What is the Best Draft in Carolina Hurricanes History (1997-2022)?

The draft was a few weeks ago, so I felt it appropriate to put the Canes' draft history under a microscope. The scouting department in Raleigh is considered to be one of the best in the league, hitting on a ton of picks outside of the first round in the last several seasons. With the team entering its 25th season in North Carolina and having just completed another draft, I've done my research and put together my ranking for each of the classes the team has drafted since relocation. I'm not a genius and my opinion on these classes might differ from others, but things like this are subjective. I've taken into account the number of players that have been impactful on the team in both the regular season and the postseason. While classes that produce a single great player are likely to be highly thought of, I don't think that makes the class as a whole better. The number of players drafted doesn't necessarily mean the class is great, so class size won't matter too much. I also wanted to take into account any trades of drafted players and how they impacted the team. Moving players to better the team, even if they didn't play on the team, can be effective in the long run. Again I reiterate that this list isn't going to be perfect, and that's fine with me. 

Can We Get a Do Over?

26. 2005

It's fitting that the worst draft class in team history came after the lockout that canceled the 2004-05 season. They had to get creative when determining the draft order and it benefited the Canes as they received the 3rd overall pick so even though they missed out on Sidney Crosby, they still got a chance to take a top-tier prospect. The Canes opted to select Michigan defenseman Jack Johnson with the third pick and while it looked fine for the time being, they couldn't strike a deal and he was eventually traded to Los Angeles for Tim Gleason and Eric Belanger in 2006. As for the rest of the class, only one of the nine players drafted made it onto the roster at some point. That honor belongs to sixth-round pick Nicolas Blanchard, who played nine games in 2012-13, recording zero points and 20 penalty minutes. In hindsight, there were plenty of players that eventually made names for themselves in the first round. Imagine if they'd selected Anze Kopitar or even Marc Staal with that third pick. 

25. 2009

There are some striking similarities when placing the 2005 and 2009 classes next to each other. Neither class recorded a point in single-digit games played. Only one player actually suited up for the team and it wasn't their first-round pick. For this class, sixth-round pick Rasmus Rissanen played in 6 games during the 2014-15 season. Their first pick was Phillippe Paradis was selected 27th overall and he never played in the NHL. The reason I've put this class ahead of the 2005 class comes down to Brian Dumoulin, their second-round pick. He's easily the most recognizable name from this class and even though he didn't play for the Canes, he's had quite the career. The reason he's so important to Canes' lore is that he was in the package that went to Pittsburgh in exchange for Jordan Staal at the 2012 Draft. This trade has been extremely beneficial for the Canes as they continue to reap the benefits from it to this day. This is another one of those drafts that cause you to ask what would happen if they opted to go in a different direction in the first round since Ryan O'Reilly was taken just a few picks later. 

24. 2001

The draft classes are trending upwards, albeit at a snail's pace. The Canes selected eight players in this class and while their first-round pick didn't make it to the NHL again, their second-round pick was a little bit more successful. Mike Zigomanis was taken 46th overall and was the only player to make it to the Canes' roster, playing 57 games and recording seven points. He was also a valuable trade asset, being shipped to St. Louis before the 2006 Trade Deadline in exchange for Doug Weight, a key part of the team's Stanley Cup run that season. He didn't tear things up in the NHL, but he certainly helped the team in other ways. The Canes selected Igor Knyazev with the 16th pick, making him another failed selection in the first round. It's crazy to think that Zigomanis was the best thing to come out of this draft for the organization. This was a weaker first round outside of the top ten picks. There were some serviceable players, but none that tore things up that would've made sense for them to select in hindsight. 

23. 2006

Winning the Stanley Cup doesn't make you immune from having a poor draft class. Like most contending teams, they traded their first-round pick, so they wouldn't make their first selection until the final pick of the second round, 63rd overall. Fortunately, this ended up being their best pick in the draft as they selected Jamie McBain. McBain was the only player in the team's six-player class to play on the team, racking up 75 points in 206 games. No one else in the class made the NHL roster, so that's why this class is ranked so low. McBain was also beneficial on a trade front as well, being sent to Buffalo for Andrej Sekera, one of the few bright spots during the team's dark ages of their postseason drought. While I don't think this trade is more noteworthy than the ones mentioned in the classes below it on the list, I do think McBain as a player surpasses both Rissanen and Zigomanis, landing the 2006 class in this spot. 

