Generally considered to be one of the weakest drafts of the ‘90’s, the 1999 draft is sometimes written off as an unimportant draft. However, the best drafting organizations often show their pre-eminence over their peers by drafting a successful NHLer from the weaker draft classes.

Five years has seen a lot change in Florida. As then Panthers GM Bryan Murray prepared to step up to the podium to makes his selections, he represented a team almost unrecognizable from the Panthers roster of today. Pavel Bure had just joined the organization. Ed Jovanovski had gone to Vancouver in the same trade. Other long since departed players to lace them up for the Cats that season include Kirk McLean, Sean Burke, Dino Ciccarelli, Bill Lindsay and Ray Whitney.

The Panthers selected nine players in the 1999 draft.  These players have gone on to play a total of 323 NHL games, for an average of 36 games per pick. 

Denis Shvidki, RW – 1^st round, 12^th overall (OHL – Barrie Colts)

Status: NHL Prospect

NHL Games Played: 76

Drafted after a brilliant rookie season in North America, Denis Shvidki went back to the OHL for the 1999-00 season to refine his game. Shvidki certainly had a good season, breaking the 40 goal and 100 point barriers for the Barrie Colts, good enough for second on his team and fourth in the OHL. He was signed by Florida on the 14^th of June 2000 and split the 2000-01 season between the NHL and Florida’s then AHL farm team, the Louisville Panthers. Shvidki played well for Louisville, his 26 points good for fifth in team scoring and first for Louisville’s rookie scoring lead, despite only playing in 34 games. Shvidki actually played more games in the NHL that season, appearing 43 times and registering 16 points. Shvidki missed only one game through injury.

It all started to go wrong in the 2001-02 season. Injury forced him to miss most of the season as he suited up only 16 times for eight AHL games where he scored 6 points, and eight NHL games where he managed 3 points. A fit Shvidki started the 2002-03 managed a total of 67 games played but in 23 NHL games managed only 6 points as he was unable to convince the Panthers he deserved a spot on the top two lines. He registered just under a point every other game in 54 AHL games. In 2003-04 Shvidki played in only two games during a late season call up. With little ice time he failed to register a point. He did fair somewhat better in the AHL however, as his 54 points in 77 games were good enough to lead San Antonio.

What next for Shvidki? He must become a regular in the NHL this season. Florida’s new coach and GM could be very important to him. He could be given a spot on the second line with Florida or buried in the minors again. A trade may be the best thing for Shvidki, although as a player who has never scored 60 points in a season with a reputation for disappearing in big games or when tightly checked he looks to be edging perilously close to bust status.

Alex Auld, G – 2^nd round, 40^th overall (OHL – North Bay Centennials)

Status: NHL Prospect

NHL Games Played: 14

Auld is just on the cusp of being classed as a NHL player as he seems likely to assume back-up duties for the 2004-05 NHL season, after a stint in goal during the playoffs which moved him from third to second in the organizational depth chart. Sadly for Florida he will this happened for Vancouver, who acquired Auld for the ever-popular future considerations, which turned into a third round pick in 2002 and a compensatory pick in 2001.

The 6’4” Auld was drafted after only one season as a starting goaltender in the OHL, Florida trading up five spots to grab him. After he was drafted, he two more years in the OHL, improving his play every year. He left the OHL at the end of the 2000-01 season and was dealt to Vancouver. In the Canucks system he started his career in the ECHL, suiting up for the Columbia Inferno. He was quickly moved to Vancouver’s top minor league affiliate the Manitoba Moose where he was the back-up and appeared in 21 games, going 11-9-0. Auld also made his NHL debut that year, appearing in one game for the Canucks, a game he won.

In 2002-03 Auld was back in the AHL, splitting time with Tyler Moss in Manitoba. Auld played in 37 games and went 15-19-3 with three shutouts. He reduced his goals against average from 3.53 in 2001-02 to 2.64. Again he spent some time in the NHL with Vancouver. He appeared in seven games, going 3-3-0 and recording his first NHL shutout. He also made a relief appearance in the playoffs for Vancouver, appearing in one period. In 2003-04 Auld supplanted Moss as Manitoba’s starter. He appeared in 40 games, went 18-16-4, recording four shutouts and again lowering his goals against average, this time to 2.55. Again he was called up to the big club and his six games for Vancouver saw him go 2-2-2. Most remarkable was his performance in the playoffs with Vancouver. He played well; going 1-2 against Western Conference champions the Calgary Flames. His performances as a big, smart goalie whose size allows him to play the butterfly style very effectively make him a virtual certainty as the Canucks back-up.

Niklas Hagman, LW/RW – 3^rd round, 70^th overall (Finland – Espoo Blues)

Status: NHL Player

NHL Games Played: 233

Hagman was selected higher than his CSB ranking because he had the tools to make the NHL as a third or fourth line player with little chance of failing. A safe pick, but every franchise needs those. After being drafted Hagman played a season in Finland for Karpat Oulu, scoring 28 goals and adding 18 assists in 56 games. Hagman came over to Florida for the 2001-02 season and slotted onto the team easily enough, scoring 10 goals to go with 18 assists in 78 games. He was selected to play at the 2002 Winter Olympics for Team Finland and scored 3 points in four games during that tournament. Since then he has been steady, if not spectacular. In his second season (2002-03) he was selected for the Young Stars game and played 80 games in the NHL (a career high) but only managed 8 goals. In 2003-04 he again notched 10 goals. He’s already well developed and has the potential to score 15 goals and 30 points on Florida’s third line while using his speed to play a good all round game. The best player from this draft still on Florida’s roster he seems certain to be a steady NHLer on an evolving Florida team.

