2012 NHL Redraft: Vasilevskiy, Forsberg move into top five

The 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held July 7-8 at Bell Centre in Montreal. The first round will be July 7 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 are July 8 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, we examine what a redo of the 2012 NHL Draft might look like. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

Andrei Vasilevskiy was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning with the No. 19 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft with an eye toward the future.
After playing two seasons in Russia and splitting two seasons between the American Hockey League and the Lightning, backing up Ben Bishop, Vasilevskiy took over the No. 1 job in 2017-18.
All that development time has paid off for the Lightning and Vasilevskiy.
"In my mind, he's the best player in the League," Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev said.
In the past five seasons, Vasilevskiy has been a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL four times, including winning the award in 2018-19. He's a two-time NHL First-Team All-Star (2018-19, 2020-21), and has played in the NHL All-Star Game four times.
Vasilevskiy has backstopped the Lightning to Stanley Cup championships the past two seasons and has them in the Cup Final for the third straight season. He was voted the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the playoffs last season.
"'Vasi' is always there and he's our best player in the playoffs, regular season," Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov said. "He brings 100 percent effort every single game and everybody's just trying to take his energy and bring it to their] game."
In 10 years since being selected, Vasilevskiy has developed into one of the top players in NHL. However, not every player picked at the 2012 draft has panned out. Looking back 10 years, how would that draft go if the same players were made available today?
*Note: Players are listed next to the team that originally drafted them with the selection in parenthesis. For the results of the 2012 NHL Draft, click [here.*
1. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, Tampa Bay Lightning (19)
Vasilevskiy's 188 wins over the past five seasons lead NHL goalies, and his 24 shutouts are second (Marc-Andre Fleury, 27). Among goalies to play at least 150 games since 2017-18, his .920 save percentage is second (Darcy Kuemper, .921) and his 2.47 goals-against average is third (Tuukka Rask, 2.36; Kuemper, 2.43). Vasilevskiy has a chance to become the third goalie in NHL history to play every minute of the playoffs for a team that wins the Stanley Cup three straight seasons, joining Jacques Plante (Montreal Canadiens, 1956-60) and Turk Broda (Toronto Maple Leafs, 1947-49).
2. Filip Forsberg, F, Washington Capitals (11)
Forsberg never played for the Capitals, who traded him to the Nashville Predators for forwards Martin Erat and Michael Latta in 2013. He's scored 20 or more goals in seven of the past eight seasons, including a personal-best 42 this season. Forsberg's 220 goals are the most in Predators history, and he leads all players drafted in 2012 in goals and points (469).
3. Jaccob Slavin, D, Carolina Hurricanes (120)
Slavin's outstanding defensive play has been a major reason the Hurricanes have made the playoffs each of the past four seasons as one of the best defensive teams in the NHL. In his seven seasons, the Hurricanes have allowed 28.4 shots on goal per game, the fewest in the NHL. In 508 games, Slavin has averaged 22:54 of ice time, usually against the opposition's top players and the most among any player selected in 2012. He leads all players in his draft class with 479 takeaways and a plus-112 rating. Slavin also has a total of 70 penalty minutes, was voted the winner of the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play last season and was a finalist for the award this season.
4. Teuvo Teravainen, F, Chicago Blackhawks (18)
Teravainen had 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 18 playoff games as a rookie to help the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2015 and was traded to the Hurricanes in 2016. He's scored 20 or more goals three times in the past five seasons, including a personal-best 23 in 2017-18. Teravainen is in the top five among players drafted in 2012 in goals (118, fifth), assists (251, second) and points (369, fourth).
5. Tom Wilson, F, Washington Capitals (16)
Wilson's physicality and scoring touch has earned him a spot on the Capitals' top line. He's scored at least 20 goals in three of the past four seasons, and set personal NHL highs this season in goals (24), assists (28) and points (52). Wilson's 1,221 penalty minutes are nearly three times as many as any other player from the 2012 draft class (Jacob Trouba is second with 468). He's also sixth in goals (115) and points (273).
6. Morgan Rielly, D, Toronto Maple Leafs (5)
A knee injury that limited Rielly to 18 Western Hockey League games in 2011-12 raised concerns about his durability. But nine seasons into his NHL career, no one is questioning Rielly. He's led Maple Leafs defensemen in ice time six of the past seven seasons, has had at least 35 points five times, and his 72 points in 2018-19 were the most by a Toronto defenseman since Borje Salming had 73 in 1978-79. His 654 games are the most among players drafted in 2012, and his 369 points lead defensemen and are third among all players.
7. Tomas Hertl, F, San Jose Sharks (17)
Hertl announced himself as a budding star by scoring four goals in his third NHL game; at age 19 years, 330 days, he was the fourth-youngest player to score four in a game. His 181 goals and 387 points in nine NHL seasons are second among players in the 2012 draft class. Hertl's 35 goals in 2018-19 are the second-most in a season by a 2012-drafted player, behind Forsberg this season. Hertl and Forsberg (three) are the only players from the 2012 draft with multiple 30-goal seasons.
8. Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg Jets (130)
The fifth-round pick has led the NHL in shots faced each of the past four seasons; his 7,337 shots faced since 2018-19 are almost 1,000 more than Vasilevskiy, who is second (6,423). Hellebuyck's .915 save percentage during that span is tied for 11th among all goalies (minimum 100 games), and his 16 shutouts are tied with Vasilevskiy for second (Fleury, 23). Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL 2019-20 and his 201 wins are third among players in his draft class.
9. Frederik Andersen, G, Anaheim Ducks (87)
Andersen was the first Denmark-born goalie to be picked in an NHL draft when the Ducks selected him in the third round. In 2014-15, his second NHL season, he helped Anaheim reach the Western Conference Final, and the next season, shared the Jennings Trophy with John Gibson for the Ducks allowing the fewest goals in the NHL. Andersen was traded to the Maple Leafs in 2016 and helped them reach the playoffs five straight seasons after they had missed them 10 of the previous 11. Now with the Hurricanes, Andersen's 445 games and 261 wins are the most among goalies picked in 2012.
10. Matt Dumba, D, Minnesota Wild (7)
Dumba has supplied offensive skill and physical defensive play during his nine NHL seasons. His 75 goals are the most among defensemen drafted in 2012, as are his four seasons with at least 10 goals. Dumba is seventh in games played (519) at the position of those selected in 2012 and fourth with 712 hits.
11. Hampus Lindholm, D, Anaheim Ducks (6)
Lindholm scored at least 10 goals twice in his first five NHL seasons; his 13 goals in 2017-18 were the most by a Ducks defenseman since Lubomir Visnovsky had 18 in 2010-11. Lindholm, who was traded to the Boston Bruins on March 19, is fifth among defensemen in his draft class in goals (57) and points (227) and sixth in assists (170). His plus-84 rating is second among all players picked in 2012.
12. Colton Parayko, D, St. Louis Blues (86)
The third-round pick played a significant role in the Blues winning the Stanley Cup in 2019, with 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) and an average ice time of 25:07 in 26 playoff games. He's played at least 75 games five times in seven NHL seasons, and ranks in the top 10 among defensemen drafted in 2012 in games (498, ninth), goals (47, eighth), assists (159, seventh), and points (206, eighth).
13. Jacob Trouba, D, Winnipeg Jets (9)
Trouba scored an NHL career-best 11 goals this season, his third with the New York Rangers after he played his first six seasons with the Jets. Trouba's 257 points (62 goals, 195 assists) are third among defensemen in his draft class, as are his 597 games. He's also the only player in the 2012 draft class with at least 1,000 hits (1,130) and 1,000 blocked shots (1,207).
14. Tanner Pearson, F, Los Angeles Kings (30)
Pearson went through draft twice before the Kings chose him with the final selection of the first round in 2012. As a rookie in 2013-14 he had 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 24 playoff games to help the Kings win the Stanley Cup. He's scored 20 or more goals twice in nine seasons with the Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks, and is fourth among players drafted in 2012 with 132 goals.
15. Adam Pelech, D, New York Islanders (65)
Pelech has established himself as a premier shut-down defenseman the past four seasons, and played in the 2022 NHL All-Star Game. The Islanders have allowed 2.56 goals per game since the 2018-19 season, second-fewest in the NHL in that span (Boston Bruins, 2.52) and their 82.0 percent on the penalty kill is fifth best in that time. Pelech was a significant contributor to each, averaging 20:23 of ice time per game, including 2:09 per game shorthanded the past four seasons .
16. Esa Lindell, D, Dallas Stars (74)
The third-round pick arrived as a full-time NHL player in 2016-17 and has averaged more than 22:00 of ice time per game each of the past five seasons. His best offensive output came in 2018-19 with 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) in 82 games. Lindell's defensive contributions have been far more valuable; the Stars have a .928 save percentage at 5-on-5 when he's on the ice the past six seasons, second among Dallas defensemen with at least 200 games (Miro Heiskanen, .931).
17. Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Philadelphia Flyers (78)
The third-round pick set an NHL record for rookie defensemen with a 15-game point streak in 2015-16, and in 2017-18, was fourth among NHL defensemen with 65 points (13 goals, 52 assists) in 78 games. This season, his first with the Arizona Coyotes after being traded July 22, 2021, Gostisbehere tied for seventh among NHL defensemen with 14 goals. Gostisbehere is second among defensemen drafted in 2012 in goals (74), assists (196) and points (270).
18. Chandler Stephenson, F, Washington Capitals (77)
The third-round pick had seven points (two goals, five assists) in 24 playoff games as a rookie to help the Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018. He earned more ice time after being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 3, 2019, and his 99 points (35 goals, 64 assists) the past two seasons are second on the Golden Knights and fourth among players drafted in 2012 (Forsberg, 116; Hertl, 107, Rielly, 103).
19. Linus Ullmark, G, Buffalo Sabres (163)
The sixth-round pick played well on Sabres teams that struggled during his six seasons. He had a .921 even-strength save percentage from 2015-21 despite Buffalo having a minus-226 even-strength goal differential. He had a personal-best 26 wins this season, his first with the Boston Bruins. Ullmark's 2.69 goals-against average is tied for third among goalies drafted in 2012 and his .913 save percentage is fourth (minimum 100 games).
