The Islanders original pick in the top 15 in the 2003 draft lottery in the first round, center Robert Nilsson, was one of just two players selected in the lottery in this class from 2003 who didn't play over 300 career regular season games.
Instead of picking Nilsson, the Isles draft goalie Jaroslav Halak 15th overall in this reimagining of the 2003 draft lottery. Halak was the only goalie from this draft class in 2003 who finished his career with over 275 career regular season wins and a .915 save percentage in the league.
Halak was one of the big-time goalie steals in this draft class from 2003. He moves all the way up from the 271st overall pick in the ninth round of the 2003 draft to No. 15 to the Islanders in this hypothetical redraft of the first round for New York.
While the Isles don't have the best goalie record of picking this position in the net in the draft in the past few decades since the 1990s, it would make sense in retrospect for New York to pick Halak at No. 15 overall in the first round of the 2003 draft lottery in this redraft over two decades later.
The Sharks get to stack up on defensemen in this hypothetical redraft of the 2003 draft lottery in the first round. Instead of picking right winger Steve Bernier 16th overall in the 2003 draft lottery in the first round, the Sharks select defenseman Phaneuf just inside the top 20.
While Phaneuf doesn't get selected in the top 10 of the 2003 draft lottery at No. 9 overall, he still is worthy of being drafted in the top 20 in the lottery at No. 16 to the Sharks in the first round. Phaneuf is one of just four defensemen from this draft class in '03 who played over 1,000 career games in the regular season and had over 400 career points.