ESPN analysts Rachel Kryshak and Greg Wyshynski have re-evaluated the 2016 NHL draft with a decade of hindsight, reshuffling the original selections based on player performance and team needs. The exercise reveals how certain picks have exceeded expectations while others have fallen short of their early promise. With Auston Matthews remaining the consensus No. 1 selection, the re-draft highlights the evolution of player value in the NHL.

Matthew Tkachuk emerges as a significant riser, landing with the Winnipeg Jets at No. 2 after his original selection by Calgary. The analysts note Tkachuk's impact as a skilled agitator who tilts games in his team's favor. Adam Fox also climbs the rankings, going fourth to Edmonton where his elite puck-moving abilities would complement stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The re-draft particularly emphasizes the importance of defensive talent, with Fox and Charlie McAvoy both moving up significantly from their original positions.

The exercise underscores how draft evaluations evolve over time, with players like Tage Thompson jumping from 26th to sixth overall after blossoming into an elite center for Buffalo. Meanwhile, the original No. 3 pick Pierre-Luc Dubois falls out of the top five entirely. The re-draft serves as a fascinating case study in how teams value different skill sets and how player development can dramatically alter draft perceptions over a decade.