20. Cody Ceci, D, Ottawa Senators (15)
Ceci had an NHL career-best 28 points (five goals, 23 assists) in 78 games this season, his first with the Edmonton Oilers, playing the right side next to Darnell Nurse on the top defense pair. He's had at least 20 points four times in nine seasons with the Senators, Maple Leafs, Penguins and Oilers, and is ninth among defensemen selected in 2012 in goals (42), assists (129) and points (171).
21. Brady Skjei, D, New York Rangers (28)
Skjei has scored at least five goals four times in the past six seasons with the Rangers and Hurricanes. He set a personal best this season with nine goals, and his 39 points tied his high (2016-17). He's 10th among defensemen drafted in 2012 in goals (37), assists (125) and points (162).
22. Josh Anderson, F, Columbus Blue Jackets (95)
A fourth-round pick, Anderson has scored at least 15 goals five times in the past six seasons with the Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens, including a personal-best 27 in 2018-19. This season, he was third on the Canadiens with 19 goals. Anderson is eighth among players in his draft class with 101 goals, and is one of four forwards with at least 850 hits (894) and 150 blocked shots (183).
23. Alex Kerfoot, F, New Jersey Devils (150)
Kerfoot never played for the Devils, who selected him in the fifth round. After four seasons at Harvard, he signed with the Colorado Avalanche as a free agent in 2017 and scored 19 goals as a rookie in 2017-18. He was traded to the Maple Leafs in 2019, and this season had a personal-best 51 points (13 goals, 38 assists) in 82 games. Kerfoot's average of 0.52 points per game is tied for fifth among forwards drafted in 2012 (minimum 200 games).
24. Scott Laughton, F, Philadelphia Flyers (20)
After a slow start to his NHL career, Laughton has become a versatile piece for the Flyers. He's scored at least 10 goals in four of the past five seasons despite starting 42.6 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone; since 2017-18 seven NHL forwards have scored more than Laughton's 55 goals while starting in the offensive zone as infrequently. He's also won 50.6 percent of his face-offs, fourth among players in the 2012 draft class (minimum 1,000 face-offs).
25. Matt Grzelcyk, D, Boston Bruins (85)
The third-round pick has developed into a solid second-pair defenseman during his six NHL seasons. He had a personal-best 24 points (four goals, 20 assists) in 73 games this season and was second among Bruins defensemen with a plus-22 rating (Charlie McAvoy, plus-31). His plus-78 rating in 307 games is third among defensemen drafted in 2012.
26. Andreas Athanasiou, F, Detroit Red Wings (110)
The fourth-round pick scored 30 goals in 2018-19, one of three times he's scored at least 15 in a season. His 105 goals are seventh among players drafted in 2012, and his average of 0.52 points in 378 games with the Red Wings, Oilers and Kings is tied for seventh (minimum 100 games).
27. Radek Faksa, F, Dallas Stars (13)
Faksa had three straight 30-point seasons from 2016-19 and scored 17 goals in 2018-19. The past two seasons, he's been used more as a bottom-six forward who can play against the other team's top players and kill penalties. Faksa is one of nine NHL forwards to win at least 55.0 percent of his face-offs each of the past two seasons (minimum 650 face-offs per season), and his 51.2 percent face-off winning percentage is third among players in his draft class (minimum 1,000 face-offs).
28. Mike Matheson, D, Florida Panthers (23)
Matheson has four seasons with at least 20 points, including a personal-best 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 74 games with the Penguins this season. His 49 goals are seventh among defensemen drafted in 2012, with 47 at even-strength, the fourth most.
29. Damon Severson, D, New Jersey Devils (60)
Severson set personal-bests in assists (35) and points (46) and matched his best with 11 goals while averaging a team-high 23:36 of ice time in 80 games for the Devils this season. The second-round pick is fourth among defensemen drafted in 2012 with 230 points and sixth with 51 goals.
30. Zemgus Girgensons, F, Buffalo Sabres (14)
A physical forward, Girgensons' best offensive season came in 2014-15, when he had 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists) in 61 games and played in the 2015 NHL All-Star Game. His 1,002 hits are fourth among players in his draft class, and he's done that while being assessed just 157 penalty minutes.
Missing first-round picks:
Nail Yakupov
, F, Edmonton Oilers (1); Ryan Murray, D, Columbus Blue Jackets (2); Alex Galchenyuk, F, Montreal Canadiens (3);
Griffin Reinhart
, D, New York Islanders (4); Derrick Pouliot, D, Pittsburgh Penguins (8);
Slater Koekkoek
, D, Tampa Bay Lightning (10);
Mikhail Grigorenko
, F, Buffalo Sabres (12);
Mark Jankowski
, F, Calgary Flames (21); Olli Maatta, D, Pittsburgh Penguins (22); Malcolm Subban, G, Boston Bruins (24);
Jordan Schmaltz
, D, St. Louis Blues (25); Brendan Gaunce, F, Vancouver Canucks (26);
Henrik Samuelsson
, F, Phoenix Coyotes (27);
Stefan Matteau
, F, New Jersey Devils (29)
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