Jean-Francois Laniel, G – 3^rd round, 40^th overall (QMJHL - Shawinigan Cataractes)

Status: NHL Bust

NHL Games Played: 0

Having selected a solid NHL role player 10 picks before Florida had another third round pick and used it to select goaltender Laniel. Laniel had been the backup behind Mathieu Chouinard at Shawinigan but started the 1999-00 with Val-d’Or Foreurs where he was the third choice goalie behind Dave Verville and Adam Morneau. For the 2000-01 season Laniel was again a third choice goalie, this time behind Simon Lajeunesse and Adam Russo. Laniel has since played for two CHL teams, also as a backup, and spent 2003-04 in the QSMHL playing in 14 games.

Morgan McCormick, RW - 4^th round, 103^rd overall (OHL – Kingston Frontenacs)

Status: NHL Bust

NHL Games Played: 0

McCormick was drafted after his rookie year in the OHL, a season that saw him score 6 goals and add 5 assists along with 43 penalty minutes. After he was drafted McCormick returned to the OHL with Kingston for the 1999-00 season, but was traded after eight games to the Guelph Storm. He scored a total of 9 goals and 30 points but the following season managed just 11 points in 45 games. In 2001-02 McCormick played his last year of junior, scoring 20 goals and 24 assists along with 148 PiM, all career highs, in 56 games. After he left the OHL McCormick played six games for Canadian College side St. Mary’s in the 2002-03 season, scoring once and adding one assist.

Rod Sarich, D – 4^th round, 109^th overall (WHL – Calgary Hitmen)

Status: NHL Bust

NHL Games Played: 0

Six picks after McCormick, Florida was making another pick and they used it to select their first defenseman of the draft. In 1999 the 6’3” Sarich was coming of his first full season in the WHL however his first action in that league came in 1996-97 when he played four games. He appeared in another nine in the 1997-98 season and 17 playoff games before cementing his place as a regular in 1998-99 playing 65 times during the season. After being drafted Sarich played three more years in the WHL, finishing in the 2001-02 season with 7 goals and 41 assists in 71 games. Sarich moved straight to the ECHL where he played his rookie pro season in 2002-03 with the Louisiana IceGators, appearing 72 times and registering 32 points. He started the 2003-04 season with the Espoo Blues in Finland, but after putting up only 1 assist in 20 games he moved back to the ECHL and Louisiana 30 points in 55 games.

Brad Woods, D – 6^th round, 169^th overall (OHL - Brampton Battalion)

Status: NHL Bust

NHL Games Played: 0

Florida added another defenseman, this time from the OHL. Woods was coming of his rookie season in junior hockey and upon his return to Brampton for the 1999-00, he put up career highs in games played, goals, assists and points, recording 16 points in 68 games. Woods was back in junior for the 2000-01 season. After 14 games for Brampton Woods had recorded 5 points when he was traded to the Oshawa Generals with left wing Mike Rice, for center Jonah Leroux. Woods played 38 games in Oshawa but was only able to add another five assists to his production. He started the 2001-02 season with the Kitchener Rangers but was restricted to just 19 appearances and 6 assists. After leaving the OHL Woods played in the Canadian university system for St. Thomas University where his 2003-04 season teammates included fellow draftee Thatcher Bell.

Travis Eagles, C – 7^th round, 198 overall (WHL – Prince George Cougars)

Status: NHL Bust

NHL Games Played: 0

Florida waited until the seventh round to draft a center and they used that pick to select the 6’4” defensive pivot. Eagles had played briefly in 1996-97 for Prince George, appearing three times. In 1998-99, he played 48 games and recorded 10 points (1 goal) with 66 PIM before being drafted. In 1999-00 he recorded 8 goals and 15 assists in 59 games and appeared in 13 playoff games, scoring 4 goals. Seemingly primed for a breakout the 2000-01 season started well with Eagles recording 14 points in 23 games. However he was traded to the Brandon Wheat Kings for a third round pick in the 2001 Bantam draft. His offensive production dipped slightly in Brandon as he recorded only 9 points (4 goals, 5 assists) in 25 games. The following season saw him appear in 34 games as an over-aged player for Brandon, scoring five times and adding 8 assists.

After leaving the WHL Eagles enrolled at the University of Manitoba to study arts. In his first season with the Bison Eagles put up 6 points in 26 games and in the 2003-04 season he got 2 goals and 8 assists in 32 games.

Jonathan Charron, G - 8^th round, 227 overall (QMJHL - Val-d'Or Foreurs)

Status: NHL Bust

NHL Games Played: 0

Florida used their last trip to the podium to select their third goaltender of the draft. Charron had played two years in the QMJHL when Florida had selected him. He played 23 games serving as backup to Maxime Gingras for the Laval Titan College Francais in 1997-98. In 1998-99 he was with the Val-d’Or Foreurs where he shared goaltending duties with Roberto Luongo, Dave Verville and David St. Germain, appearing 26 times. His final season in organised hockey was 1999-00 when he shared backup duties Martin Pare, appearing 10 times for the Quebec Remparts.

So how did the draft go for Florida? A lot depends on how Denis Shvidki turns out. If he can develop into a top six forward the draft can be seen as a success for the Panthers. Alex Auld is capable of filling part of the depth weakness Florida have in goal, which makes the trade look somewhat regrettable now. Niklas Hagman is developing into an excellent role-playing forward. After those three however, all of the Panthers selections are busts, and with players such as Henrik Zetterberg, Radim Vrbata, Mikko Eloranta, Pierre Hedin and Garnet Exelby coming from the lower rounds, this draft must be considered mediocre at best.