22. 2016

The only modern class in this portion of the list, this class isn't terrible because of the players selected, but because it's really a class of wasted potential for the Canes. Four players from this draft spent time on the roster and none of them are still with the team. The rest of their picks never made it and are no longer in the organization. They selected Jake Bean 13th overall, Julien Gauthier 21st overall, and Janne Kuokkanen 43rd overall. Bean played the most games by a wide margin, scoring 12 points in 44 games and adding a goal in the postseason. Gauthier only played in five games but picked up an assist. Kuokkanen played in 11 games and was held scoreless. All three players were shipped out to three different teams, with Bean being traded to Columbus for a second-round pick, Gauthier being traded to the Rangers for Joey Keane, and Kuokkanen being traded to New Jersey for Sami Vatanen. While the Kuokkanen trade doesn't look great, the other two could benefit the team soon. The only other player to make it to the NHL was Jack LaFontaine, playing in two games this past season and he did not have a great time after leaving school early. He was not extended a qualifying offer and hit free agency this offseason. This could've been a good class, but the team wasn't willing to wait on these guys to develop, so they made moves looking toward the future. 

It's Too Early to Tell

21. 2022

Just to go ahead and address, it's way too early to project whether these last four drafts are going to be good or not in the long run. I've decided to rank them based on my excitement for the players that were selected and how much of an impact they could have on the team. I've opted to place this year's class here because I know the least about them. With seven players, it's the smallest group of these last four drafts, yet the rest of the hockey world seems to think this is an extremely solid class. They didn't have a first-round pick since they gave that up to offer sheet Jesperi Kotkaniemi, so they didn't pick up the second round when they selected Gleb Trikozov with the 60th pick. He was a player most expected to be gone by that point in the draft and they made a couple more strong selections in the third and fourth rounds. I have no clue what to expect from this group of guys, but I look forward to seeing them develop. 

20. 2021

With 13 players selected, the 2021 class is the largest in franchise history and they did it without making a selection in the first round. The Canes initially had the 27th pick but opted to trade back 13 spots and pick up an additional pick in the second round. This class might have the most potential of any recent class. Scott Morrow, taken with the 40th pick, is the headliner of the class for the team and could become a huge addition soon once he's finished in school. Aiden Hreschuk, selected in the third round, was moved at the trade deadline to Columbus for Max Domi, who wasn't a huge success but was huge in beating Boston in the first round with two goals in Game 7. Even later selections like Bobby Orr and Bryce Montgomery are causing some excitement at the development camp. I think it may be another year or two before we find out how good this class is. 

19. 2019

I'm bucking the trend and putting the 2019 class here, the second-largest in franchise history with 12 selections. Only one player has made it to the big club and it was a fun ride. Second-round pick Pyotr Kochetkov was called upon at the end of the season to fill in when the Canes had some goalie trouble and he became an instant favorite amongst the fanbase. He won three games in four days, including the division-clinching game over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden in the final week of the season, and also won a playoff game in the first round. He appears to be situating himself as the team's "goalie of the future". Several guys could break onto the team soon with Ryan Suzuki, the team's first-round pick, leading the way. Injury troubles have halted his development a little, but he might make the jump this season at some point. Several other guys could make an impact in a few years among the forward group.

18. 2020

At the top of the more recent classes is the 2020 class for one big reason and his name is Seth Jarvis. After taking on Patrick Marleau's contract from the Maple Leafs, they were also given their first-round pick as a sweetener and it ended up being the 13th pick. Jarvis is the only player from the class to play in the NHL and he made a huge impact in his rookie season. He recorded his first point in his first game and scored his first goal shortly after. He recorded 40 points in 68 games during his rookie campaign and added eight points in the postseason. While he's already making his mark, there are several others that I'm excited about. Noel Gunler was their next pick and he was considered a steal at pick 41. Many around the league started to see just how good the team's scouting department is. The class also features Vasily Ponomarev, Alexander Nikishin, Zion Nybeck, and Alexander Pashin, all of whom I hope we get to see in red and black. I think the class will likely rest on the shoulders of Jarvis for a little bit and hopefully, the load is lightened with each pick that hits. 

These Were Certainly Drafts

17. 1999

Only one player ended up being a decent contributor in this nine-player class but it turned out to be their first-round pick, so that's something to hang their hat on. With the 16th pick, the Canes selected David Tanabe from Wisconsin and he turned out to have a decent time with the Canes in two stints. Tanabe made his debut with the team the following season and would play in 251 games over the next four seasons, scoring 62 points and playing seven games in the postseason in his first two seasons. He would be traded to the Rangers for Danny Markov following the 2002-03 season before being re-united with the team during free agency before the 2006-07 season, adding 20 more points in 78 more games in the next two seasons. Three other players would reach the NHL with the Canes, but they only combined for five games and three points. Tanabe is the only player worth remembering from this draft for the Canes, but they could've also taken future Calder Trophy winner Barrett Jackman, who was selected with the next pick.

