Top five late-round steals from the 2017 NHL Draft

We’ve looked at the best late-round picks from the 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 NHL Drafts over the past year – and we’re not done yet.

The 2017 NHL Draft was a bit of a mixed bag. Injuries limited Nolan Patrick to just 222 games before he was forced to retire. Cody Glass and Lias Andersson never came close to reaching their potential, and many other first-rounders ultimately became depth players. But, man: Cale Makar, Nick Suzuki, Miro Heiskanen, Jake Oettinger, Nico Hischier, Jason Robertson, Elias Pettersson, Robert Thomas, and Martin Necas definitely brought the star power.

But how about the draft’s biggest steals? Since we’ve had nearly a decade since this draft, we’re going to swap things around a bit. Instead of including players taken in 100th overall or later, we’re going to go with those taken in the second half. Since 217 players were taken (217/2 equals 108.5), we’re going with every player taken 109th overall and later. So that eliminates Mikey Anderson, who has played nearly 400 career games. But that’s about it.

From upcoming Olympians to solid depth players, here’s a look at five of the top late-round talent from the 2017 NHL Draft:

Jeremy Swayman, G (Boston Bruins)

Drafted 111th overall, fourth round

Swayman was the 12th goaltender taken in the 2017 draft and the fourth in the fourth round alone. Of that group, four goalies have played at least 50 games, while the other seven have combined for a grand total of eight. Swayman is set to join fellow 2017 draft pick Jake Oettinger with the U.S. Olympic team in a few weeks, with Swayman establishing himself as one of the best goaltenders in the game. His numbers have taken a bit of a tumble since his 24-6-4, .920 save percentage campaign in 2022-23. But he’s playing some decent hockey this year to keep the Bruins firmly in the playoff conversation in what was supposed to be a down year.

Swayman was drafted after spending 2016-17 with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede. He had a good season personally, but he was tested a bit more than he probably should have been with a bad blueline in front of him. Swayman then went on to become one of the best goaltenders in the NCAA at the University of Maine over three years before making his NHL debut with Boston in 2021. Swayman quickly became one of the best young goaltenders in the league, and he’s one of the highest-paid after signing an eight-year deal worth $8.25 million annually back in 2024.

Nick Perbix, D (Nashville Predators)

Drafted 169th overall, sixth round (by the Tampa Bay Lightning)

Like Noah Cates, who also appears on this list, Perbix turned a solid college career into an Olympic spot with the United States in 2022. That helped really put him on the map, as he quickly became a full-time NHLer the year prior. His offensive production throughout college was impressive, and after carrying that over to the AHL, many expected him to succeed once he cracked the NHL.

Perbix’s numbers have been nothing to write home about ever since, but he has remained in the big leagues. He was a decent mid-level contributor for Tampa, finding himself in the 19-24-point range over his three years there. He’d jump up to the top pairing from time to time, but was more used to blocking shots, breaking up plays, and getting the puck out of the net from the second or third pairing. Now with the Predators, Perbix is averaging close to 20 minutes a night for the first time.

Drake Batherson, RW (Ottawa Senators)

Drafted 121st overall, fourth round

While the days might not be too bright in Ottawa right now, Batherson has been excellent this season. He’s trending for more than 75 points for the first time in his career after surpassing the 60-point barrier in each of his past three seasons. Batherson was highly productive in his Draft+1 year, which included seven goals at the World Juniors. Batherson then put up two incredible years in the AHL with Belleville before cracking the big club full-time in 2020-21.

With nearly 340 points, Batherson is the eighth-highest scoring player out of the 2017 NHL Draft. He’d almost certainly be drafted around the top 10 in a re-draft – he’s one of just two players taken after pick No. 100 to have at least 100 career points (more on the other below). Batherson has been electric beside Tim Stutzle on Ottawa’s top line for the past few years and will continue to be important in the long run – assuming the team signs him before he becomes a free agent at the end of the 2026-27 season.

Noah Cates, C (Philadelphia Flyers)

Drafted 137th overall, fifth round

If you don’t follow Flyers games that closely, it’s easy to ignore Cates’ impact. But he has actually been a solid offensive facilitator since closing out his college career with the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2022. He made an immediate impact in the NHL, registering nine points in 16 games, and he even represented the United States at the Winter Olympics.

Since then, Cates has become a solid secondary producer for the Flyers. He set a personal best with 38 points as a rookie in 2022-23, but he’s on pace for more than 40 this year. Cates plays with a boatload of energy, commits well as a two-way forward and he has a good shot to boot. As a third-liner with the ability to play both center and the wing, Cates is no slouch. His defensive metrics have been fantastic, making him well worth the $4 million per year he’ll receive until 2029.

Alexey Toropchenko, RW (St. Louis Blues)

Drafted 113th overall, fourth round

It’s hard to miss the 6-foot-6, 225-pound winger out there. Toropchenko’s skating left a lot to be desired early in his career, and that was evident even after he left the Russian junior league for the OHL. The production never really seemed to flourish – but that wasn’t what the Blues were interested in.

Instead, they wanted someone who was extremely difficult to play against – someone who combined size with a relentless will to win every shift. Toropchenko would go on to become a full-time NHLer in 2022-23 and hasn’t looked back. His numbers are still quite modest, but he’s a perfect fit as a bottom-six forward. His skating has improved a lot, too. Toropchenko’s versatility an imposing figure have allowed him to last in the big leagues for around half a decade, and there’s no stopping him now.

Other notables: Emil Bemstrom, RW (Columbus Blue Jackets, 117th overall); Sebastian Aho, D (New York Islanders, 139th overall); Morgan Barron, LW (New York Rangers, 174th overall)

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