Next, the Calgary Flames selected Matthew Tkachuk with the sixth pick.
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With the first overall selection in the 2016 NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs select Auston Matthews.
The only Arizona native among active NHL players is Sean Couturier, who was raised in Canada but born in Phoenix, where his father skated for the minor league Roadrunners.
“I know it’s a great organization with a great fan base”, said Tufte, who will play next season at Minnesota Duluth.
Expectations will be sky-high for Matthews, but with the way the Toronto Maple Leafs rebuild has gone thus far, he should have a real shot to not only meet this expectations, but possibly even exceed them.
The Flames selected left wing Matthew Tkachuk, son of former Blues forward and USA standout Keith Tkachuk with the sixth overall pick.
The Jets had two picks in the first round, with one obtained from Chicago (22nd overall) in the deal that sent captain Andrew Ladd to the Blackhawks in February.
Leafs coach Mike Babcock has been tracking Matthews closely for years, becoming personally familiar with him while serving as the Detroit Red Wings’ coach.
“I am ready to play next year”, said Puljujarvi.
Matthews joins a Toronto team brimming with young talent ahead of newly acquired goalie Frederik Andersen.
The 18-year-old spent his draft year playing pro in Switzlerand where he collected 24 goals and 46 points in 36 games for Zurich SC. “I’m trying to take it day by day and enjoy this whole experience”. “To see that I can play against those players and play well”.
Finnish-born forwards Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi rounded out the three top prospects.
There’s more uncertainty regarding what teams will follow Toronto and Winnipeg.
Here is a list of the top Arizona-raised picks in each major sport, prior to Matthews’ selection. “I think we’re getting some serious and real offers right now”.
Entering the draft all seven Canadian teams had a pick in the top 12.
“There’s a lot of talk, and it’s no secret we’re in the market for a defenseman, and we’re fully engaged”, said Chiarelli, who guessed there’s a better than 50 percent chance Edmonton will retain the pick.
The Leafs opened up proceedings for the first time since 1985 when they selected Wendel Clark, who went on to become a franchise icon who could decide games with his stick or fists.
Coyotes take Datsyuk’s contract • The Detroit Red Wings gained salary-cap relief by trading veteran star Pavel Datsyuk’s contract to the Arizona Coyotes on Friday night at the National Hockey League draft.
Starting with Columbus selecting Pierre-Luc Dubois at No. 3, only three Canadian-born players were taken among the top 10 picks.
However, he will be fundamentally sound and is the franchise center the Maple Leafs have been looking for ever since Mats Sundin retired.
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Elliott was to be an unrestricted free agent after next season. He’s expected to step immediately into the Toronto lineup next season, though the Maple Leafs have cautioned that expectations shouldn’t jump too high too fast.