16. 1997

The first draft after relocation is an interesting case of not getting the most from the players selected, but using them to improve the team in other ways. Four players made it to the team, including the team's top two picks. The team selected Nikos Tselios and Brad DeFauw with the 21st and 28th picks, respectively. They combined to play 11 total games with DeFauw scoring three goals in his nine games. The highlights of the class came a little bit later. The best player from the class is current television personality Shane Willis, playing in 141 games and putting up 61 points. He would later get traded for goalie Kevin Weekes in time for him to play amazingly in the 2002 playoffs, making one of the most amazing saves in franchise history during the series against the Devils. Niklas Nordgren is another interesting case because even though he was drafted in 1997, he wouldn't make it to North America until the 2005-06 season. He'd score six points in his 43 games with the team before being sent to Pittsburgh for Mark Recchi after Erik Cole went down with a neck injury. This class is another class that isn't too exciting on the surface but features some fun moves that are among some of the best in the team's history. 

15. 2004

This was a special occasion for the team as the 2004 NHL Draft took place within the confines of the RBC Center. Better yet, the Canes had the fourth overall selection in the draft after trading up four spots with Columbus, so they were bound to get a top-tier prospect. While Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin were the top prizes in the draft, they would be out of the Canes' reach. Instead, the Canes selected Andrew Ladd. While this didn't turn out to be a flashy selection, especially since Blake Wheeler was taken with the next pick by Phoenix, Ladd is a Stanley Cup champion. He played parts of three seasons with the Hurricanes, racking up just 50 points in 137 games. Injuries were a major reason for his troubles and he would later be traded to Chicago for Tuomo Ruutu. Each of the teams first four picks made it to the NHL. Along with Ladd, Justin Peters, Casey Borer, and Brett Carson all played on the Canes, playing largely secondary roles on the team. They didn't pan out the way the team would hope, but it's a higher success rate than most other classes. It's a bit of a letdown considering the draft was in the Canes' barn. 

14. 2008

In the grand scheme of things, having four of five players in a class make it to the NHL is a good thing. It means you're doing something right. However, you'd like for them to stick around a little bit longer than the players in this class did. With the 14th pick, the Canes selected Zach Boychuk and he only lasted 115 games before being placed and claimed off waivers. He only put up 28 points. Zac Dalpe was taken in the second round and he only scored 10 points in 41 games. Michal Jordan scored just seven points in 79 games. Mike Murphy played in two games between the pipes for the team and while he stopped all nine shots he faced in two relief appearances, he never made an impact with the team. I think I look at this class as better than the previous few I've talked about because of the percentage of guys that made it to the Canes. This isn't a star-studded class by any means. In fact, the Canes could've taken Erik Karlsson, who was taken with the 15th pick by Ottawa. Imagine if he'd been on the team to this day and was with the defensive core the team has. 

13. 2017

Depending on the status of Martin Necas as the team tries to re-sign him this offseason, it could change the complexion of this class. Only three players from this class have made it to the NHL with the Canes. Necas is easily the longest-tenured of the group, playing in 203 games, and scoring 115 points while adding 14 points in 33 postseason games. There have been some problems with his consistency at times, but he is a fast skater with untapped potential that should be back with the team next season. Three players from the class have already been traded or let go, including the other two players that suited up for the Canes. Eetu Luostarainen, taken 42nd overall, played just eight games with the Canes, picking up an assist before he was traded to Florida for Vincent Trocheck at the 2020 Trade Deadline. Morgan Geekie had one of the best debuts in team history, scoring his first two career goals in his NHL debut and adding two more points in his second game. He finished his time as a Hurricane with 13 points in 38 games before being selected by Seattle in the Expansion Draft. Eetu Makiniemi was an exciting goalie prospect and he was traded to San Jose as free agency started this offseason for Brent Burns. This is another class that is going to be contingent on one player and it could fall back if Necas isn't retained or traded for a decent return. 

