flames and St. Louis Blues for 1106 total games. His career began
with some higher offensive totals, but he developed into a very reliable,
top-pair, two-way defenseman over the years.

Forward Greg Campbell spent the first five seasons of his career with the
Panthers, then the next five with the Boston Bruins. His reputation is that of
an effective penalty-killing fourth line forward, perhaps best known for
breaking a leg and completing his shift against the Pittsburgh Penguins during
the 2013 Eastern Conference Final.5: 2010, GM Dale TallonNotable Selections:
Erik Gudbranson (Rd. 1, 3rd overall), Nick Bjugstad (Rd. 1, 19th overall),
Quinton Howden (Rd. 1, 25th overall), Alex Petrovic (Rd. 2, 36th overall),
Connor Brickley (Rd. 2, 50th overall), Joonas Donskoi (Rd. 4, 99th overall),
Zach Hyman (Rd. 5, 123rd overall)

Gudbranson was the first selection of the Dale Tallon Era. He is gritty and at
6-foot-4, a good-sized defenseman. He played five seasons for the Panthers
before being traded to the Canucks in the summer of 2016 for Jared McCann.
He';s totaled 54 points and 399 penalty minutes over 391 games.

Off the ice, he has a captain-quality demeanor. He was, and remains, popular
among fans and teammates alike. On the ice however, he looks more awkward as
the league goes in a progressively faster direction. Fifteen years ago,
Gudbranson could have been elite. Today, it hurts to see some of the names
selected after him, such as Cam Fowler and Vladimir Tarasenko.Gudbranson is a
physical presence on the Canucks'; blue line. (Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY
Sports)

Bjugstad was the second of Tallon';s myriad of picks this summer. He';s
developed into quite the role player for the current Panthers. After moving
from center to wing, he enjoyed his most productive season last year after he
spent the second half playing with Sasha Barkov. He has recorded 179 points in
362 NHL games so far.

Though he may still be overvalued, the large forward is learning how to use his
 6-foot-6 frame effectively. Development has been a bit slower than some may
have liked, but he is poised to take another step forward this season.

Quinton Howden was one of the fastest skaters in the league during his short
tenure. The center was unable to ever earn a full time roster spot in the NHL
however, and was frequently moved to and from the AHL. He logged just 17 points
 and 97 games before leaving for the KHL last season.

Alex Petrovic has had his fair share of struggles in the NHL thus far. He';s
usually in the way and sometimes manages to be in the other team';s way. He has
 maintained a fairly stable role as one of Florida';s bottom-pair defenseman
and never hesitates to drop the gloves. He';s managed 48 points and 334 penalty
 minutes in 228 games. After being healthy scratched for a number of games last
 season, look for him to compete for his roster spot on the Panthers blue line
again this year.

Connor Brickley has been a bit of nomad through his career thus far. He has
played in 67 NHL games over two seasons, all for the Panthers, but the forward
has been bounced between four different organizations and their AHL affiliates
for the better part of five seasons now.

Donskoi and the Panthers were never able to come to a contract agreement after
his selection. His rights expired and he finally signed with the San Jose
Sharks in May of 2015. He broke out during the playoffs of his rookie season as
 he was an integral part of the Sharks'; run to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.
He';s a versatile winger who has logged 85 points in 203 regular-season games.

Zach Hyman could be the one that got away. He too was never able to come to
terms with the Panthers after being selected, and his rights were traded to
Toronto in the summer of 2015. He spent just 59 games with the AHL';s Toronto
Marlies before being given a chance in the NHL, and he';s never looked back.
Today, he';s established a remarkable chemistry on the left side of Auston
Matthews and has recorded 74 points in 180 games.The Leafs signed Hyman to a
four-year contract last summer. (John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports)

If you';re measuring the sheer quantity of NHL players, this draft was by far
the most fruitful. It';s hard not to hit a few times when you have 15 picks.
While no one player from this class is elite, the volume of NHL talent is
unmistakable. No other Panthers draft class turned out more than four
significant players, and this one produced seven, earning it a top five spot on
 the countdown.4: 1994, GM Bill TorreyNotable Selections: Ed Jovanovski (Rd. 1,
 1st overall), Rhett Warrener (Rd. 2, 27th overall), Ryan Johnson (Rd. 2, 36th
overall)

Defenseman Ed Jovanovski was a force to reckoned with on a nightly basis during
 his career. He played in 1,128 games over the course of his 18 year career,
totaling 500 points and 1491 penalty minutes. His biggest playoff success came
in his rookie season when the 1995-96 Panthers blew through the Eastern
Conference to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. It was the Year of the Rat, which
Panthers fans revere whether they were there for it or not.

Jovo Cop, along with Kevin Weekes, were part of a package traded to the
Vancouver Canucks in January of 1999 in exchange for assets that included Pavel
 Bure and Bret Hedican. He spent his prime years playing in Vancouver, then in
Phoenix after signing as a free agent in 2006. He returned to Florida in 2011,
where he would play three more seasons and retire as their captain.

Rhett Warrener was another rookie defenseman to play with the Panthers during
their 1996 run to the Cup Finals. That same year, he was a gold medalist with
Canada in the World Junior Championships. Relied upon more for his physical
play than anything else, he logged 899 penalty minutes in 714 NHL games.

