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Ranking Top 5 NHL Draft father-son duos who were picked in Top 15 feat. Darryl and Ryan Sittler
The 2024 NHL Draft is just around the corner. Over the years, the league has seen numerous father-son duos being selected in the upper deck of the draft classes.
However, there have been only a few father-son duos who were picked in the top 15 of their draft year. In the 2024 NHL Draft, former NHL wing Jarome Iginla and his son Tj Iginla could possibly make their way into the list.
From Darryl and Ryan Sittler to Paul and Sam Reinhart, hockey icons hailing from the same family have made it known that the passion for the sport can indeed be passed from one generation to another. Today we rank the top five father-son duos who were picked in the top 15 of their respective draft class.
Top 5 NHL Draft father-son duos
#5. Darryl and Ryan Sittler
NHL Hall of Famer Darryl Sittler and his son Ryan were the first father-son duo to be selected in the Top 10 in the history of NHL Draft. Darryl Sittler was originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1970 Draft with the eighth overall pick and scored a phenomenal 1,121 points during his career.
Ryan Sittler was selected seventh overall in the 1992 NHL Draft. However, he never played a single game in the league due to a series of injuries and eventually retired from the sport at the age of 25.
#4. Paul and Griffin Reinhart
Paul Griffin’s second son Griffin Reinhart was also an upper deck pick in his draft class. Griffin was chosen fourth overall in 2012 by the New York Islanders and although the defenceman was a first round pick, he never really found his proper footing in the NHL.
Griffin Reinhart was traded to the Oilers in 2015 and remained in Edmonton until the 2017 Expansion Draft. There he was chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights and would eventually leave as a free-agent.
#3. Mike and Cole Sillinger
Mike Sillinger was the 11th overall pick in the 1989 NHL Draft, selected by the Detroit Red Wings. Mike had a decent NHL career and scored 548 career points across 17 seasons he played in the league. However, his stay in a single team was usually shortlived and the player was traded a record nine-times in his NHL career.
Cole Sillinger followed in his father’s footsteps, being selected 12th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets. He is continuing his career in Columbus and the center has notched 74 points to date.
#2. Paul and Sam Reinhart
Former NHL defenseman Paul Reinhart has three-sons, all of whom played hockey. Paul was chosen 12th overall in the 1979 NHL Draft by the Atlanta Flames. Despite playing on the defensive side of the ice, Reinhart ended up recording 559 points during his career in the NHL.
His youngest son, Sam Reinhart, was the second overall pick of the 2014 NHL Draft. He was chosen by the Buffalo Sabres and continued with the franchise until 2021 when he was traded to the Florida Panthers. Sam is quite close to overtaking his father in terms of NHL career points. His tally is currently standing at 538 points–just 21 shy of that of his father’s.
#1. Dave and Sam Gagner
Edmonton Oilers forward Sam Gagner and his father Dave Gagner are the first duo on our list. Dave Gagner was picked 12th overall in the 1983 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers. While his NHL career started on a sloppy note due to injuries and a persistent slump in form, he would go on to have a fantastic stint with the Minnesota North Stars. Dave played for a total of seven franchises in the NHL, scoring 719 points in his career.
Now in his third stint with the Edmonton Oilers, Sam Gagner was originally drafted sixth overall by Edmonton in 2007. Gagner has since played for the Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks and the Detroit Red Wings. He has notched up a total of 529 points to date in his career.
With the 2024 NHL Draft fast approaching, it will be interesting to watch if top prospect Tj Ignila will be able to outrank his father Jarome Iginla in the draft order. Jarome was chosen 11th overall in the 1995 NHL Draft and is widely regarded as one of the best players of his generation.
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