12. 2011

The 2011 class is a small one with just six players, but it features a player that gave to the Canes in many ways. I am, of course, talking about Victor Rask. In the years since he was traded, Rask became a bit of a running joke amongst the Canes fanbase. Honestly, his numbers weren't terrible. In 339 games, Rask put up 163 points, racking up a career-high 48 points in 2015-16. He started slowly in 2018-19, scoring just six points in 26 games, prompting the front office to feel a change was needed for him. They traded Rask to Minnesota for Nino Niederreiter straight-up. It's considered one of the best trades in franchise history and Niederreiter has become a fan favorite. The hope is that they'll re-sign him this offseason, though the likelihood is slim. Ryan Murphy, the team's 12th overall pick, also put in some time with the team, scoring 37 points in 151 games. Keegan Lowe and Brady Sutter were also on the team for short periods, combining 14 games played and zero points. I don't think this class is amazing, but featuring two 100+ game players and one of the best trades in the team's history isn't a raw deal for a small class. 

11. 2000

There are many unsung heroes among the ranks of the organization and no player has exemplified that more than Niclas Wallin. The fourth-round pick in the 2000 Draft was never one to light the lamp a lot, proven by the fact he only scored 69 points in 517 games as a Hurricane, however, he had a clutch gene in the postseason that was unmatched. He only scored three goals in 69 postseason games, but all three goals were overtime-winners, the most in franchise history. He was a staple of the defense for several seasons and was easily the best player selected in this draft by the team. The only other players to reach the NHL with the team were their second-round pick Tomas Kurka and third-round pick Ryan Bayda. Kurka only scored five points in 17 games, while Bayda put up 40 points in 179 games and four more points in 15 postseason games. This draft was also notable because the team traded away the 14th pick in the draft to acquire Sandis Ozolinsh, so they didn't have a first-round pick, but that didn't seem to matter. Wallin deserves a lot more credit for his achievements in the postseason as a Stanley Cup champion. 

Good, Not Great

10. 2007

Just like the 2008 Draft class, four of the five players selected in this draft made it to the NHL. The major difference and the reason I've picked the 2007 class as a good one is because the four players that made it had a little bit more longevity with the team. Brandon Sutter was the Canes' first pick 11th overall and he was easily the standout of the class. He played 286 games in a Canes sweater, scoring 107 points, both numbers leading the class. He was another player packaged to the Penguins in exchange for Jordan Staal, so he was helpful in more ways than one. Drayson Bowman, Chris Terry, and Brett Bellemore were the other three to make the team and all three played over 100 games with the team. None of them scored a lot, Terry leading the trio with 34 points, followed by Bowman's 33, and Bellemare's 20. The names are the flashiest, but having 80% of your class play on the big team means you did something right. They played during the dark ages of the team, so there wasn't a lot to expect from them, and it makes their production all the more important. 

9. 2014

This class is sneaky good. It doesn't feature any players still on the team, but most of them made some serious contributions to the team during their time. The Canes had the seventh pick of the first round and used it on Haydn Fleury and they followed him up with four more players that were on the team, Alex Nedeljkovic, Warren Foegele, Lucas Wallmark, and Clark Bishop. Fleury reached his full potential, mostly because of inconsistent playing time, putting up just 24 points in 167 games before being traded at the 2020 deadline for Jani Hakanpaa. It's even more frustrating now considering William Nylander, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Kevin Fiala were taken with three of the next four picks. Nedeljkovic took a while to get to the big team and while he was traded after his first full season with the team for very little, he was a Calder finalist in 2021 and was the team's starting goalie for the playoff run. Foegele emerged as the Capital killer during the Canes' return run to the postseason. His 200 games and 68 points are the most of any player in the class and he was traded to Edmonton before the start of last season for Ethan Bear. Wallmark put up 54 points in 160 games and was traded to Florida for Vincent Trocheck. Bishop only played in 25 games, scoring four points, before he was traded to Ottawa for Max Lajoie. You'd always love for there to be more scoring, but this is another class that was around for a decent amount of time and brought in good players when they were eventually traded. 

8. 2018

I know I said earlier that one player shouldn't make or break an entire class, but I think this draft might have been the most important in the franchise's history. Entering the lottery with the 11th-best odds to win the first pick, the Canes jumped up nine spots and finished with the second pick in the draft. For a team that was in the midst of a long postseason drought, a high pick like this was huge. With this pick, the Canes selected Andrei Svechnikov and the rest is history that is waiting to be written. In just four seasons, Svechnikov has made an immediate impact. While his rookie season wasn't the flashiest, he still put up 20 goals. His numbers have improved and he notched his first 30-goal campaign last season. He was the first player to score a lacrosse goal in an NHL game, accomplishing it twice in 2019. He also scored the first and only postseason hat trick in franchise history during the Qualifying Round in the bubble in 2020. He's signed to a long-term extension with the team, so he'll be in Raleigh for a long time. Only one other person in the class has made it to the NHL, but he'll be looking to play a larger role this season. That player is Jack Drury. The second-rounder got the call-up last season for two games in December and he scored goals in both games. This is a class that only stands to get better in the coming years and could become one of the best in franchise history along with its most important. 

