The 1988 NHL Draft: Where Are They Now?

In this blog post, we take a look at the 1988 NHL Draft and see where the drafted players are now.

The 1988 NHL Draft Where Are They Now?

The 1988 NHL Draft produced some of the most iconic names in recent hockey history. But where are they now?

In the first round of the 1988 NHL Draft the Detroit Red Wings selected Sergei Fedorov with the fourth overall pick. Fedorov would go on to have a Hall of Fame career, winning three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings and being named a six-time All-Star. He currently serves as the General Manager of CSKA Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

With the sixth overall pick, the Quebec Nordiques selected Joe Sakic. Sakic also had a Hall of Fame career, winning two Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche and being named an eight-time All-Star. He currently serves as the executive advisor and alternate governor for the Avalanche.

Other notable players from the 1988 NHL Draft include Jeremy Roenick (drafted 8th overall by Chicago Blackhawks), Rod Brind’Amour (9th overall by St. Louis Blues), John LeClair (23rd overall by Montreal Canadiens), and Curtis Joseph (129th overall by St. Louis Blues).

The 1988 NHL Draft The Top Picks

The 1988 NHL Draft is remembered as one of the deepest in recent memory, with many of the Top Picks going on to have long and successful NHL careers.

Here is a look at the top 10 picks from that draft, and where they are now.

1. Mike Modano (Dallas Stars current GM): After 21 seasons with the Stars, Modano retired in 2011 as the All-time leading scorer among American-born players. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.
2. Trevor Linden (Vancouver Canucks): Linden spent 16 seasons with Vancouver, serving as team captain for 10 of them. He retired in 2008 and now serves as President of Hockey Operations for the Canucks.
3. Teemu Selanne (Winnipeg Jets): Selanne is perhaps best known for his time with the Anaheim Ducks with whom he won a Stanley Cup in 2007. He retired following the 2013-14 season after 21 years in the NHL.
4. Rod Brind’Amour (St. Louis Blues): Brind’Amour had a long and successful NHL career spending 15 seasons with the Blues before finishing up with Carolina Hurricanes (with whom he won a Stanley Cup in 2006). He retired in 2010 and now serves as Head Coach of the Hurricanes.
5. Stéphane Matteau (Chicago Blackhawks): Matteau is best remembered for his dramatic double-overtime goal that helped eliminate the New York Rangers from the 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs He played 12 seasons in the NHL before retiring in 2002.
6.. Jeremy Roenick (Chicago Blackhawks): Roenick was one of the most polarizing figures of his generation, but there’s no denying his on-ice skill. He played 20 seasons in the NHL before retiring in 2009 and now works as an analyst for NBC Sports Network
7.. Daniel Alfredsson (Detroit Red Wings): Alfredsson spent 17 seasons with the Ottawa Senators, becoming one of the most respected leaders in the game before signing with Detroit for his final season in 2013-14 .He announced his retirement following that year .
8.. Curtis Leschyshyn (Quebec Nordiques): A dependable defensive defenseman, Leschyshyn enjoyed a 17-year NHL career that saw him play for six different teams .He retired following 2005-06 season .
9.. Bobby Holik ( Hartford Whalers ): A big Power Forward , Holik had two stints withthe New Jersey Devils , winning two Stanley Cupswith them , and also playingforthe Atlanta Thrashersand Calgary Flames during his 18-year career .He officially announcedhis retirementin 2010 , although he made a brief comeback attemptwith HC Lev Prahaofthe Kontinental Hockey League( KHL ) duringthe 2012 – 13 season .

10.. Darryl Sydor( Los Angeles Kings ): Sydor won two Stanley Cups duringhis 21 – year NHL career , which saw him playfor seven different teams . He was part of Tampa Bay’s championship squadin 2004 and also hoisted hockey’sholy grailwith Dallas Starsin 1999 .Sydor last played duringthe 2007 – 08 seasonand officially announcedhis retirementin March 2009 .

The 1988 NHL Draft The Busts

In 1988, the NHL held its annual draft. As is often the case with drafts, some players turned out to be busts, while others had successful careers. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the players who were selected in the 1988 NHL Draft and how their careers turned out.

Busts
One of the busts of the 1988 NHL draft was Cody McCormick, who was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the fifth round. McCormick played only nine games in the NHL, all with the Sabres. He spent most of his career in the AHL and retired in 2012.

Another bust from the 1988 NHL Draft was Doug Bodger, who was selected tenth overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins Bodger played 12 seasons in the NHL, but he never lived up to his draft position. He scored only 34 goals and had 173 assists in 764 games. He retired after spending one season with the Los Angeles Kings in 1999-2000.

