2007 Patrick Kane
The Chicago Blackhawks number one draft pick of 2007 was voted this year’s NHL rookie of the year. Patrick Kane edged out fellow line-mate Jonathan Toews for the Calder Trophy and become the first Chicago Blackhawks player to win the award since Ed Belfour took home the hardware in 1991. Kane led all rookies this season with 72 points in 82 games.

2006 Erik Johnson
The St. Louis Blues knew when they drafted Erik Johnson they were getting a solid defensemen that could score when it counted. And boy did he make his first NHL goal count! October 6, 2007 Johnson scored the game winning goal against Jonathan Bernier of the Los Angeles Kings. In his first year in the NHL, Johnson averaged 18 minutes of ice-time but he still has to prove himself. With the chance to learn from a battle tested veteran like the Blues Vice President of Hockey Operations, Al MacInnis, Johnson might become the anchor St. Louis needs to finally bring a Cup home to the Gateway City.

2005 Sidney Crosby
The Pittsburgh Penguins 18 year old delivered arguably the best rookie season in NHL history. At 18 years (and 253 days), “The Kid” became the NHL’s youngest player to reach the 100 point plateau. But Crosby wasn’t finished with the record books just yet. A 19-years-and-eight-month-old Crosby became the youngest player to be the NHL’s scoring champion. He scored 120 points in 79 games and has the title of the only teenager to win the Art Ross. (The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, won the Art Ross at 20 years and 3 months of age in the 1980-81 season.) Crosby became the second youngest player to take home the NHL’s award for MVP, the Hart Trophy. The Great One beat him to the punch on this one! Gretzky was 19-years-5-months-old in when he won his first of eight consecutive Hart Trophies. Now at the age of 21, Crosby has competed in his first Stanley Cup finals and is sure to make many more appearances in the future.

2004 Alexander Ovechkin
As a rookie, this Washington Capitals number one pick set franchise records for goals (52), assists (54), points (106), PPGs (21) and shots (425). All of those numbers added up to Ovechkin winning the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year. Even today, Ovechkin continues to rack up awards and accolades. This year the Russian star hauled home the Hart, the Lester B. Pearson, the Rocket Richard and the Art Ross trophies. Hope Ovechkin has more shelves in his home; he’ll need the space if he continues at this rate!

2003 Marc-Andre Fleury
Drafting a goalie number one overall is not something a lot of teams would bet on but the Penguins didn’t think Marc-Andre Fleury was a gamble at all. Fleury proved that in his NHL debut stopping 46 of 48 shots and he even stopped a penalty shot in a loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Fleury posted 40 wins in his first full NHL season, the second most in a season for a Penguins goaltender. And this year he stood on his head in the Stanley Cup playoffs by stopping 55 shots in the triple overtime game 5 versus Detroit. He has grown into a proven playoff goalie that will be a part of a cast looking to become Stanley Cup playoff regulars.