Former Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk was a solid goaltender in the NHL for over a decade, especially during his time in Minnesota in the 2010s decade. Dubnyk is one of just two goalies in this draft class from 2004 who made over 500 career starts and had over 250 career regular season wins in the NHL.
Dubnyk was originally picked by the Oilers 14th overall, just inside of the draft lottery in the first round, in the 2004 draft. He slides up seven picks to be selected in the top 10 in this hypothetical reimagining of the 2004 draft lottery, a little over two decades ago.
For most of the 2000s decade and for some of the early 2010s, former Capitals scoring defenseman Mike Green was one of the best offensive blue liners in the NHL from this draft class from 2004. Green scored over 30 goals, to lead the NHL among defensemen, in 2009. He also scored double-digit goals and over 40 points four times in his career in the regular season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets original eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2004 draft lottery, left winger Alexandre Picard, was the only forward picked in the top 10 in 2004 who never played 100 career regular season games in the league.
Instead of picking Picard eighth overall in the top 10 of the 2004 draft lottery in the first round, the Blue Jackets select Green to give the blue-line core a boost in the mid-to-late 2000s.
Instead of picking defenseman Ladislav Smid ninth overall in the top 10 in the 2004 draft lottery, we have the Anaheim Ducks selecting Ladd ninth overall in this hypothetical reimagining of the 2004 draft.
Smid did have a pretty long career in the NHL, but he never played a game for the Ducks in Anaheim after the 2004 draft in the first round. The Ducks would be much better off getting a long-term goal scorer and top-nine contributor on the forward lines in the 2000s and 2010s decade, like Ladd.
While Ladd doesn't stay in the top five in this hypothetic reimagining of the 2004 draft lottery, he does stay in the top 10, going to the Ducks at No. 9 in the first round.