NHL Draft 2012 Wraps Up In Record Time: 181 Players Drafted In Under 3 Hours

Islanders, Blue Jackets Are Both Really, Really Dumb

2012 NHL Draft Grades: Western Conference

With Round 1 in the books, it's time to grade the Western Conference based on Friday night's action.

NHL Draft 2012: Results From Round 7

The 2012 NHL Draft has finally concluded with the completion of the seventh round:

1. 182 overall Columbus Blue Jackets - Gianluca Curcuruto D, Canada
2. 183 Dallas Stars - Dmitry Sinitsyn, D, Russia
3. 184 Phoenix Coyotes - Marek Langhamer, G, Czech Republic
4. 185 New York Islanders - Jake Bischoff, D, USA
5. 186 Calgary Flames - Matthew Deblouw, C, USA
6. 187 Anaheim Ducks - Kenton Helgesen, D, Canada
7. 188 Minnesota Wild - Louis Nanne, LW, USA
8. 189 Carolina Hurricanes - Brendan Collier, LW, USA
9. 190 Winnipeg Jets - Jamie Phillips , G, Canada
10. 191 Chicago Blackhawks - Brandon Whitney, G, Canada
11. 192 Colorado Avalanche - Colin Smith, C, Canada
12. 193 Buffalo Sabres - Brady Austin , D, Canada
13. 194 Florida Panthers - Jonatan Nielsen, D, Sweden
14. 195 Washington Capitals - Christian Djoos, D, Sweden
15. 196 Ottawa Senators - Mikael Wikstrand, D, Sweden
16. 197 Washington Capitals - Jaynen Rissling, D, Canada
17. 198 San Jose Sharks - Joakim Ryan, D, USA
18. 199 Chicago Blackhawks - Matt Tomkins, G, Canada
19. 200 Detroit Red Wings - Rasmus Bodin, LW, Sweden
20. 201 Philadelphia Flyers - Valeri Vasiliev, D, Russia
21. 202 Tampa Bay Lightning - Nikita Gusev , LW, Russia
22. 203 Washington Capitals - Sergei Kostenko, G, Russia
23. 204 Buffalo Sabres - Judd Peterson, C/RW, USA
24. 205 Boston Bruins - Colton Hargrove, LW, USA
25. 206 St. Louis Blues - Tyrel Seaman, C, Canada
26. 207 Vancouver Canucks - Matthew Beattie, LW, USA
27. 208 Phoenix Coyotes - Justin Hache, D, Canada
28. 209 Toronto Maple Leafs - Viktor Loov, D, Sweden
29. 210 Anaheim Ducks - Jaycob Megna, D, USA
30. 211 Los Angeles Kings - Nick Ebert, D, USA

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NHL Draft 2012: Results From Round 6

The 2012 NHL Draft is nearing its completion as the sixth round has finished up:

1. 152 overall Columbus Blue Jackets - Daniel Zaar, RW, Sweden
2. 153 Edmonton Oilers - John McCarron, RW, USA
3. 154 Montreal Canadiens - Erik Nystrom, LW, Sweden
4. 155 New York Islanders - Jesse Graham, D, Canada
5. 156 Toronto Maple Leafs - Connor Brown, RW, Canada
6. 157 Toronto Maple Leafs - Ryan Rupert, C, Canada
7. 158 Minnesota Wild - Christoph Bertschy, C, Switzerland
8. 159 Carolina Hurricanes - Collin Olson, G, USA
9. 160 Winnipeg Jets - Ryan Olsen, C, Canada
10. 161 Tampa Bay Lightning - Jake Dotchin, D, Canada
11. 162 Colorado Avalanche - Joseph Blandisi, C/RW, Canada
12. 163 Buffalo Sabres - Linus Ullmark, G, Sweden
13. 164 Nashville Predators - Simon Fernholm, D, Sweden
14. 165 Calgary Flames - Coda Gordon, LW, Canada
15. 166 Ottawa Senators - Francois Brassard, G, Canada
16. 167 Washington Capitals - Riley Barber, RW, USA
17. 168 San Jose Sharks - Clifford Watson, D, USA
18. 169 Chicago Blackhawks - Vincent Hinostroza, C, USA
19. 170 Detroit Red Wings - James De Haas, D, Canada
20. 171 Los Angeles Kings - Tomas Hyka, RW, Czech Republic
21. 172 Nashville Predators - Max Gortz, RW, Sweden
22. 173 Pittsburgh Penguins - Anton Zlobin, RW, Russia
23. 174 Florida Panthers - Francis Beauvillier, C/LW, Canada
24. 175 Boston Bruins - Matthew Benning, D, Canada
25. 176 St. Louis Blues - Petteri Lindbohm, D, Finland
26. 177 Vancouver Canucks - Wesley Myron, LW, Canada
27. 178 Phoenix Coyotes - Samuel Fejes, LW, USA
28. 179 Nashville Predators - Marek Mazanec , G, Czech Republic
29. 180 New Jersey Devils - Artur Gavrus, C/LW, Belarus
30. 181 Los Angeles Kings - Paul LaDue, D, USA