Center Ryan Johnson usually had difficulty making it through a full NHL season,
 either due to injury or the occasional AHL stint, but he scored 122 points in
701 games over a few different teams as a third or fourth line forward. He
currently works as the director of player development for his former team, the
Vancouver Canucks, and is the general manager of their AHL affiliate, the Utica
 Comets.3: 1995, GM Bryan MurrayNotable Selections: Radek Dvorak (Rd. 1, 10th
overall), Daniel Tjarnqvist (Rd. 4, 88th overall), Peter Worrell (Rd. 7, 166th
overall), Filip Kuba (Rd. 8, 192nd overall)

During his career, Dvorak was best known for his polarizing speed. He wasn';t a
 huge goal scorer, but he was a reason to watch and could freeze goaltenders
and defensemen alike. He';s well liked among the Panthers community as he was a
 part of the 1996 Eastern Conference champion team in the first of his two
stints in Florida. His most productive season was with the New York Rangers in
2000-01 when he put up 31 goals and 67 points. His career total came to 590
points in 1,260 games.Dvorak retired in 2014 as a member of the Carolina
Hurricanes. (Photo Credit: Andy Martin Jr)

Defenseman Daniel Tjarnqvist played six seasons in the NHL. Prior to his first
season, he was traded from the Panthers to the Atlanta Thrashers in a package
for goaltender Trevor Kidd. He totaled 90 points and 352 games.

Peter Worrell was a bad, feared man during his years in the NHL. Anyone to
cross him was lucky to leave the ice without some kind of physical pain. At
6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, it was difficult to find a formidable sparring
partner. This made him fairly popular among Panthers faithful. He amassed 1554
penalty minutes and 46 points in 391 NHL games.

Filip Kuba enjoyed a 836 game career between 1998 and 2013. The longevity of
his career speaks to his incredible reliability as a defenseman who could be
counted on for big minutes every night and some scoring on occasion. He tallied
 333 points and averaged almost 23 minutes per game over 14 seasons.2: 2013, GM
 Dale TallonNotable Selections: Aleksander Barkov (Rd. 1, 2nd overall), Ian
McCoshen (Rd. 2, 31st overall), Mackenzie Weegar (Rd. 7, 206th overall)

Barkov is already one of the best players to ever put on a Panthers sweater. At
 23 years old, he finds himself ninth in franchise goals. The humble Finn is a
true number-one center, and now, the Panthers'; youngest captain! His work
ethic is infectious. His stick skills with and without the puck make every
Panthers game, as far as I';m concerned, must-watch hockey.

Somehow, he is on track to continue improving too. He is widely regarded as the
 next Anze Kopitar and yet one of the most underrated players in the league.
The secret of Barkov is spreading quickly however, as he posted 78 points last
season, for a total of 249 in 331 games. Barkov is elite and just entering his
prime years.Barkov is a shootout magician and a force on both sides of the
puck. (Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports)

Ian McCoshen was drafted out of Boston College, where he developed some
chemistry with fellow Panthers selection Mike Matheson. He was used mostly as a
 seventh defenseman last season, playing in 38 games, but it was valuable
experience for the 23 year old. He is big and physical and has a good defensive
 mind, although he could still use some time to improve his decision making.
Look for him to spend one more year in Springfield before, hopefully, making a
full-time jump to the NHL in 2019.

Weegar got his NHL chance in the final year of his entry level contract and was
 impressive in 60 games last season. He is a two-way defenseman with a lot of
promise. He skates well and has an above average shot. Look for him to continue
 developing on Florida';s bottom pair this year.1: 2011, GM Dale TallonNotable
Selections: Jonathan Huberdeau (Rd. 1, 3rd overall), Vincent Trocheck (Rd. 3,
64th overall), Logan Shaw (Rd. 3, 76th overall), Iiro Pakarinen (Rd. 7, 184th
overall)

What';s better than drafting a superstar that can lead your team to the
promised land? Drafting two of them. It may be bold to claim that two drafts
with players that have yet to complete 400 games are superior to those that
have produced Ed Jovanovski, Radek Dvorak, Filip Kuba, and the like, but it is
a testament to the quality of players that are Barkov, Huberdeau, and Trocheck.
 Surrounded by the right supporting cast, these three can take the Panthers
back to the Stanley Cup Final.

Huberdeau has developed into a terrific winger in this league. He';s
established chemistry early on with both Barkov and Trocheck, whom the Panthers
 hope to have around for a long time. He is a smooth skater with excellent
offensive instincts and an impressive wrist shot.

With 69 points, he had a breakout season last year and has a career total of
267 points in 385 games. He appears to be just entering his prime and is an
important part of the Panthers'; core that they should try to keep together for
 a long time.Huberdeau is expected to start this season on a line with Trocheck
 and Mike Hoffman. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Trocheck is the third part and second-line center to the Panthers three-headed
offensive monster. Nightly, Trocheck sets the tone for his line and is a
perfect complement to Barkov';s first unit. He is fearless, tenacious, and
plays with obvious passion. He surpassed the 30 goal plateau for his first time
 last season and shows no signs of turning back soon. Like Barkov and
Huberdeau, he is on the cusp of his prime. Trocheck has logged 212 points in
310 NHL games thus far.

Logan Shaw is a Canadian center who has played for three NHL teams over the
last three seasons. He';ll probably never crack the top six of a lineup, but he
 was forced into some heavy minutes last season when a couple of Anaheim';s
centers went down with injury. Overall, he';s a reasonably good fourth line
player and effective in the faceoff circle. He has 31 points to his name in 180
 games.

Pakarinen played on the wing for Edmonton in 134 contests between 2014 and
2018. He has not been able to show any significant production in North America
over the last few seasons, and is returning to Europe to play in the KHL this
year.

The post Power-Ranking Every Panthers Entry Draft appeared first on The Hockey
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