![]() He didn’t record a point and had terrible possession metrics. He played an average of 9:55 minutes in three games of action. McFarland ended up making it to the NHL with the Florida Panthers in 2015-16. Not only didn’t he become a notable name in the league, but he played less than 30 total minutes there. While both Tavares and Stamkos followed up their time in Major Junior being drafted first-overall in the NHL, O’Reilly and McFarland dropped down the ranking, both going 33rd overall.ĭespite his potential and hype, the winger from Richmond Hill, Ontario never realized his ultimate goal of becoming a star player in the NHL. An interesting note is that in the 15th and final round of that 2008 OHL draft, the Soo Greyhounds picked Bryan Rust who just finished his 10th season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Balisy ended up being drafted 80th overall. Canadiens crew being selected ninth that year. Seventh was Toffoli and eighth was Smith-Pelly. The first to come off the board was defenseman Ryan O’Connor. Three of of McFarland’s teammates were drafted in order into OHL. He went ahead of all three of his teammates who later played in the NHL. It was McFarland’s turn to be the first-overall pick of the OHL draft in 2008. In 2005, Tavares was the first-overall pick in the OHL Priority Selection. (Note: all statistics are from Elite Prospect.) He was a step ahead of his teammates Chase Balisy, who played eight games in the NHL, Devante Smith-Pelly, who played 395 career NHL games, and Tyler Toffoli, who has played 733 games. McFarland played his minor hockey in the GTHL for the Toronto Junior Canadiens. McFarland was unable to achieve anything close to those heights despite being believed to be on equal footing as the trio that preceded him. O’Reilly was no slouch, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the 2019 Playoffs MVP when he and the St. The Star Hockey Player That Never Wasīoth Tavares and Stamkos went on to become NHL superstars. It appeared that a generational talent was coming through the ranks for a fourth year in a row. Ryan O’Reilly kept the hype going in 2007. One year later, the same was true about a young Steven Stamkos who played for the Markham Waxers in the OMHA. At the time, while playing AAA minor hockey for the Toronto Marlboros in the GTHL, he was far better than the rest of his cohort. In 2005, scouts in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) were abuzz about current Leafs captain, John Tavares. Growing up wishing to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, there was a time where many believed he would have opportunity to make his dream come true. A huge Toronto Maple Leafs fan looked like he was on pace to be the next big name in the game.
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