7. 2002

With just four players selected, this is tied for the smallest draft class in franchise history. That means you need to hit with at least a pick or two to make the class a success. Considering the team never took a goalie in the first round ever again, I'd say it was a major success. While they didn't have anyone else in the class make it to the NHL, with the 25th pick, the Canes selected Cam Ward. I'm sure it was their intention when they selected him but Ward became the goalie of the future for the team. He would join the team for the 2005-06 season and it wasn't until the playoffs began that Ward got the chance to shine. He took over for Martin Gerber during the first round and would win 15 games as a rookie en route to the Conn Smythe Trophy and a Stanley Cup win. Ward holds franchise records in pretty much every goaltending category by a wide margin. He was just as good in the Canes' 2009 playoff run, but that would be his last run with the team as they'd go on a decade-long postseason drought. For most of those seasons, Ward was good but not good enough. I'd argue that he should get a place in the rafters at PNC Arena. He's the only good player from the 2002 class for the team though I'd say he's one of the franchise greats. 

6. 2003

While they've never had the first pick, they've picked second twice. Both times they've come out with a franchise-caliber player. It was Andrei Svechnikov in 2018 and it was Eric Staal in 2003. I don't think it's controversial to say that Staal is the best player to wear a Hurricanes uniform. Most would say Ron Francis, but I think about him more as a Whaler and a Penguin than as a Hurricane. Like Ward, Staal leads in every major scoring category for the team, posting 322 goals, 453 assists, and 775 points in 909 games. He is the only player to score 100 points in a season as a Hurricane, won a Stanley Cup, became a captain, and is the only Hurricane to join the Triple Gold Club. He also showed up in the postseason, scoring some of the most iconic goals in franchise history. My mind instantly thinks about the game-tying goal with 3.3 seconds left in Game 2 against New Jersey in 2006 and the game-winning goal in the "Shock at the Rock" in Game 7 against the Devils in 2009. He's not the only player from the class to make it to the NHL, with Danny Richmond, the team's second-round pick, playing ten games in the league and amassing just one assist. The class rests solely on Staal and his accolades and his number should be honored one day once he's done playing. 

The Best of the Best

5. 2012

While they didn't have a first-round pick since they traded it for Jordan Staal on night one of the draft, this draft features one of the most incredible selections the team has ever made. In the fourth round, with the 120th pick, the Canes selected defenseman Jaccob Slavin from Chicago of the USHL. This might be one of the best picks the team has ever made considering what we know now about him. Slavin has become the team's most reliable defenseman and is often matched up with the opponent's best forward line. He's played 508 games as a Hurricane, fifth-most among defensemen in franchise history, and his 208 points are second-most. With two assists this season, he'll pass Justin Faulk for the most in franchise history by a blueliner. He also has the most points in the postseason by a defenseman by a margin that is only going to grow. He's not the only pick to make an impact. Brock McGinn, selected 47th overall, fit the role of a gritty forward that gave teams problems during his time with the team. He played 345 games with the team and scored 106 points. Phil Di Giuseppe, taken 38th overall, scored 41 points in 147 games. Trevor Carrick and Brendan Woods round out the players to make it to the NHL, going scoreless in 11 combined games. Slavin might be the best value pick in franchise history and I think he should be next in line to wear the C for the team. 

