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Worst metro area draft picks

ByBrett Schultz|
NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 21: Hugh Jessiman of the New York Rangers is introduced to his new team during the 2003 NHL Entry Draft at the Gaylord Entertainment Center on June 21, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images/NHLI)
NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 21: Hugh Jessiman of the New York Rangers is introduced to his new team during the 2003 NHL Entry Draft at the Gaylord Entertainment Center on June 21, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images/NHLI)
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new york rangers
2003: Glen Sather, first round draft pick (#12 overall), Hugh Jessiman, Tom Renney and Don Maloney of the New York Rangers (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images/NHLI)

The worst Rangers draft pick

Hugh Jessiman

Is it that the Rangers, holding the 12th overall pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, could have instead picked Zach Parise, Brent Burns, or Ryan Getzlaf?

Is it disappointment that Jessiman was a hometown boy, sure to be a fan favorite like Nicky Fotiu?

Is it that the Blueshirts only got two NHL games (no goals, no assists, five penalty minutes) out of a first round pick?

Well…yes. To all of it.

The 2003 draft was stacked. It is not hyperbole to say a blind, epileptic monkey throwing darts at a list on the wall would have selected a player that worked out better for New York.

The Rangers drafted Jessiman after his first year at Dartmouth where he scored 23 goals in 34 games.  At 6’6”, 231 pounds, the story was that Glen Sather was enamored of Jessiman’s size and his nickname among Rangers’ brass was “Huge Specimen.”  Unfortunately, his college career deteriorated and that freshman year ended up being his best season in hockey.

Huge disappointment.

There you have it. The worst draft picks in the history of the three Metro Area teams. But a list like this is always open for debate. What do the readers think? Is there someone I missed? Are the rankings correct? Make your case.

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