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NHL Draft 2012: Results From Round 5

The 2012 NHL Draft is nearly complete following 30 picks in the fifth round:

1. 122 overall - Montreal Canadiens - Charles Hudon, LW, Canada
2. 123 - Edmonton Oilers - Joey Laleggia, D, Canada
3. 124 - Calgary Flames - Ryan Culkin, D, Canada
4. 125 - New York Islanders - Doyle Somerby, D, USA
5. 126 - Toronto Maple Leafs - Dominic Toninato, C, USA
6. 127 - Anaheim Ducks - Brian Cooper, D, USA
7. 128 - Minnesota Wild - Daniel Gunnarsson, D, Sweden
8. 129 - Carolina Hurricanes - Brendan Woods, LW, Canada
9. 130 - Winnipeg Jets - Connor Hellebuyck, G, USA
10. 131 - Boston Bruins - Seth Griffith, C, Canada
11. 132 - Colorado Avalanche - Michael Clarke, C, Canada
12. 133 - Buffalo Sabres - Logan Nelson, C, USA
13. 134 - Dallas Stars - Branden Troock, RW, Canada
14. 135 - New Jersey Devils - Graham Black, C, Canada
15. 136 - Ottawa Senators - Robert Baillargeon, C, USA
16. 137 - Washington Capitals - Connor Carrick, D, USA
17. 138 - San Jose Sharks - Daniel O'Regan, C, Germany
18. 139 - Chicago Blackhawks - Garret Ross, LW, USA
19. 140 - Detroit Red Wings - Michael Mckee, D, Canada
20. 141 - Philadelphia Flyers - Reece Willcox, D, Canada
21. 142 - New York Rangers - Thomas Spelling, RW, Denmark
22. 143 - Pittsburgh Penguins - Clark Seymour, D, Canada
23. 144 - Dallas Stars - Henri Kiviaho, G, Finland
24. 145 - Boston Bruins - Cody Payne, RW, England
25. 146 - St. Louis Blues - Francois Tremblay, G, Canada
26. 147 - Vancouver Canucks - Ben Hutton, D, Canada
27. 148 - Phoenix Coyotes - Niklas Tikkinen, D, Finland
28. 149 - Chicago Blackhawks - Travis Brown, D, Canada
29. 150 - New Jersey Devils - Alexander Kerfoot, C, Canada
30. 151 - Los Angeles Kings - Colin Miller, D, Canada

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NHL Draft 2012: Results From Round 4

The second day of the 2012 NHL Draft enters the home stretch with the conclusion of the fourth round:

