2017 NHL Redraft: Makar at No. 1, three current Stars players in top six

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 2017 NHL Draft might look like. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

The Dallas Stars set themselves up to be long-term contenders for the Stanley Cup in large part because of what they did at the 2017 NHL Draft.
With their first three selections, they chose defenseman Miro Heiskanen, goalie Jake Oettinger and forward Jason Robertson.
"It worked out pretty good for us, that's for sure," Stars director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell said. "Sometimes you get lucky."
There wasn't much luck involved with Heiskanen, who Dallas selected at No. 3. The Stars needed a defenseman and were certain that Heiskanen would be the right choice.
"The thing with general manager.*
1. Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche (4)
Makar initially was seen as a consolation prize after the Avalanche lost the NHL Draft Lottery despite having the best odds. They ended up with Makar, who has become one of the best players in the NHL. He won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 2019-20 and has been a Norris Trophy finalist as the League's top defensemen each of the past two seasons. His 28 goals this season were the most by an NHL defenseman since Brent Burns scored 29 in 2016-17, and he set Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques single-season records for goals and points (86) by a defenseman. His 180 points (48 goals, 132 assists) are third among players drafted in 2017.
2. Miro Heiskanen, D, Dallas Stars (3)
Heiskanen has made a seamless adjustment to the NHL since arriving from Finland as a 19-year-old in 2018-19. He's led the Stars in ice time each of the past three seasons, including 24:53 this season. In 2019-20 he had a personal best 35 points (eight goals, 27 assists) in 68 games. He led NHL defensemen during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists), and averaged 25:58 in ice time in 27 games to help the Stars reach the Cup Final. His 131 points (33 goals, 98 assists) are second to Makar among defensemen selected in 2017.
3. Elias Pettersson, F, Vancouver Canucks (5)
Pettersson led the Canucks and NHL rookies with 28 goals and 66 points in 2018-19 and won the Calder Trophy. He's scored at least 20 goals and 60 points three times in four seasons, including NHL bests of 32 goals and 68 points in 80 games this season. Pettersson leads all players drafted in 2017 in goals (97) and points (221).
4. Robert Thomas, F, St. Louis Blues (20)
Thomas was second on the Blues this season with an NHL career-best 77 points, and his 57 assists were the most by a Blues player since Pavol Demitra had that many in 2002-03. Thomas helped the Blues win the Stanley Cup as a rookie in 2019 and has become a fixture among their top-nine forwards. His 122 assists and 164 points each is fourth among players drafted in 2017.
5. Jason Robertson, F, Dallas Stars (39)
Robertson earned his way into a top-line role this season and responded with 41 goals, the most by a Stars/Minnesota North Stars player since Jamie Benn scored 41 in 2015-16. The second-round pick has scored 58 goals the past two seasons, the most among players selected in 2017 and tied for 18th among all NHL players.
6. Jake Oettinger, G, Dallas Stars (26)
The Stars traded a first- and third-round pick to the Blackhawks to move up three spots to select Oettinger. This season, his second in the NHL, Oettinger had 30 wins and broke out during the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a .954 save percentage while facing 40.7 shots on goal in seven games in the Western Conference First Round against the Calgary Flames.
7. Nick Suzuki, F, Vegas Golden Knights (13)
Suzuki was traded to the Montreal Canadiens as part of the Max Pacioretty deal in 2018, and after three NHL seasons, looks to be a significant part of their rebuilding effort. He led Montreal in the playoffs last season with 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 22 games, and led them with 61 points (21 goals, 40 assists) in 82 games this season.
8. Jeremy Swayman, G, Boston Bruins (111)
Swayman looks to be the Bruins' future in goal after his play helped Boston reach Game 7 against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference First Round. The fourth-round pick made his NHL debut last season and had a .945 save percentage and two shutouts in 10 games while Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak were injured. This season, he had a .914 save percentage and three shutouts in 41 regular-season games, and allowed two goals or fewer in three of his five playoff starts.
9. Nico Hischier, F, New Jersey Devils (1)
Hischier was second on the Devils as a rookie with 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists) in 2017-18 and helped New Jersey reach the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. He played in the NHL All-Star Game in 2020, and set personal NHL bests this season in goals (21), assists (39) and points (60). Hischier leads all players drafted in 2017 in games (300), and is second in goals (78), assists (128) and points (206).
