Scott Merryfield
Senior HTF Member
Lots of NHL activity between the draft and trades. Vancouver was having a fire sale, trading away Kesler to Anaheim and Garrison to Tampa. Pittsburgh traded away Plymouth Whalers alumnus James Neal to Phoenix.
As for the draft, Aaron Ekblad became the 2nd player granted "exceptional status"(allowed to be drafted into the Ontario Hockey League a year early at 15 years old) to be selected #1 overall in the NHL Draft. John Tavares was the first. Two other players have been granted exceptional status by the league, and Connor McDavid could join Tavares and Ekblad as #1 overall pick in next year's draft. The fourth player is Sean Day, who becomes NHL draft eligible in 2017.
I like the Habs 1st round pick, Nikita Scherbak. He has a lot of skill, and really wants to play in the NHL (so no worries that he may go back to Mother Russia and the KHL).
Five players from my hometown Plymouth Whalers of the OHL were taken in the draft -- Alex Nedeljkovic (#37 to Carolina), Connor Chatham (#71 to New Jersey), Alex Peters (#75 to Dallas), Josh Wesley (#96 to Carolina), and Matt Mistele (#180 to LA). This breaks the Whalers streak of having at least one player taken in the first round in the previous four drafts. Nedeljkovic came close, but his position hurt him -- for the 2nd straight year no goalie was taken in the 1st round.
Ned and Wesley going to Carolina is the result of former Whalers head coach and GM Mike Vellucci taking the job as assistant GM with the Hurricanes. Josh Wesley, the son of former NHL player Glen Wesley, becomes the first North Carolina native to ever be picked in the NHL Draft. Also, Alex Peters is the younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes goalie (and Plymouth Whalers alum) Justin Peters.
The Ontario Hockey League led all leagues with 41 players drafted, followed by the Western Hockey League (37), USHL (30) and Sweden Jr. (21).
As for the draft, Aaron Ekblad became the 2nd player granted "exceptional status"(allowed to be drafted into the Ontario Hockey League a year early at 15 years old) to be selected #1 overall in the NHL Draft. John Tavares was the first. Two other players have been granted exceptional status by the league, and Connor McDavid could join Tavares and Ekblad as #1 overall pick in next year's draft. The fourth player is Sean Day, who becomes NHL draft eligible in 2017.
I like the Habs 1st round pick, Nikita Scherbak. He has a lot of skill, and really wants to play in the NHL (so no worries that he may go back to Mother Russia and the KHL).
Five players from my hometown Plymouth Whalers of the OHL were taken in the draft -- Alex Nedeljkovic (#37 to Carolina), Connor Chatham (#71 to New Jersey), Alex Peters (#75 to Dallas), Josh Wesley (#96 to Carolina), and Matt Mistele (#180 to LA). This breaks the Whalers streak of having at least one player taken in the first round in the previous four drafts. Nedeljkovic came close, but his position hurt him -- for the 2nd straight year no goalie was taken in the 1st round.
Ned and Wesley going to Carolina is the result of former Whalers head coach and GM Mike Vellucci taking the job as assistant GM with the Hurricanes. Josh Wesley, the son of former NHL player Glen Wesley, becomes the first North Carolina native to ever be picked in the NHL Draft. Also, Alex Peters is the younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes goalie (and Plymouth Whalers alum) Justin Peters.
The Ontario Hockey League led all leagues with 41 players drafted, followed by the Western Hockey League (37), USHL (30) and Sweden Jr. (21).