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

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 Comment2008 Drew Doughty D Kings Kings Made All-Rookie team with 27 points in 81 games2007 James vanRiemsdyk LW Flyers Flyers Power forward could make big club this fall2006 Jordan Staal C Penguins Penguins Budding star and Cup winner is only 202005 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 points2003 Eric Staal C Hurricanes Hurricanes Has averaged 38 goals in past four seasons2002 Kari Lehtonen G Thrashers Thrashers Sports a career .912 save percentage2001 Jason Spezza C Senators Senators Has 418 points in 404 NHL games2000 Dany Heatley RW Thrashers Senators Averaging 37 goals in seven pro seasons1999 Daniel Sedin LW Canucks Canucks Savvy passer excels on power play1998 David Legwand C Predators Predators Chosen after Lecavalier, still struggling1997 Patrick Marleau C Sharks Sharks Solid two-way player, scored five SHG last year1996 Andrei Zyuzin D Sharks Out of NHL Underachiever with six teams, including Bolts1995 Wade Redden D Islanders Rangers Distinguished 12-year career, power-play standout1994 Oleg Tverdovsky D Ducks Out of NHL Two-time Cup winner now playing in Russia