10. Martin Necas, F, Carolina Hurricanes (12)
Necas' offensive talent has earned him a consistent spot among a talented group of top-nine forwards with the Hurricanes; he's one of three Carolina players with three straight seasons with at least 35 points (Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov). Necas is seventh among players in his draft class with 45 goals, and his 12 game-winning goals are fourth.
11. Josh Norris, F, San Jose Sharks (19)
Norris was traded to the Senators as part of the Erik Karlsson deal in 2018, and after one additional season at the University of Michigan, turned pro in 2019. He was named rookie of the year in the American Hockey League in 2019-20 after he had 61 points (31 goals, 30 assists) in 56 games, and this season he scored 35 goals, the most by a Senators player since Milan Michalek scored 35 in 2011-12.
12. Drake Batherson, F, Ottawa Senators (121)
Good health seems to be the only thing missing for Batherson, a fourth-round pick. He's missed 36 games with injuries the past two seasons, but has averaged 1.00 goals at 5-on-5 per 60 minutes of ice time since 2020-21, second among players picked in 2017 (Robertson, 1.18; minimum 100 games), and his 1.87 points at 5-on-5 per 60 minutes are tied for fourth.
13. Kailer Yamamoto, F, Edmonton Oilers (22)
Yamamoto was one of the biggest beneficiaries of the coaching change in Edmonton this season, with 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in 37 games after Jay Woodcroft replaced Dave Tippett on Feb. 10; he had 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in his first 44 games. Yamamoto is one of 11 players from the 2017 draft class to score at least 40 goals and his NHL career average of 0.50 points per game is 10th in his draft class (minimum 100 games).
14. Mikey Anderson, D, Los Angeles Kings (103)
Anderson's chemistry with Drew Doughty on the Kings' top defense pair was a big reason Los Angeles qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18. Anderson won't be a big offensive producer, but he was fifth among Kings defensemen this season with a 53.9 percent SAT percentage (minimum, 20 games) while ranking third in even-strength ice time per game (18:06). His 51.2 percent SAT percentage is third among defensemen drafted in 2017 (minimum 100 games).
15. Filip Chytil, F, New York Rangers (21)
Chytil has been versatile and productive for most of his five NHL seasons, ranking in the top 10 among players drafted in 2017 in goals (42, tied for eighth) and points (93, tied for 10th). His line with Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko was the Rangers' most consistent during their run to the Eastern Conference Final; the Rangers averaged 52.3 percent of the shot attempts at 5-on-5 in 20 playoff games when Chytil was on the ice.
16. Timothy Liljegren, D, Toronto Maple Leafs (17)
After playing 13 NHL games the previous two seasons, Liljegren made the most of his extensive opportunity with the Maple Leafs this season. He was third among Toronto defensemen with 23 points (five goals, 18 assists) and a plus-15 rating while averaging 16:24 of ice time in 61 games. He also had a plus-13 even-strength goal differential, tied for second among Toronto defensemen after Morgan Rielly (plus-16). Liljegren is likely to have a more significant role moving forward.
17. Cal Foote, D, Tampa Bay Lightning (14)
Foote had three seasons to develop in the AHL before getting a full-time spot with the Lightning this season. He had nine points (two goals, seven assists) and averaged 13:08 of ice time in 56 games, was a plus-6, and his 15 giveaways were the fewest among Tampa Bay defensemen to play at least 20 games.
18. Casey Mittelstadt, F, Buffalo Sabres (8)
Injuries have slowed Mittelstadt's production but he still ranks in the top 15 among players in the 2017 draft class in goals (33; tied for 12th) and points (80; 13th). When healthy he can be productive; he averaged 1.27 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 in 2020-21.
19. Mario Ferraro, D, San Jose Sharks (49)
Ferraro emerged this season, his third in the NHL, as a responsible, defensive-minded defensemen. A second-round pick, he averaged 23:00 of ice time per game, third on the Sharks, and was a minus-5 on a team that had a minus-50 goal differential. His 415 hits and 305 blocked shots are the most among players drafted in 2017.
20. Alex Formenton, F, Ottawa Senators (47)
The second-round pick played his first full NHL season in 2021-22 and had 32 points (18 goals, 14 assists) in 79 games; he had split the previous three seasons between the Senators and the AHL/Ontario Hockey League. Formenton tied for fifth on the Senators with 26 even-strength points.
21. Eeli Tolvanen, F, Nashville Predators, (30)
Tolvanen looked to be on the cusp of developing into a dependable top-six forward last season when he had 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) and led the Predators with six power-play goals in 40 games. He took a bit of a step back this season with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) and one power-play goal in 75 games, but at 23 years old, there's plenty of reason to believe he still can be an impact player.
