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NHL's No. 2 overall pick can make immediate impact

Tribune file photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Atlanta goaltender Kari Lehtonen, the No. 2 pick in 2002, has a career .912 save percentage.

By IRA KAUFMAN

ikaufman@tampatrib.com

Published: June 25, 2009

Updated: 06/25/2009 03:00 am

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TAMPA - If a recent trend continues, the Lightning have an excellent opportunity to add a dynamic player with the second overall pick in Friday night's NHL draft.

In the past 15 years, amateurs chosen No. 2 have typically developed into impact players who remained with their original franchises.

Most have enjoyed long, productive careers, and Tampa Bay's brain trust intends to maximize the premium pick the franchise earned with a 29th-place finish last season.

The list of recent players selected No. 2 overall includes NHL scoring leader Evgeni Malkin, who just won the Conn Smythe Trophy after helping the Penguins to the Stanley Cup championship.

Other notables include Ottawa forwards Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, Vancouver winger Daniel Sedin and Atlanta goaltender Kari Lehtonen.

Here's a look at the No. 2 picks since 1994 and how they fared.

Year	Player	Pos.	Drafted by	CurrentTeam	Comment
2008	Drew Doughty	D	Kings	Kings	Made All-Rookie team with 27 points in 81 games
2007	James vanRiemsdyk	LW	Flyers	Flyers	Power forward could make big club this fall
2006	Jordan Staal	C	Penguins	Penguins	Budding star and Cup winner is only 20
2005	Bobby Ryan	RW	Ducks	Ducks	Calder Trophy finalist broke through with 31 goals last season
2004	Evgeni Malkin	C	Penguins	Penguins	NHL scoring leader added 36 playoff points
2003	Eric Staal	C	Hurricanes	Hurricanes	Has averaged 38 goals in past four seasons
2002	Kari Lehtonen	G	Thrashers	Thrashers	Sports a career .912 save percentage
2001	Jason Spezza	C	Senators	Senators	Has 418 points in 404 NHL games
2000	Dany Heatley	RW	Thrashers	Senators	Averaging 37 goals in seven pro seasons
1999	Daniel Sedin	LW	Canucks	Canucks	Savvy passer excels on power play
1998	David Legwand	C	Predators	Predators	Chosen after Lecavalier, still struggling
1997	Patrick Marleau	C	Sharks	Sharks	Solid two-way player, scored five SHG last year
1996	Andrei Zyuzin	D	Sharks	Out of NHL	Underachiever with six teams, including Bolts
1995	Wade Redden	D	Islanders	Rangers	Distinguished 12-year career, power-play standout
1994	Oleg Tverdovsky	D	Ducks	Out of NHL	Two-time Cup winner now playing in Russia