1. 92 overall - Pittsburgh Penguins - Matia Marcantuoni, C/RW, Canada
2. 93 - Edmonton Oilers - Erik Gustafsson, D, Sweden
3. 94 - Montreal Canadiens - Brady Vail, C, USA
4. 95 - Columbus Blue Jackets - Josh Anderson, RW, Canada
5. 96 - New Jersey Devils - Ben Thomson, LW, Canada
6. 97 - Anaheim Ducks - Kevin Roy, C, Canada
7. 98 - Minnesota Wild - Adam Gilmour C, USA
8. 99 - Carolina Hurricanes - Erik Karlsson, C/LW, Sweden
9. 100 - Washington Capitals - Thomas Di Pauli C, USA
10. 101 - Tampa Bay Lightning - Cedric Paquette C, Canada
11. 102 - Phoenix Coyotes - Rhett Holland, D, Canada
12. 103 - New York Islanders - Loic Leduc, D, Canada
13. 104 - Dallas Stars - Gemel Smith, C, Canada
14. 105 - Calgary Flames - Brett Kulak, D, Canada
15. 106 - Ottawa Senators - Timothy Boyle, D, USA
16. 107 - Washington Capitals - Austin Wuthrich, RW, USA
17. 108 - Anaheim Ducks - Andrew O'Brien, D, Canada
18. 109 - San Jose Sharks - Christophe Lalancette, RW, Canada
19. 110 - Detroit Red Wings - Andreas Athanasiou, C/LW, Canada
20. 111 - Philadelphia Flyers - Fredrik Larsson, D, Sweden
21. 112 - Nashville Predators - Zachary Stepan C, USA
22. 113 - Pittsburgh Penguins - Sean Maguire, G, Canada
23. 114 - Florida Panthers - Alexander Delnov, LW, Russia
24. 115 - Carolina Hurricanes - Trevor Carrick, D, Canada
25. 116 - St. Louis Blues - Nicholas Walters, D, Canada
26. 117 - Philadelphia Flyers - Taylor Leier, LW, Canada
27. 118 - Nashville Predators - Mikko Vainonen, D, Finland
28. 119 - New York Rangers - Calle Andersson, D, Sweden
29. 120 - Carolina Hurricanes - Jaccob Slavin, D, USA
30. 121 - Los Angeles Kings - Nikolay Prokhorkin, LW, Russia

NHL Draft 2012: Results From Round 3

The 2012 NHL Draft finished up the first round on Friday evening with the second round finishing up on Saturday morning. The third round of the draft followed quickly thereafter.

Here are the results of the third round of the 2012 NHL Draft.

1. 62 - Columbus Blue Jackets - Joonas Korpisalo, G, Finland
2. 63 - Edmonton Oilers - Jujhar Khaira, LW, Canada
3. 64 - Montreal Canadiens - Tim Bozon, LW, United States
4. 65 - New York Islanders - Adam Pelech, D, Canada
5. 66 - Toronto Maple Leafs - Jimmy Vesey, LW, United States
6. 67 - St. Louis Blues - Mackenzie Maceachern, LW, United States
7. 68 - Minnesota Wild - John Draeger, D, United States
8. 69 - Carolina Hurricanes - Daniel Altshuller, G, Canada
9. 70- Winnipeg Jets - Scott Kosmachuk, RW, Canada
10. 71 - Tampa Bay Lightning - Tanner Richard, C, Canada
11. 72 - Colorado Avalanche - Troy Bourke, LW, Canada
12. 73 - Buffalo Sabres - Justin Kea, C, Canada
13. 74 - Dallas Stars - Esa Lindell, D, Finland
14. 75 - Calgary Flames - Jon Gillies, G, United States
15. 76 - Ottawa Senators - Chris Driedger, G, Canada
16. 77 - Washington Capitals - Chandler Stephenson, C/LW, Canada
17. 78 - Philadelphia Flyers - Shayne Gostisbehere, D, United States
18. 79 - Chicago Blackhawks - Chris Calnan, RW, United States
19. 80 - Detroit Red Wings - Jake Paterson, G, Canada
20. 81 - Pittsburgh Penguins - Oskar Sundqvist, C, Sweden
21. 82 - Ottawa Senators - Jarrod Maidens, C/LW, Canada
22. 83 - Pittsburgh Penguins - Matthew Murray, G, Canada
23. 84 - Florida Panthers - Steven Hodges, C, Canada
24. 85 - Boston Bruins - Matthew Grzelcyk, D, United States
25. 86 - St. Louis Blues - Colten Parayko, D, Canada
26. 87 - Anaheim Ducks - Frederik Andersen, G, Denmark
27. 88 - Phoenix Coyotes - James Melindy, D, Canada
28. 89 - Nashville Predators - Brendan Leipsic, LW, Canada
29. 90 - New Jersey Devils - Ben Johnson, C/LW, United States
30. 91 - Edmonton Oilers - Daniil Zharkov, LW, Russia