Finally, there’s Petr Nedved, who was taken second overall by the Vancouver Canucks Nedved had a successful career, but he didn’t live up to expectations as a top pick. He scored 343 goals and had 717 points in 1,148 games over 17 seasons with seven different teams.

The 1988 NHL Draft The Sleepers

It’s been 30 years since the 1988 NHL Entry Draft and it’s time to take a look at where some of the sleepers from that draft are now. The 1988 NHL Draft was one of the deepest in recent memory and produced several Hall of Famers including Mike Modano, Trevor Linden, and Brendan Shanahan. But there were also a number of late-round picks who went on to have successful NHL careers. Here are some of the best sleepers from the 1988 NHL Draft

Martin Rucinsky – drafted in the 9th round, 193rd overall by the Edmonton Oilers
Rucinsky had a long and successful NHL career playing for six different teams over 18 seasons. He scored 20 or more goals eight times and reached the 30-goal mark three times. He also played in two Olympic Games for Czechoslovakia, winning a bronze medal in 1992.

Keith Tkachuk – drafted 19th overall by the Winnipeg Jets
Tkachuk was one of the best power forwards of his generation and he enjoyed a long and successful NHL career. He scored 50 or more goals six times, including a career-high 52 goals in 1995-96. He also represented the United States at three Olympic Games and won a silver medal at the 2002 Olympics. Tkachuk was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.

Tomas Sandstrom – drafted in the 4th round, 73rd overall by the Los Angeles Kings
Sandstrom enjoyed a long and productive NHL career, scoring 20 or more goals eight times. He also represented Sweden at several international tournaments, including two Olympic Games Sandstrom won a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2006 Olympics.

The 1988 NHL Draft The Trades

The 1988 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. It was the first time that the National Hockey League (NHD) held its Entry Draft in Montreal. A total of 230 prospects were drafted. The first overall pick went to the Buffalo Sabres who selected center Pierre Turgeon.

In total, 21 trades were made during the draft. The most significant trade involved the Winnipeg Jets trading forwards Dale Hawerchuk and Brett Lindros to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for five players: goaltender Steve Penney, forwards Dan Quinn and Scott Mellanby, and defensemen Dave Babych and Craig Berube. Other notable trades included the Quebec Nordiques trading forward Joe Sakic to the Nordiques for future considerations, and the Detroit Red Wings trading forward Petr Klima to the Edmonton Oilers for forward Jimmy Carson.

The 1988 NHL Entry Draft is remembered as one of the deepest drafts in NHL history Many of the players drafted in 1988 went on to have successful NHL careers. As of 2018, there have been 11 players from the draft who have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame Hawerchuk, Turgeon, Adam Oates, Mike Modano, Bourque, Sergei Fedorov, Lindros, Stéphane Richer, Igor Larionov, Brendan Shanahan and Alexander Mogilny.

The 1988 NHL Draft The Aftermath

Looking back at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft it’s safe to say that it was one of the most influential in recent memory. Not only did it mark the beginning of a new era for the NHL, but it also saw a Number of players who would go on to have Hall-of-Fame careers. In this article, we’ll take a look at what happened to some of the top picks from that draft, and see how their careers have progressed.

First overall pick, Mike Modano went on to have a storied 21-year career with the Dallas Stars, racking up 561 goals and 1,374 points. He is widely considered to be one of the best American-born players in NHL history and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.

Second overall pick, Mats Sundin enjoyed a successful 18-year career with the Quebec Nordiques, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks. He retired as the all-time leading scorer among Swedish-born players with 1,349 points, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

Third overall pick, Steve Yzerman is also a Hockey Hall of Famer, having spent his entire 22-year career with the Detroit Red Wings He is considered to be one of the greatest leaders in hockey history, and helped lead the Red Wings to three Stanley Cup championships.

The 1988 NHL Draft The Legacy

The 1988 NHL Draft is considered by many to be one of the best drafts in recent memory. It featured some of the game’s greatest players including future Hall of Famers Sergei Fedorov, Mike Modano, Jeremy Roenick and Brian Leetch. The first round also saw the selection of Hall of Fame goaltender Curtis Joseph.

In all, 21 players from the 1988 NHL Draft are currently members of the Hockey Hall of Fame with five more likely to be inducted in the coming years. That’s an incredible legacy for any Draft Class

So where are they now? Let’s take a look at some of the Top Players from the 1988 NHL draft and see what they’re up to today.

