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Carolina Hurricanes: Top Five First-Round Misfires

By Jeb Bohn

ST PAUL, MN - JUNE 24: Twelfth overall pick Ryan Murphy by the Carolina Hurricanes stands onstage for a photo with Ron Francis and a member of Carolina Hurricanes organization during day one of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft at Xcel Energy Center on June 24, 2011 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
ST PAUL, MN - JUNE 24: Twelfth overall pick Ryan Murphy by the Carolina Hurricanes stands onstage for a photo with Ron Francis and a member of Carolina Hurricanes organization during day one of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft at Xcel Energy Center on June 24, 2011 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NC – NOVEMBER 10: Ryan Murphy #7 of the Carolina Hurricanes prepares for a faceoff during an NHL game against the Anaheim Ducks on November 10, 2016 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – NOVEMBER 10: Ryan Murphy #7 of the Carolina Hurricanes prepares for a faceoff during an NHL game against the Anaheim Ducks on November 10, 2016 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Ryan Murphy

Taken 12th overall at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Ryan Murphy looked like a can’t-miss prospect.  The offensively talented defenseman was the ninth-ranked North American skater heading into the draft.  In his second year with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, Murphy doubled his point totals from the previous season, putting up 26 goals and 53 assists in 63 games.

Unfortunately for Murphy and the Carolina Hurricanes, that offensive prowess never translated to the NHL.  In 151 games over a five-year span, Murphy managed only 6 goals and 31 assists to go with a plus/minus rating of -36.  The Hurricanes cut ties with Murphy six years after drafting him, shipping him to the Calgary Flames along with goaltender Eddie Lack.

Murphy was released by Calgary the day after the trade and ended up signing with the Minnesota Wild.  After 23 forgettable games, Minnesota moved him to the New Jersey Devils where he played a grand total of one game.  With his NHL days apparently over, Murphy signed with  HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the KHL last weekend.

CALGARY, AB – MARCH 29: Anaheim Ducks Goalie John Gibson (36) warms up before an NHL game where the Calgary Flames hosted the Anaheim Ducks on March 29, 2019, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CALGARY, AB – MARCH 29: Anaheim Ducks Goalie John Gibson (36) warms up before an NHL game where the Calgary Flames hosted the Anaheim Ducks on March 29, 2019, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Hindsight Pick

There were a few first-round picks selected after Murphy who would have been better options for the Carolina Hurricanes however, I am going to go with a pick from early in round two.  John Gibson was taken 39th overall by the Anaheim Ducks and has blossomed into a legitimate #1 goaltender.  Top that off with the fact that Gibson was the #1 ranked North American goalie heading into the 2011 draft.

Gibson was breaking in with Anaheim at a time when the Hurricanes were transitioning from Anton Khudobin‘s drop-off to the inconsistent play of Eddie Lack.  While the duo of Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney were huge for the Hurricanes last season and the possible trio of Mrazek, James Reimer, and Alex Nedeljkovic should be solid this year, I can’t help but wonder what an alternate universe Hurricanes team with Gibson in net might be capable of.

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