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Benoit Pouliot Traded To Lightning For Michel Ouellet, Draft Pick

The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired Benoit Pouliot from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Michel Ouellet and a fifth round pick in Saturday's NHL Draft. Pouliot, 25, is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Ouellet, 30, has played nearly 200 NHL games. He won the Calder Cup in the AHL this past season with the Norfolk Admirals, the (now former) affiliate of the Lightning.

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NHL Draft 2012: Results From Round 2

The 2012 NHL Draft finished up the first round on Friday evening, but the second round went full steam ahead as teams ran through their picks in under 30 minutes.

Here are the results of the second round of the 2012 NHL Draft.

1. 31 - Columbus Blue Jackets - Oscar Dansk, G, Sweden
2. 32 - Edmonton Oilers - Mitchell Moroz, LW, Canada
3. 33 - Montreal Canadiens - Sebastian Collberg, RW, Swedend
4. 34 - New York Islanders - Ville Pokka, D, Finland
5. 35 - Toronto Maple Leafs - Matthew Finn, D, Canada
6. 36 - Anaheim Ducks - Nicolas Kerdiles, LW, United States
7. 37 - Nashville Predators - Pontus Aberg, LW, Sweden
8. 38 - Carolina Hurricanes - Phillip Di Giuseppe, LW, Canada
9. 39- Winnipeg Jets - Lukas Sutter, C, United States
10. 40 - Tampa Bay Lightning - Dylan Blujus, D, United States
11. 41 - Colorado Avalance - Mitchell Heard, C, Canada
12. 42 - Calgary Flames - Patrick Sieloff, D, United States (U-18)
13. 43 - Dallas Stars - Ludwig Bystrom, D, Sweden
14. 44 - Buffalo Sabres - Jake McCabe, D, United States
15. 45 - Philadelphia Flyers - Anthony Stolarz, G, United States
16. 46 - Minnesota Wild - Raphael Bussieres, LW, Canada
17. 47 - Carolina Hurricanes - Brock McGinn, LW, Canada
18. 48 - Chicago Blackhawks - Dillon Fournier, D, Canada
19. 49 - Detroit Red Wings - Martin Frk, RW, Czech Republic
20. 50 - Nashville Predators - Colton Sissons, C, Canada
21. 51 - Montreal Canadians - Dalton Thrower, D, Canada
22. 52 - Pittsburgh Penguins - Theodor Blueger, C, Latvia
23. 53 - Tampa Bay Lightning - Brian Hart, RW, United States
24. 54 - Dallas Stars - Mike Winther, C, Canada
25. 55 - San Jose Sharks - Chris Tierney, C, Canada
26. 56 - St. Louis Blues - Samuel Kurker, RW, United States
27. 57 - Vancouver Canucks - Alexandre Mallett, LW, Canada
28. 58 - Phoenix Coyotes - Jordan Martinook, LW, Canada
29. 59 - New York Rangers - Cristoval Nieves, C, United States
30. 60 - New Jersey Devils - Damon Severson, D, Canada
31. 61 - Dallas Stars - Devin Shore, C, Canada

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Penguins Trade Zbynek Michalek To Coyotes For Prospects, Pick

The Penguins stayed busy late into the night on Friday, trading Zbynek Michalek to the Coyotes for a pick and two prospects.

NHL Draft 2012: Los Angeles Kings Select Tanner Pearson With No. 30 Pick

With the No. 30 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Los Angeles Kings have selected Tanner Pearson, a left winger with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League. A native of Kitchner, Ontario, Pearson suffered a season-ending injury in March, but still registered 37 goals and 54 assists in 60 games for the Colts this past season.

