Former WHL Scout Pete Hughes reports that the New York Islanders wanted Victor Hedman at #1 instead of John Tavares but the latter's hype was too much to pass on - though not supported with public record.
Hughes posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the Islanders scouting staff were dead set on selecting defenceman Victor Hedman first overall in 2009 but the hype around John Tavares led them to choose him instead:
The New York Islanders Scouting Staff wanted to take Victor Hedman 1st Overall. But because the hype was so high for years on John Tavares. The Owner sided with the fans and took John Tavares instead because of how overhyped he was.
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It's not confirmed that ownership vetoed the scouting staff in order to appease the fans and this is strictly Hughes' perspective based on his intel.
Tavares was ranked as the #1 NA skater in 2009 meanwhile Hedman was #1 in Europe, with the Central Scouting Bureau essentially putting them as 1A and 1B.
The John Tavares claim goes further than the public record supports
Tavares had 433 points in the OHL with Oshawa and London and is the OHL's all-time leading goal scorer with 215 goals in 247 games.
Hedman though wasn't the offensive beast he is now. He only put up 25 points in 82 games for MODO before being drafted to the Lightning, and he was seen as more of a defensive player who uses his gigantic frame, speed, and hockey sense to disrupt opponents.
Tavares spent nine years with the Islanders posting 621 points in 669 games while also captaining the franchise and ranks fifth on the team's all-time points list. Hedman on the other hand went second overall to the Tampa Bay Lightning and has been there ever since, posting 811 points over his 17-year career.
Both players had the potential to be #1 overall picks, though Tavares' reputation after achieving ''exceptional status" combined with his torrid offensive output left the Islanders with little choice after fans desperately bought into the hype. Plus, the team had lacked a true offensive superstar at the time so choosing Tavares - who led the team in points his rookie season - gave them that.
17 years later Hedman has the better resume but Tavares has been equally impressive
In hindsight, Hedman overall though has certainly come out on top when it comes to the postseason and personal accolades. He's won two Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe, a Norris Trophy and a two-time winner of the Guldpucken as Sweden's best hockey player. Add to that those 811 points, 1,164 games and no signs of slowing down - he's still elite even at 35.
But Tavares can't be overlooked either. After leaving the Islanders he signed with the Maple Leafs and put up fantastic numbers there as well. He has 253 goals and 564 points in 597 games and is only the fourth player in NHL history to have 500+ points with two separate franchises - joining Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Ron Francis - still worthy of his #1 selection.
He also captained the Maple Leafs until 2024-25 and also fulfilling a childhood dream, having grown up a fan of the team and has been a staunch part of the Toronto community, often using his influence and resources for philanthropic reasons.
Sure, he hasn't won the Stanley Cup yet and that is really the only thing he hasn't accomplished. He won Olympic Gold, he holds nigh-improbable records, and the fact that he has been a critical part of two NHL teams and Team Canada can't be overstated.
We may never know for certain whether the Islanders ownership denied their staff a chance to draft Hedman, but in selecting Tavares they got an incredible hockey player and choosing him #1 was still a great decision regardless.
Who would you have taken first overall in 2009 if you were New York?
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