When the Ottawa Senators knew they were going to pick first in the 1993 NHL Draft, they believed they had found the player who would define their franchise. Alexandre Daigle looked like a can't-miss superstar.
The dynamic center dominated the QMJHL during his draft season, piling up 45 goals and 137 points in just 53 games with the Victoriaville Tigres. Those offensive numbers made him the consensus No. 1 prospect, and for an expansion franchise desperately searching for its first true star, passing on Daigle never seriously entered the conversation.
Instead, Ottawa turned down what may have become one of the biggest "what ifs" in NHL history.
According to multiple reports over the years, the Quebec Nordiques were willing to make an enormous offer for the first overall pick. The reported package has changed over the years, but many sources claim at the very least it included future Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg and former first-round pick Owen Nolan, while Todd Warriner (who was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs before ever suiting up for the Nordiques) is often mentioned in this package as well. It is also speculated that Quebec's own first-round selection in 1993 (10th overall) and cash were part of the deal.
While we don't know the full details of the package, we do know that the Senators kept the pick, and history shows just how costly that decision became. Daigle managed 20 goals and 51 points as a rookie, but those numbers would stand as one of the best offensive seasons of his career.
After two disappointing campaigns of 37 and 17 points in '95 and '96, respectively, he rebounded with 26 goals and 51 points in 1996-97, but he never reached 40 points again while with Ottawa and eventually bounced through six NHL organizations before his career ended.
Today, Daigle is regularly mentioned whenever discussions turn to the biggest draft busts in NHL history. Meanwhile, nearly every major piece Ottawa declined became valuable.
Peter Forsberg alone would have changed everything
It's impossible to overstate what Peter Forsberg eventually became. Fresh off one of the greatest World Junior Championship performances ever—forming a legendary tandem with Markus Naslund for Sweden—Forsberg developed into one of the NHL's most dominant two-way centers.
He won the Hart Trophy, captured two Stanley Cups, claimed an Olympic gold medal, and was eventually inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He scored 885 points over a 13-year career and led the league with 77 assists and 106 points in 2002-03.
Instead of spending his prime leading the Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa fans are left to imagine Forsberg becoming the first true superstar in Ottawa. His first nine seasons were spent with Quebec/Colorado, and so were the final two years of his career. Although he only managed to play 11 games. Nine in 2007-08 and then two in 2010-11. The gap was due to Forsberg dealing with severe, chronic foot and ankle injuries that forced him to retire. But over those 11 seasons, he accumulated 755 points with 217 goals in 591 games.
That would have put Forsberg fourth all-time in goals and second all-time in points in Senators franchise history. Rather than waiting years for Daniel Alfredsson to emerge as the face of the franchise, the Senators could have built around one of the greatest players of his generation almost immediately.
Owen Nolan gives Ottawa a power forward
Adding Nolan to the deal would have tipped the scales even further. Nolan developed into one of the NHL's premier power forwards during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He recorded 30+ goals five times, while getting at least 45 points in 11 seasons. He also earned multiple All-Star selections and became one of hockey's most intimidating physical scorers while proving his on-ice leadership as captain of the San Jose Sharks from 1998 to 2003
For an expansion team desperately searching for legitimate NHL talent, Nolan alone would have represented a massive addition. Instead of relying almost entirely on Daigle to become the offensive catalyst, Ottawa would have added an established cornerstone capable of producing goals while bringing the physical edge expansion teams often lacked.
Todd Warriner—and another first-round pick
Warriner never became the offensive star many envisioned after being selected fourth overall in 1992, but he carved out a lengthy NHL career as a dependable depth forward. More importantly, the Senators also would have owned Quebec's 10th overall selection in the 1993 Draft.
The Nordiques used that pick on goaltender Jocelyn Thibault, who went on to enjoy a very respectable 586-game NHL career. He posted a 238-238-75 record with a 2.75 GAA and .904 save percentage. He is in the top 75 all-time in goalie wins.
But Ottawa wouldn't have been forced to take a goaltender. Looking back at that draft, several outstanding players were still available after No. 10, including Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe, Saku Koivu, Vinny Prospal, Andrew Brunette, Jamie Langenbrunner, Brendan Morrison, and Todd Marchant.
Even if Ottawa had missed on one player, the depth of that draft suggests they likely would have landed another long-term NHL contributor, which would drastically change the organization's timeline.
The Senators didn't make the playoffs until their fifth season and didn't finish above .500 until Year 6 of the franchise. With that much young NHL talent entering the organization at once, it's reasonable to wonder whether those milestones arrive much sooner.
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