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Connor Hellebuyck goes No. 1 in 2012 NHL re-draft


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Cimon Asselin
March 16, 2026  (11:42)
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Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) warms up before a game against the Colorado Avalanche at Canada Life Centre.
Photo credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg head coach sit at the center of a wild twist after a full re-draft of the 2012 NHL class flipped the board.

Looking back more than a decade later, the results look nothing like the original draft order. Careers changed the story completely.
Here is how the top 10 looks today.
Connor Hellebuyck lands at No. 1. The fifth-round pick turned into one of the most dominant starting goaltenders of his era and the backbone of the Winnipeg crease year after year.
Andrei Vasilevskiy goes second. Tampa Bay built a championship window around his consistency and big-game calm between the pipes.
Filip Forsberg comes in third. Nashville's star winger developed into one of the most dangerous scoring threats from the entire class.

A top 10 nobody saw coming

Colton Parayko jumps to fourth. The St. Louis defenseman grew into a shutdown presence with elite reach and one of the hardest shots from the blue line.
Tomas Hertl lands fifth. The big center built a reputation as a reliable top-six scorer who can control the puck down low and produce in big moments.
Tom Wilson goes sixth. Washington's power forward became one of the league's most feared physical players while still delivering strong offensive production.
Hampus Lindholm sits seventh. The steady defenseman evolved into a complete top-pair presence capable of handling heavy minutes.
Morgan Rielly takes eighth. Toronto's longtime blue-line leader developed into a high-end puck-moving defenseman who drives the transition game.
Teuvo Teravainen lands ninth. The smart playmaker quietly built a reputation as one of the most skilled two-way wingers from the draft.
Frederik Andersen rounds out the top 10. The Danish goaltender became a dependable starter for several contenders and one of the biggest late-round success stories.
That's the beauty of a re-draft.
Scouts project. Development changes everything. And sometimes the best player in a class turns out to be the goalie taken long after the spotlight moved on.
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Connor Hellebuyck goes No. 1 in 2012 NHL re-draft

Should Connor Hellebuyck really go first in a 2012 re-draft ?

Yes2663.4 %
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