4. 1998

I was skeptical that a class from this early in the franchise's history would make it this high on my list, but there are two very good reasons for the 1998 class to land this high up. Their names are Erik Cole and Josef Vasicek. Taken 20 picks apart in the third and fourth rounds respectively, these two have to be pretty high on a list of beloved Hurricanes as a result of their two stints each with the team. Cole had the better career of the two, playing in 557 games, seventh-most in franchise history, and scoring 363 points, tied for fifth-most with Jordan Staal. He never had great success in the postseason during his three runs, though he only played in Games 6 and 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2006 after missing the second half of the season with a neck injury. Vasicek was never a flashy player, but he fit a role with the team well. His numbers weren't eye-popping, never recording more than 45 points and never reaching 20 goals, but he scored a huge overtime goal during the team's 2002 postseason run. He finished with 341 games played with the team and scored 135 points. Sadly, he passed away in 2011 in a plane crash in Russia. Tommy Westlund might've only scored 21 points, but he played a surprising 201 games with the team. Jaroslav Svoboda was another player from the 2002 team that saw some amount of success, playing 91 games and scoring 22 points. The team's first-round pick Jeff Heerema scored three goals in ten games, never amounting to much despite being the 11th pick. I think a lot of this class relies on the careers of Cole and Vasicek, but I think they were pivotal parts of some great teams. 

3. 2013

This is the other four-player class in the franchise's history and for as much as Cam Ward meant to the franchise, he was the only player from that class to make an impact. This class had two players, one of which is still with the team. This Canes had the fifth pick in the draft and they selected Elias Lindholm. He probably didn't exceed the expectations associated with being a pick that high while he was with the team, but he was still a pretty solid contributor. He put up 188 points in 374 games with the team, though he never did get to see any postseason action with the team. Before the 2018-19 season, he was shipped to Calgary in the trade for Dougie Hamilton. This trade would benefit both teams in a way. Hamilton was a huge part of three seasons with the team as they returned to the postseason. Lindholm has thrived with the Flames, scoring 42 goals this past season while playing on the best line in the league with Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. The other great player from this draft was third-round pick Brett Pesce. Still with the team, Pesce has been an excellent and important part of the defensive core for several years. He's often considered one of the more underrated defensemen in the league, playing a similar role as Jaccob Slavin with slightly less offensive output. Pesce will continue to make this draft class look good since he's the only one left. I think hitting like the Canes did with two of their four picks makes this one of the three best classes in franchise history. 

2. 2015

When it came to ranking the top two classes, I struggled with which class I think is better. I've placed the 2015 class second with the thought that it could eventually become the best class in franchise history depending on one player. This is another draft where the Canes had the fifth overall selection and with that pick, they selected Noah Hanifin. This was a loaded class and while I think there were better players taken after him, Hanifin wasn't a terrible Hurricane. He scored 83 points in 239 games, but I think the team needed him to be a little bit more than he was able to be. He was included in the package sent to the Flames for Dougie Hamilton, so his time with the team ended rather quickly. This class also included Nicolas Roy, who didn't score in seven games before being sent to Vegas for Erik Haula, and Steven Lorentz, a scrappy fourth-line player that put up 21 points in 112 games before he was traded for Brent Burns. Easily the best player in the class, however, and a possible candidate to become the greatest player in franchise history was their second-round pick. Sebastian Aho would likely be taken in the top five if the draft was done today. He's already one of the ten best players to wear a Canes sweater, third in franchise history with 182 goals and 401 points, and he could very well be in second in both categories if he produces at the same level he has been in recent seasons. He's also the franchise leader in postseason points, racking up 46 points during the last four postseasons. I think he could be a Hurricane-for-life if the team signs him to a long-term deal once his current contract is over and will have plenty of time to become the greatest Hurricane ever. 

1. 2010

The 2010 class is an interesting case because it features a very big caveat. In the seventh round of this draft, the Canes selected a goalie by the name of Frederik Andersen. While he didn't sign with the team and would later be drafted, he found his way back to the team through free agency before last season and played phenomenally. Because he didn't sign when he was drafted, I didn't consider his season when placing this class at the top. That means that this class is number one with just two players contributing the lion's share of the production. Jeff Skinner was the prize of the class for the Canes, selecting him 7th overall. He was nearly a point-per-game player during in time with the team, scoring 379 points, fourth-most in franchise history, and is only one of two players with 200+ goals with the team. With a head coaching change, Skinner was sent to Buffalo before the 2018-19 season and while the return was less than I expected, it ended up landing the Canes Pyotr Kochetkov and Alexander Nikishin, and indirectly led to the team drafting Alexander Pashin. Justin Faulk, taken 30 picks later, lasted a season longer, finally reaching the postseason with the team in 2018-19 and scoring one of the more memorable goals of the first round. He's the franchise's leader in points by a defenseman with 258 and played the second-most game (559). Faulk, like Skinner, retrieved a less than amazing return when he was traded to St. Louis. I think it's likely that within the next few years, the 2015 class will overtake the 2010 class if Aho continues to put up insane numbers. For the time being, however, the 2010 class is the premier class in the franchise's history.