John-Michael Liles
Even a fifth-round selection, like defenseman John-Michael Liles was, is a question mark when it comes to whether or not the player will eventually transition to the NHL. Liles did.
Selected 159th overall in the fifth round of the 2000 Draft, Liles played in 523 games and put up 68 goals and 207 assists for the Avalanche.
Liles was only 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, so he wasn’t a player that would regularly be in the midst of hits nor fights. He was more of a puck-moving defender whose job was primarily to not turn the puck over.
Though he wasn’t a finalist for the Norris Trophy in 2010, he was still considered, after putting up four goals and 19 assists. Heck, that really puts into perspective how great of a player Cale Makar is: Though he does more than produce points, Makar had 92 points this past season while scoring 30 goals, something that is very rare for a defenseman.
Getting back to Liles, he was able to stick around the NHL for 15 seasons, for the Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and Carolina Hurricanes. For all of the late-round selections made in any NHL Entry Draft, they should be looking at Liles as inspiration for making it when the odds were stacked against him.