The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was the Greatest of All Time

Every draft year has the clear-cut set of star players at the top, whether that includes talented scorers, dynamite defensemen or franchise goalies. But no draft year had as much pure star power as 2003. Here is a pick-by-pick commentary of that draft, considered to be one of the best of all time.

1. Marc-Andre Flukey Fleury (PIT) - The Penguins acquired the #1 overall pick from Florida for the #3 pick (plus some other stuff that didn't turn out to matter much). Fleury would man the net for the Penguin's 2009 Stanley Cup team. Taking Fluery at #1, Malkin #2 in 2004 and Sidney Crosby #1 in 2005, Pittsburgh is the perfect example of a team that rose from the ashes via the draft (Edmonton probably should have taken notes). Great regular season goalie, playoffs not so much.

2. Eric Staal (CAR) - Top-ranked North American skater going into the draft, projected as a can't miss star in the league. He definitely was, for about 5 seasons. Since like 2011 his numbers have been dropping and the Hurricane's captain is now the subject of trade and contract dispute rumors. (If he really asked for $9-million a year, as a more recent article suggests, he's either delusional or is trying to price himself out of Carolina. Either way, not a good look for an NHL captain.)

3. Nathan Horton (FLA) - Productive for Florida for a few years and pretty good in Boston too, winning the Cup in 2011 (but getting wrecked in the process). Too bad he keeps getting concussed (not to mention his degenerative back condition) or else his career wouldn't be basically over right now. Either way, if we re-drafted this draft class, Horton would project as a bottom first round pick.

4. Nikolai Zherdev (CBJ) - You would think with all the high picks that Columbus has been saddled with over the years, they would have managed to put together a great, talented young team. You would be wrong. Zherdev is just one of a long line of bad decisions that the Blue Jackets have made over the years. Times are changing and Columbus is finally building a contender, but Zherdev hasn't played in the NHL since 2010.

5. Thomas Vanek (BUF) - He's back in Minnesota (where he played his college hockey), and the hands and shot that made him a star for years in Buffalo are pretty much gone, but Vanek was an all-star for a reason. He's 31 going on 40 and barring a resurgence, his contract may become an issue for the Wild in the next couple years. Still the best Austrian player of all time (although that's not saying much).

6. Milan Michalek (SJ) - Got traded for Dany Heatley at some point. Otherwise who cares.

7. Ryan Suter (NSH) - The first half of an all-world defensive tandem, Suter and partner Shea Weber both went in this draft to Nashville. He abandoned the team that made him into a star in the summer of 2012 (I'm not bitter) but he has become the guy in Minnesota, playing the most minutes per game in the entire league.

8. Braydon Coburn (ATL) - Only worth mentioning because RIP Atlanta Thrashers. (He's not even with the organization anymore).

9. Dion Phaneuf (CGY) - Phaneuf might be my favorite player to rag on. Based on his play, the only reason I can think to keep him around Toronto as the captain is, he must give dynamite pre-game speeches. Plus I'm the proud owner of a Phaneuf jersey because of my experience in Toronto.

10. Andre Kostitsyn (MTL) - He and his brother Sergei had buckets of talent that never seemed to translate to the NHL, The Belarusians eventually went back to Europe. So who cares.

11. Jeff Carter (PHI) - He and Mike Richards were picked in the same round of the same draft by the same team, developed together, got traded to two different teams on the same day, then reunited and won two Cups in LA. The only difference is Carter is still the second line center for the Kings and Mike Richards is running into legal trouble with the mounties, trouble which prompted the Kings to terminate his contract (see my previous post).

12. Hugh Jessimen (NYR) - Far and away the worst pick of the first round, mostly because I have no idea who this guy is. Like, I could definitely give you a rundown of the career of anyone in the first round except this guy and Shawn Belle (#30 to St. Louis). I imagine him sitting at a bar somewhere in Brooklyn watching the Rangers and drunkenly telling anyone that sits next to him that the Rangers drafted him 12th overall once. Yeah, ok dude.

13. Dustin Brown (LA) - Current Kings captain has drank from two Stanley Cups, but can't figure out what end of a water bottle to drink out of.

14. Brent Seabrook (CHI) - The second best defenseman in Chicago just got paid, not to mention his three Stanley Cups and an Olympic Gold Medal in 2010. To quote Happy Gilmore, "Is that good?"

