While being drafted into the NHL is a huge accomplishment, it does not symbolism the end result of the development of a player. Many of the state’s top talents waited for their name to be called during this year’s draft but subsequently went unselected. While it’s disappointing to be passed over, it should serve as motivation for future development.
Lets look at the numbers…..
-288 Minnesota born players have skated in an NHL game (according to hockey-reference.com)*.
-18 of the 288 played before a draft was put in place in the NHL (1963).
-Of the 270 players remaining, 65 were not drafted and worked their way to the NHL.
-That means 24% of Minnesotans that make it to the NHL went undrafted!
Going undrafted might sting, but the players that stay focused and continue to work hard will settle at the top. Prospects that feel they should have been selected have time to prove their abilities are worthy of the next level. This also can be said for players not being selected to the NAHL, USHL or for players not making their bantam AA team, select team, high school team, ect….
Use it as motivation and be the next success story.
Here is a look at undrafted Minnesotans that played in the NHL
| Player | Hometown | Games in the NHL |
| Will Acton | Edina | 33 |
| Jack Ahcan | Savage | 9 |
| Les Auge | St. Paul | 6 |
| Stu Bickel | Chanhassen | 76 |
| Jason Blake | Moorhead | 871 |
| Bill Butters | St. Paul | 72 |
| J.T. Brown | Burnsville | 365 |
| Ryan Carter | White Bear Lake | 473 |
| Jon Casey | Grand Rapids | 425 |
| Jackson Cates | Stillwater | 15 |
| Matt Cullen | Moorhead | 38 |
| Jim Cunningham | St. Paul | 1 |
| John Curry | Shorewood | 8 |
| Chris Dalhquist | Fridley | 532 |
| Bryan “Butsy” Erickson | Roseau | 351 |
| Trevor Frischmon | Ham Lake | 3 |
| Gary Gambucci | Hibbing | 51 |
| Jordan Gross | Maple Grove | 10 |
| Peter Hayek | Minneapolis | 1 |
| Eriah Hayes | La Crescent | 19 |
| Mark Heaslip | Duluth | 117 |
| Matt Henderson | White Bear Lake | 6 |
| Jack Hillen | Minnetonka | 304 |
| Phil Hone | Duluth | 37 |
| Steve Janaszak | St. Paul | 3 |
| Adam Johnson | Grand Rapids | 13 |
| Jim Johnson | New Hope | 829 |
| Matt Kiersted | Elk River | 17 |
| Justin Kloos | Lakeville | 2 |
| Karson Kuhlman | Esko | 100 |
| Drew LeBlanc | Duluth | 2 |
| Vinni Lettieri | Excelsior | 82 |
| Charlie LIndgren | Lakeville | 29 |
| Blake Lizotte | Lindstrom | 177 |
| Alex Lyon | Baudette | 24 |
| Steve Martinson | Minnetonka | 49 |
| Bob Mason | International Falls | 145 |
| Jim McElmury | St. Paul | 180 |
| Bruce McIntosh | Minneapolis | 2 |
| Mike McNeill | Winona | 63 |
| Brennan Menell | Woodbury | 5 |
| Hunter Miska | North Branch | 6 |
| Joe Motxko | Benidji | 25 |
| Ben Meyers | Delano | 5 |
| Kirk Nielsen | Grand Rapids | 6 |
| Doug Palazzari | Eveleth | 108 |
| Jarod Palmer | Fridley | 6 |
| Mark Pavelich | Eveleth | 355 |
| Mike Polich | Hibbing | 226 |
| Nate Prosser | Elk River | 354 |
| Chris Pryor | St. Paul | 82 |
| Nate Raduns | Sauk Rapids | 1 |
| Mitch Reinke | Stillwater | 1 |
| Todd Rohloff | Grand Rapids | 75 |
| Graig Sarner | St. Paul | 7 |
| Nate Schmidt | St. Cloud | 527 |
| Jimmy Schuldt | Minnetonka | 1 |
| Dan Sexton | Apple Valley | 88 |
| Cole Smith | Brainerd | 9 |
| Matt Tennyson | Minneapolis | 144 |
| Steve Wagner | Grand Rapids | 46 |
| Jim Watt | Duluth | 1 |
| Butch Williams | Duluth | 108 |
| Clay Wilson | Sturgeon Lake | 36 |
| Tom Younghans | St. Paul | 429 |