Sergei Fedorov: After a storied career that included three Stanley Cup titles with the Detroit Red Wings and a Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1993-94, Fedorov retired from playing in 2009. He currently serves as director of player development for CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Mike Modano: Modano is widely considered to be one of the best American-born players in NHL history He retired in 2011 after 21 seasons with the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise, finishing his career as the all-time leading scorer among U.S.-born players with 1,374 points (561 goals, 813 assists). He now works as a special consultant with the Stars organization.

Jeremy Roenick: After 20 seasons in the NHL, Roenick announced his retirement in 2009. He currently serves as an analyst on NBC Sports Network’s NHL Coverage and is also a part-owner of the Arizona Sundogs Hockey Team which competes in minor league hockey’s Central Hockey League (CHL).

Brian Leetch: After 18 seasons in the NHL, Leetch retired in 2006. He won two Stanley Cups with the New York Rangers (1994 and 1999) and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009. Currently, Leetch works as an analyst on MSG Network’s coverage of Rangers games

Curtis Joseph: After 19 seasons in the NHL, Joseph retired from playing hockey in 2009. He currently serves as a special advisor to NHL Players’ Association executive director Donald Fehr and is also involved with several charitable causes through his Curtis Joseph Children’s Fund foundation.

The 1988 NHL Draft The What-Ifs

The 1988 NHL Draft is considered one of the best ever. It featured the likes of Future Hall of-Famers Mike Modano, Jeremy Roenick, Brendan Shanahan, and Steve Yzerman. Though not all of the players from that draft would go on to have careers as illustrious as those four, it still produced several very good NHLers. In fact, there are only two players from that draft who never played a single NHL game Daniel Dore and Todd Harkins.

So what happened to the rest of the players from that draft? Let’s take a look at some of the interesting tales:

Mike Ricci was drafted 4th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers. He would go on to play 15 seasons in the NHL, amassing over 1,000 career points. He won a Stanley Cup with Colorado in 1996 and also had stints with San Jose Tampa Bay Phoenix, and Chicago. He is now an Assistant Coach with the Flyers.

Rod Brind’Amour was drafted 9th overall by the St. Louis Blues He would go on to play 20 seasons in the NHL, racking up nearly 1,500 career points. He won a Stanley Cup with Carolina in 2006 and also had stints with Philadelphia and Chicago. He is now the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes the team he captained to that Stanley Cup victory in 2006.

Mats Sundin was drafted 1st overall by the Quebec Nordiques. He would go on to have a Hall-of-Fame career, playing 18 seasons in the NHL and amassing over 1,300 career points. He captained the Toronto Maple Leafs for 11 seasons and also had stints with Quebec/Colorado and Vancouver. He is now retired and running his own Hockey Academy in his native Sweden.

The 1988 NHL Draft The Memories

The 1988 NHL Draft was held on June 28, 1988 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. It was the first draft to be held in Canada in 14 years. A total of 217 players were drafted.

This was a special draft for several reasons. First, it was the first time that European players were allowed to be drafted without having to go through the NHL Entry Draft Secondly, it was the first time that US-born players were allowed to be drafted in the first round. Third, it was the first time that High School players were allowed to be drafted. Lastly, it also marked the return of competitive balance drafts, as teams were now able to re-claim draft picks that they had lost due to free agent signings.

Let’s take a look at where some of the top picks from this historic draft are today:

1) Brent Sutter (New Jersey Devils) – Still active as a Head Coach in the NHL; led the Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012.

2) Mike Ricci (Philadelphia Flyers) – Retired from playing in 2006; currently works as a development coach with the Flyers.

3) Trevor Linden (Vancouver Canucks) – Retired from playing in 2008; currently serves as President of Hockey Operations for the Canucks.

4) Daniel Marois (Quebec Nordiques) – Retired from playing in 1997; currently works as a scout for the Nordiques/ Colorado Avalanche organization.

5) Scott Mellanby (St. Louis Blues) – Retired from playing in 2002; currently serves as an Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting for the Blues.

The 1988 NHL Draft The Lesson

On June 30, 1988, the Los Angeles Kings announced the selection of Mike Krushelnyski with their first pick (10th overall) in the NHL Entry Draft The 1988 Draft has been looked back on as one of the deepest and most successful in league history, with Krushelnyski being one of many Great players to come out of it.

Now, more than 25 years later, let’s take a look at where some of the top players from that draft are now.

Mike Krushelnyski: After a successful career with the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs Krushelnyski retired in 1994. He now works as a Hockey Operations Consultant for the Oilers.

Brian Leetch: After winning two Stanley Cups with the New York Rangers Leetch retired in 2006. He now serves as an NHL analyst for NBC Sports

Luc Robitaille: After a Hall of Fame career with the Los Angeles Kings, Robitaille became President of Business Operations for his former team in 2007.