2011 National Hockey League Entry Draft - First Round Preview
The 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft is all set to begin on Friday, June 24th, and last till Saturday, June 25th. There are a number of prospects, some of the best the league has seen in a long time, with some even saying
that Wayne Gretzky himself was not even that good at his age.
The draft’s first round will begin at 7pm ET, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.
Without the exciting draft to bring in new talent from not only North America, but throughout the world, the NHL offseason would surely bore out the fans everywhere, thus, the event is highly anticipated everywhere, allowing us to see which team will get
which player and how they could perform in the new season.
Over 200 youngsters from all around the world, aged 17-20 from North America and even above 20 from European countries, will be present at the event to see whether they are selected by the franchises, which is obviously a make it or break it situation for
their careers.
NHL scouts travel all over the world where ice hockey is played and note down who is capable of joining the major league.
Players from minor North American leagues like the American Hockey League (AHL), Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and many more, including worldwide leagues, will be present at the event.
Not all are selected, or even play immediately down the line after being drafted. It depends on what they can offer to the team that makes them worthy of playing.
Some players never get to play in the team that selects them and continue in the minors. It is all part of the process that makes hockey what it is today.
The prospects who reached before time had a day of fun with the others who are hopeful of selection as they travelled around Minnesota and made most of the time they had together.
"I mean, we did discuss the draft with each other a little bit asking each other if we were feeling nervous or what we would be doing afterwards", the No. 2 ranked prospect, Gabriel Landeskog, said. "But most of the talk was just normal everyday stuff. We
just had a good time".
Edmonton Oilers’ general manager, Steve Tambellini, has the first pick in the opening round of the draft for the second time in two years. He has discussed many options about maybe even trading it if a valuable offer was made, but currently is thinking of
using it.
Tambellini picked Taylor Hall last time in place of Tyler Seguin, and has been advised this time around about Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of Red Deer Rebels, a minor league team in the province of Alberta in Canada.
"Nugent-Hopkins, I think, is the clear consensus No. 1 but that's not what I would call a marquee name", Maple Leafs’ general manager, Brian Bure, said. "He's going to be a good player. In terms of depth after the first four or five picks (this year), we
really like this group a lot".
If Nugent-Hopkins is picked as the first overall, he will create history as the first Western Hockey League (WHL) prospect to go number one since 1996.
Jonathan Huberdeau is also one of the prospects and ranks No. 3 according to the scouting list. He led his team, St. Johns Sea Dogs, to its first ever Memorial Cup championship and has high chances in being selected anywhere in the top five picks.
The 2011 NHL Entry Draft’s first round will kick off on June 24 in Minnesota.
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