Former Bruins star was selected in the KHL draft before joining the NHL

In the lesser-known corners of hockey history, 2014 marked the year when Medvescak Zagreb decided to take a chance on young talent.

Surprisingly, it was none other than Connor McDavid who found himself selected as the 77th overall pick in the KHL draft.

Fast forward to today, and McDavid's name has become synonymous with the NHL's brightest stars.

But McDavid isn't alone in this intriguing chapter of cross-drafting. The KHL draft has, on occasion, woven a web of connections to future NHL legends.


Former Bruins Taylor Hall, Victor Hedman, Zack Kassian, Erik Gudbranson, Jack Eichel, and Aaron Ekblad all experienced the unique feeling of being chosen in KHL drafts.



In 2009, when the talented Taylor Hall, once part of the Bruins, found himself selected at the 89th position by the Ak Bars Kazan in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) draft on June 1.

What's intriguing is that Hall was joined by two other Canadian junior players, all hailing from the OHL, who were plucked in the 2009 KHL Draft. Notably, this draft starts the player selection process one year younger than the NHL's approach.

However, destiny had different plans for them. Despite their selection, none of these players ever graced the ice in a KHL jersey.

As time marches on, this quirky piece of history reminds us that the path to hockey stardom is often a winding one, lined with unexpected turns and fascinating "what if" scenarios.