Road to the 2016 NHL Draft: 56th Overall

By Alex Hobson

Welcome back to my "Road to the Draft" series. Yesterday, we took a look at the last ten 57th overall picks, highlighted by Oscar Lindberg and Mike Weber. There are now 56 days until the 2016 NHL Draft, so today we'll look at the last ten 56th overall picks.

2006 - Blake Geoffrion, LW (Nashville Predators)

The grandson of former Montreal Canadiens great Bernie Geoffrion only appeared in 55 NHL games between the Predators and Habs, recording 13 points.

2007 - Akim Aliu, RW (Chicago Blackhawks)

Aliu never made it to the NHL, but had a lengthy AHL career along the way, recording 71 points in 232 games. He now plays for Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL.

2008 - Danny Kristo, RW (Montreal Canadiens)

Kristo has yet to play in the NHL, but he's had a solid AHL career so far. The Eden Prairie native has recorded a total of 140 points in 217 total AHL games.

2009 - Kevin Lynch, C (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Lynch has also never played an NHL game so far, in fact has spent most of his career in the ECHL, totaling 100 points in 140 games. He is now in the Tampa Bay Lightning's system.

2010 - Johan Larsson, C (Minnesota Wild)

Larsson has slowly been groomed into a reliable NHLer, now playing for the Buffalo Sabres. He has amassed a total of 37 points in 142 NHL games.

2011 - Lucas Lessio, LW (Phoenix Coyotes)

Now in the Montreal Canadiens system, Lessio has been a very solid AHLer and only has room to grow. He's totaled 108 points in 165 AHL games.

2012 - Sam Kurker, RW (St. Louis Blues)

Kurker is still developing in the NCAA for the Blues. He recently finished his season with Northeastern University, recording 18 points in 41 games along the way.

2013 - Marc-Olivier Roy, C (Edmonton Oilers)

After a successful junior career with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and the Quebec Remparts, Roy recently finished his first AHL season, recording 20 points in 42 games.

2014 - Ryan Donato, C (Boston Bruins)

Donato had a very impressive high school hockey career and just finished his freshman year with Harvard University with 21 points in 32 games.

2015 - Vince Dunn, D (St. Louis Blues)

Dunn has been a very solid producer in the OHL so far with 132 points in 183 games as a defenseman, and currently has 10 points in eight games with the Ice Dogs throughout the playoffs.

BEST PLAYER DRAFTED 56TH: Johan Larsson

Larsson is without a doubt the best player taken 56th overall since 2006, although it wasn't hard to make that decision given the fact that he's the only one that's played a significant amount of NHL games. The gritty Swede has proven to be the best case taken 56th so far.

RUNNER UP: Lucas Lessio

POTENTIAL STEALS: Ryan Donato, Vince Dunn