15. Robert Nilsson (NYI) - Who cares

16. Steve Bernier (SJ) - He's playing for his 6th different team this season. Pretty sure this guy hasn't unpacked his suitcase in 12 years.

17. Zach Parise (NJ) - Captained the Devils to the finals in 2012, then bolted for Minnesota with buddy Ryan Suter that summer. He's the hardest working superstar in the league, and I really wish I could find something bad to say about him.

18. Eric Fehr (WSH) - You know what they say about hindsight, but imagine (all other things the same) if the Capitals picked the next guy instead of Fehr? They might have three Cups by now.

19. Ryan Getzlaf (ANA) - The Ducks captain has a Stanley Cup, multiple all-star appearances and two Olympic golds. He also has the worst hair in hockey, but hey, whatever works. He is one half of one of the best dynamic duos in hockey, along with the #28 pick in this draft, Corey Perry.

20. Brent Burns (MIN) - If Chewbacca could skate, played either defense or forward, and had two all-star appearances, this would be him.

21. Mark Stuart (BOS) - Who cares

22. Marc-Antoine Pouliot (EDM) - Who cares

23. Ryan Kesler (ANA) - People really hate Ryan Kesler. He's one of those guys who you want on your team but hate to play against because he can score, he's really good in his own zone, and he just pisses people off.

24. Mike Richards (PHI) - See #11.

25-27. Anthony Stewart (FLA), and Brian Boyle and Jeff Tambellini (both LA) never made a huge impact anywhere, although Boyle is definitely the 7-foot-tall monster you want on your fourth line come playoff time. He's been to back-to-back finals with the Rangers and Lightning, coming up short both times.

28. Corey Perry (ANA) - Two Olympic golds, a Stanley Cup, a Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophy as the leagues top goal scorer and a Hart trophy as league MVP, Corey Perry is my choice for the #1 pick if we re-drafted this draft class. He and Getzlaf (#19 in 2003) are almost unstoppable together, Anaheim has just never found the perfect third wheel to compliment them on the top line.

29. Patrick Eaves (OTT) - Bounces around, contributes a little everywhere. Quintessential boring fourth liner, probably a great locker room guy.

30. Shawn Belle (STL) - Seriously, who is this?

Other notable picks from this draft:

33. Loui Eriksson (DAL) - A player I love to get for my second line when I play GM mode on NHL. Nothing too flashy, but consistently scores goals. All-star in 2011.

45. Patrice Bergeron (BOS) - 2 gold medals, a Stanley Cup, yada yada yada. He's also got 3 Selke trophies as the best defensive forward in the NHL, plus a Clancy award for his humanitarian work on top of however many all-star appearances. I'd take him top 3 in this draft if we re-drafted for sure.

49. Shea Weber (NSH) - The best defenseman in this draft class. It is absolutely criminal that the Predator's captain hasn't won a Norris trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. Maybe 2015-16 is the year.

52. Corey Crawford (CHI) - He's got two Cups in Chicago. People still question whether he's elite, à la Joe Flacco in the NFL, but he's got more Cups than Pekka Rinne, Henrik Lundqvist, Carey Price, Roberto Luongo and Marc-Andre Fleury COMBINED. So I'm pretty sure he doesn't care. Also, this gem from the 2013 championship rally, with an intro from playoff MVP Patrick Kane. What a beauty.

62. David Backes (STL) - Hard-nosed American captain of the Blues will forever have a spot in my heart for his patriotism leading up to the 2010 Olympics. 

205. Joe Pavelski (SJ) - If not for Brian Elliott, he'd be the steal of the draft. Another great American center, he's one of the best fantasy players in the league, stats-wise. Should have went in the first round but dropped to the 7th.

245. Dustin Byfuglien (CHI) - Playoff hero for Chicago in their 2010 Cup run, got traded for his efforts because of salary cap constraints. Former all-star with Winnipeg, but consistently eats too many cheeseburgers in the offseason. 

291. Brian Elliott (OTT) - One of my favorite feel-good stories in the NHL right now. He went second-to-last in this draft and is now the starting goalie in St. Louis (until Jake Allen develops and takes over). Took a selfie in the shootout challenge this past All-Star Weekend. 

So there you have it. 8 current or former captains, I don't know how many all-star appearances, around 20 Stanley Cups, and a boatload of individual awards. Best draft of all time.