NHL Draft Preview: Auston or Patrik, Canadian makeovers, wheeling and dealing
2016 NHL Draft - Day 1
Where: First Niagara Center, Buffalo, N.Y.
When: Friday, June 24 at 7 p.m. ET
TV: NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra
2016 NHL Draft - Day 2
When: Saturday, June 25 at 10 a.m. ET
TV: NHL Network, Sportsnet and TVA Sports 2
Here we go.
The NHL Draft is finally upon us. The fortunes of 30 teenagers and 30 NHL clubs will be altered Friday night.
Related: NHL Mock Draft
Here are three storylines to follow:
Who's No. 1?
Auston Matthews thinks he should be drafted first overall. Patrik Laine disagrees; he thinks he's the best player available. Ask Jesse Puljujarvi and he'll tell you Jesse Puljujarvi is the top talent on the board.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will draft first, followed by the Winnipeg Jets, and Columbus Blue Jackets. The projections are Matthews first, Laine second, and Puljujarvi third.
While Toronto is in dire need of a franchise center, making Matthews all but a slam dunk selection with the first pick, there's been chatter that Laine at No. 2 isn't so cut and dry. His fellow Finn Puljujarvi could hear his name announced second.
We'll find out Friday night. Once the first three dominos fall, the real fun will begin. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Matthew Tkachuk, and Alexander Nylander will all be going in the top 10. We're finally about to find out where.
Canada's time
The playoffs were about the NHL's American teams. The draft is all about the north.
Five of the league's seven Canadian teams will draft in the top six, six in the top 10, and all seven by pick No. 12.
Picks No. 4, 5, and 6 belong to the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and Vancouver Canucks. The Montreal Canadiens will draft ninth, and the Ottawa Senators 12th. Each team is drafting high enough to add an impact player and each team can't afford to screw this one up.
The Jets are the only Canadian team with two picks in the first round; they'll select at No. 22 as well.
Let's make a deal
The Oilers are dangling the fourth overall pick for a defenseman. Seemingly every team has called the Canadiens about P.K. Subban - including the Oilers and Canucks.
The Blue Jackets have called the Maple Leafs and Jets about potentially moving up.
Anaheim Ducks d-man Cam Fowler may be on the move, potentially to Buffalo for their eighth overall pick. The Flames are exploring all avenues to acquire a goalie, and they've been linked to some heavy hitters in Marc-Andre Fleury and Ben Bishop.
In other words: there are a ton of balls in the air. With all 30 general managers and their staffs on the same floor at the same time, there will be action.
The NHL Draft never disappoints. Sit back and enjoy.