The 2016 NHL Draft featured high-end talent at all three positions, headlined by Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews. Owen Cameron takes a look at what changes would be made if general managers across the league had a second chance to make their picks.
It's been over 10 years since the 2016 NHL Draft ushered in some of the biggest hockey stars from around the world.
With multiple Stanley Cup winners, generational goal-scoring talents and perennial MVP candidates, this class changed the fortunes of many franchises and altered the course of their competitive futures.
Considering the talent, organizational fit, and positional need for each franchise, this exercise aims to explore what each team selecting in the top-10 of the 2016 draft would do if given a second chance.
1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews, Center
Original Pick: Auston Matthews, Center
No changes here for the Toronto Maple Leafs with the No. 1 pick, and it's not particularly close. Auston Matthews is a three-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner, a Hart Trophy winner, and has improved his game in other areas outside of scoring.
Matthews has become one of the premier defensive centers in hockey, and when you mix in his scoring talent and size, he’s the dream franchise player for many organizations. He hasn't been able to replicate the same offensive production he had during his 69-goal, 107-point season in 2023-24, but he still has the talent and supporting cast to reach that level.
2. Winnipeg Jets: Charlie McAvoy, Defenseman
Original Pick: Patrick Laine, Left Wing
Charlie McAvoy may not have the point totals or accolades as some guys who will be behind him in this exercise, but that doesn't make him any less valuable. He’s the kind of player that a coach sends over the boards and can breathe a little. McAvoy makes super smart plays, works his tail off, and will take a puck in the jaw for his team.
While doing that, he’s still able to produce points. Last season in 69 games, McAvoy scored 11 goals and put up a career-high 61 points. Players like him can elevate a team and a culture without needing the 'C' on his jersey, and the Winnipeg Jets would be getting an elite player who would do anything to win hockey games.
3. Columbus Blue Jackets: Matthew Tkachuk, Left Wing
Original Pick: Pierre-Luc Dubois, Center
As the Indiana Hoosiers head football coach Curt Cignetti said, “It’s pretty simple. I win. Google me.” The same goes for Matthew Tkachuk, who captured back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Florida Panthers. He was a great player during his time with the Calgary Flames, but took his game to new heights in the Sunshine State.
He’s an agitator, a rat, a nuisance. Whatever you call him, his style of play works well in the post-season. He’s a much better offensive talent than people give him credit for as well, producing at over a point-per-game pace in five consecutive seasons.
4. Edmonton Oilers: Clayton Keller, Right Wing
Original Pick: Jesse Puljujarvi, Right Wing
Clayton Keller is one of the most dynamic, crafty, and intelligent players in the league. He’s the engine that keeps the Utah Mammoth going, and if the Edmonton Oilers had him, their top six would be the most lethal in the entire NHL.
He’s put up back-to-back 60-assist seasons, but he isn’t just a playmaker. Keller has scored 30 goals in three of the last four years, with a career-high of 37. The Oilers already have a loaded power play, but if you add Keller, they would be expected to be the league’s best team with the man-advantage every season.
5. Vancouver Canucks: Adam Fox, Defenseman
Original Pick: Olli Juolevi, Defenseman
The Vancouver Canucks still take a defenseman here, but instead they upgrade with Adam Fox. Stylistically, Fox fits the Canucks' roster at this stage, where they built a mix of players who could adapt to different paces of offense. While Fox isn’t a burner, he’s very methodical and would have been interesting on a blueline with Quinn Hughes.
The one thing Fox has been criticized for is his consistency and defensive play, but that didn't stop him from taking home the Norris Trophy in 2021. In a down year for the New York Rangers, Fox still had nine goals and 53 points.
6. Calgary Flames: Alex DeBrincat, Right Wing
Original Pick: Matthew Tkachuk, Left Wing
The Flames have lacked game-breakers and elite players for some time now, and Alex DeBrincat became one of those guys very early in his career. He’s had three 40-goal seasons and has given the Detroit Red Wings everything they could've asked for. He’s smaller, standing at 5-foot-8, but doesn’t shy away from contact whatsoever.
The Flames had three 40-goal scorers in the 2021-22 season, but all three players either walked in free agency or were traded elsewhere. DeBrincat would bring some life to the team and some firepower at both even strength and on the power play.
7. Arizona Coyotes: Tage Thompson, Center
Original Pick: Clayton Keller, Right Wing
This class features some of the league's top goal-scorers, and that run continues with Tage Thompson here. The 6-foot-6 forward has three 40-goal seasons, with a career-high of 47 goals in the 2022-23 season.
Thompson was also able to prove in the past season that his game translates to the playoffs. He played a large role in the Buffalo Sabres’ series win against the Boston Bruins, and eventually finished the playoffs with 15 points in 13 games.
The Mammoth have been looking for more elite centers, and having Thompson would have elevated that room and put them in a great spot.
8. Buffalo Sabres: Brandon Hagel, Left Wing
Original Pick: Alexander Nylander, Right Wing
With the emergence of Josh Doan and Zach Benson, it's clear that pesky, skilled players have thrived in Buffalo. That makes Hagel, who was originally drafted by the Sabres in the sixth round, an intriguing pick here.
He scored a career-high 36 goals and tallied 74 points in 71 games last season with an injury-riddled Tampa Bay Lightning squad. That proved he isn’t just a product of their team and system. Hagel's skill alone makes him a top-10 player in this class, and when you add the tools away from the puck, he’s a great player.
There's no question that Buffalo fans would have loved him.
9. Montreal Canadiens: Pierre-Luc Dubois, Center
Original Pick: Mikhail Sergachev, Defenseman
The Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec native comes home to play for the Montreal Canadiens, filling a void at the center position that the team has had for years. Pierre-Luc Dubois was sidelined multiple times last season with injuries, but when he’s healthy, he looks like an elite middle-six center.
Dubois is just two years removed from a 20-goal, 66-point campaign in 2024-25 for the Washington Capitals, which was a career high in points and put him third on the team in scoring. The Habs have a ton of talent on their team and in their system, but getting a big body like Dubois who can play hard minutes in his own end is a no-brainer here.
10. Colorado Avalanche: Jesper Bratt, Left Winger
Original Pick: Tyson Jost, Center
Jesper Bratt makes the largest jump out of anyone in this exercise, as he was a sixth-round pick by the New Jersey Devils. He’s since had five seasons in a row with over 70 points, including an 88-point season in 2025.
Bratt is a great player off the rush, and would provide a lot of similar tools that Martin Necas brought to Nathan MacKinnon as a linemate on the Colorado Avalanche this past season. Bratt is super intelligent and makes those around him better. He is also an assistant captain for the Devils, that type of leadership presence is always welcomed on any team.
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