22. Max Comtois, F, Anaheim Ducks (50)
The second-round pick led the Ducks in goals (16) and points (33) in 55 games last season. Comtois didn't have the same level of success this season, with 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 55 games, but his average of 0.46 points per game is 12th among players drafted in 2017 (minimum 100 games), and there's hope that he can get back to his 2020-21 totals next season.
23. Owen Tippett, F, Florida Panthers (10)
Tippett got consistent NHL ice time for the first time after he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for Claude Giroux on March 19. In 21 games with Philadelphia, he had seven points (four goals, three assists) and was second among Flyers forwards (minimum 15 games) with a 50.3 percent SAT percentage after he joined the team.
24. Henri Jokiharju, D, Chicago Blackhawks (29)
After a promising rookie season in 2018-19, Jokiharju was traded to the Sabres for forward Alex Nylander in 2019. This season, he set NHL bests in assists (16), points (19) and ice time per game (21:53). Jokiharju doesn't have intimidating size (6-foot, 200 pounds), but his 242 hits are second among defensemen drafted in 2017. He looks to be a big part of what the Sabres are building on defense, along with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Matias Samuelsson.
25. Michael Rasmussen, F, Detroit Red Wings (9)
Rasmussen took a big step forward in his development this season with 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in 80 games. He also continues to use his size (6-6, 210) to make life tough on the opposition; Rasmussen's 298 hits lead all forwards drafted in 2017.
26. Eetu Luostarinen, F, Carolina Hurricanes (42)
The second-round pick was traded to the Panthers for forward Vincent Trocheck ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline in 2020. This season, he played an NHL career-high 78 games and had 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists). Used mostly as a fourth-line center, Luostarinen had a 55.0 percent SAT percentage despite starting 43.2 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone. He also took 307 defensive-zone face-offs, second on the Panthers to Aleksander Barkov (394), winning 41.4 percent.
27. Nolan Patrick, F, Philadelphia Flyers (2)
Patrick had back-to-back 30-point seasons to start his NHL career (2017-19), but injuries have limited his production. He was traded to the Nashville Predators, who then sent him to the Vegas Golden Knights on July 17. He had seven points (two goals, five assists) in 25 games this season, but at 23 years old there's still a belief that he can unlock the talent that made him the No. 2 pick in the draft.
28. Gabriel Vilardi, F, Los Angeles Kings (11)
Back problems slowed his development after he was drafted; from 2017-20 he never played more than 42 games in a season. But last season, Vilardi had 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 54 games with the Kings, and this season had 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) in 39 games with Ontario of the AHL and played 25 NHL games. Vilardi is one of a talented group of young forwards battling for ice time with the Kings.
29. Alexandre Texier, F, Columbus Blue Jackets (45)
Texier became the highest-drafted player born in France when the Blue Jackets selected him in the second round. A broken finger limited him to 36 games this season, but he set NHL highs in goals (11) and points (20). He'll likely have a top-six role next season.
30. Morgan Geekie, F, Carolina Hurricanes (67)
A third-round pick, he was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. The move provided Geekie an opportunity for prime ice time he likely wouldn't have gotten with the Hurricanes. He responded with 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 73 games, and his 52.3 percent SAT percentage was second on the Kraken (minimum 30 games).
31. Stuart Skinner, G, Edmonton Oilers (78)
The third-round pick made his NHL debut in 2020-21, and this season, was 6-6-0 with a 2.62 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in 13 games (12 starts). Skinner also tied for the AHL lead with five shutouts and tied for third with a 2.21 GAA with Bakersfield. With Mike Smith 40 years old and Mikko Koskinen signing in Switzerland, Skinner should have a chance to play in the NHL full-time next season.
Missing first-round picks:
Cody Glass
, F, Vegas Golden Knights (6); Lias Andersson, F, New York Rangers (7); Erik Brannstrom, D, Vegas Golden Knights (15); Juuso Valimaki, D, Calgary Flames (16); Urho Vaakanainen, D, Boston Bruins (18);
Pierre-Olivier Joseph
, D, Arizona Coyotes (23); Kristian Vesalainen, F, Winnipeg Jets (24); Ryan Poehling, F, Montreal Canadiens (25); Morgan Frost, F, Philadelphia Flyers (27);
Shane Bowers
, F, Ottawa Senators (28);
Klim Kostin
, F, St. Louis Blues (31)
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