The 10 biggest NHL Draft busts

	Deflated Falloon: The Sharks chose Pat Falloon second overall in 1991, ahead of Peter Forsberg and Markus Naslund. Rick Stewart/Getty Images

Much will be expected of the players who are selected at the top of Saturday's NHL Entry Draft and, rest assured, their development will be heavily scrutinized much like Eric Staal, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley, Rick Nash, Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby were after they were taken first or second in drafts conducted during this decade.

Even though the league held its first Amateur Draft in 1963, it was not until 1969 that the best talent was available to all teams. (Before then, team-sponsored junior programs had locked up most of the top players.) Still, junior, high school and collegiate stardom does not always translate into success at the sport's highest level. Players, general managers and fans alike certainly understand this cold fact of hockey life.

The players listed below certainly did not live up to the expectations of a No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick, earning their way onto this list of the Top 10 Draft Busts.

1. Greg Joly, D, Washington Capitals
Selected: No.1 overall, 1974
GM: Milt Schmidt
NHL stats: 365 games, 21 goals, 97 points

The Caps coveted the puck-rushing rear guard, who was coming off a banner junior campaign (92 points in 67 games) in which he led Regina to the Memorial Cup. After picking up an assist in his debut, Joly, who was Washington's first-ever pick, was hampered by knee problems and limited to 44 games. He scored as many points as the team had wins (eight) and was a minus-68. He played only one more season as a Cap before being dealt to Detroit.

Other '74 first-round picks: Wilf Paiement (KC, 2nd), Clark Gillies (NYI, 4th), Doug Risebrough (MTL, 7th), Pierre Larouche (PIT, 8th)

2. Barry Dean, LW, Kansas City Scouts
Selected: No. 2 overall, 1975
GM: Sid Abel
NHL stats: 165 games, 25 goals, 81 points

The Scouts went for Dean (115 points in his final season at Medicine Hat) after the Flyers selected Mel Bridgman. Dean was also drafted by the WHA's Edmonton Oilers, which dealt his rights to the Phoenix Roadrunners for whom he made his professional debut. He joined the NHL's Colorado Rockies (the Scouts moved to Denver) the following season, scoring 14 goals in 79 games. The following summer, he was traded to Philly, where he played 86 games over two seasons before finishing his career in the minors.

Other '75 first-round picks: Pierre Mondou (MTL, 15th), Tim Young (LA, 16th)

3. Brian Lawton, LW, Minnesota North Stars
Selected: No. 1 overall, 1983
GM: Lou Nanne
NHL stats: 483 games, 112 goals, 266 points

The Jersey native and Rhode Island high school sensation turned his back on attending Providence College after he learned that he was the first American-born player drafted No. 1 overall. After scoring 10 goals as a rookie in 1983-84, Lawton hit the 20-goal plateau only once (21 in '86-87) in a career that saw him bounce around between eight organizations -- suiting up for six -- in nine seasons. Lawton became a certified player agent in 1996.

Other '83 first-round picks: Pat LaFontaine (NYI, 3rd), Steve Yzerman (DET, 4th), Tom Barrasso (BUF, 5th), John MacLean (NJ, 6th), Russ Courtnall (TOR, 7th), Cam Neely (VAN, 8th)