Prior to 2005, teams received compensatory draft picks when a player departed as a free agent. In 2002, when Bill Guerin left for Dallas, the Bruins were granted a valuable compensatory pick in the 2003 NHL Draft, specifically the 45th overall selection in the second round.
Little did they know that this pick would shape the destiny of their franchise for years to come. With astute foresight, the Bruins made the most of this opportunity and used the compensatory pick to secure the immensely talented Patrice Bergeron.
The rest, as they say, is history, as Bergeron went on to become an iconic figure in Boston and one of the finest players in NHL history.