Passed over twice in previous drafts, Los Angeles has finally given Pearson the opportunity to display his abilities at the next level. A serviceable skater, his true talent shines through with his excellent vision and crisp passing that helps him begin rushes with ease.

Realistically, Pearson will need to improve his skating skills in order to be a viable entity at the next level but, if he can grow into his six-foot, 200-pound frame, he may be able to use his wit to make up for any other deficiencies.

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NHL Draft 2012: New Jersey Devils Select Stefan Matteau With No. 29 Pick

With the No. 29 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the New Jersey Devils have selected Stefan Matteau, a centerman from the United States National Team Development Program, which competes in the United States Hockey League.

In his second season with the development program, Matteau notched 32 points (15 goals and 17 assists) in 46 games. This was a marked improvement from his 2010-11 season, in which he scored just nine points in 28 games. He will play for Blainville-Boisbrand in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2012-13. He was ranked No. 17 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and No. 23 overall by TSN.

Matteau is the son of former NHLer Stephane Matteau, and was born just two months prior to Matteau's heroics in the 1994 Eastern Conference Final, as well as his father's Stanley Cup victory. The younger Matteau was born in Chicago and will represent the U.S. in international competition.

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NHL Draft 2012: Phoenix Coyotes Select Henrik Samuelsson With No. 27 Pick

With the 27th pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Phoenix Coyotes have selected Henrik Samuelsson, a right winger with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League.

Born in Pittsburgh while his father Ulf patrolled the blue line for the Penguins, Samuelsson is a powerfully built forward who started his journey towards professional hockey with the US National Development Team Program before heading to Sweden to play for Modo, and finally joining the Oil Kings this past season.

Regarded as a versatile forward who can play both sides of the puck, he isn't afraid to get physical, but there have been concerns about his speed at the higher levels of the game. Scoring seven goals and sixteen assists in twenty three regular season games with the Oil Kings, he also contributed six goals and thirteen assists between the WHL playoffs and Memorial Cup.

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NHL Draft 2012: New York Rangers Select Brady Skjei With No. 28 Pick

With the No. 28 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the New York Rangers have selected Brady Skjei of the United States National Team Development Program, which competes in the United States Hockey League.

A native of Lakeville, Minn., Skjei notched 22 points (four goals and 18 assists) in 32 games, and helped the United States capture a gold medal at the 2012 Under-18 World Championships. He was a plus-10 during the tournament, leading the United States defensively.

Skjei is ranked No. 19 among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and No. 22 among all prospects by Canada's TSN, which is assembled by Bob McKenzie, Craig Button and a number of NHL scouts. He has committed to playing for the University of Minnesota in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the fall of 2012.

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NHL Draft 2012: Vancouver Canucks Selects Brendan Gaunce With No. 26 Pick

With the No. 26 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Vancouver Canucks have selected Brendan Gaunce, a centerman from the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League.

A native of Sudbury, Ontario, Gaunce is ranked No. 13 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. He was ranked No. 20 overall by TSN. He was a point-per-game playing with Belleville during the 2011-12 OHL season, with 28 goals and 40 assists in 68 games, showing off solid playmaking skills.

Gaunce has represented both Canada at the 2011 Under-18 Ivan Hnlinka Memorial Tournament and Team Ontario at the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, notching four points en route to a second-place finish. Gaunce's older brother, Cameron, is property of the Colorado Avalanche, seeing action in 11 games with the big club in 2011 while currently logging his time with the team's American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters. He was selected 50th overall in in the 2008 draft.

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NHL Draft 2012: St. Louis Blues Select Jordan Schmaltz With No. 25 Pick

With the 25th pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the St. Louis Blues have selected Jordan Schmaltz, a defenseman from Green Bay of the USHL.

A native of Verona, Wisconsin, Schmaltz was ranked thirty fourth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. The highest scoring defenseman in the USHL last season, he tallied thirteen goals and thirty one assists in fifty three games.

His offensive skills are without question, but he has suffered criticism of his skating ability and overall defensive ability. He also has been considered prone to turnovers and not playing as physical as many scouts would prefer to see. With some scouting services ranking Schmaltz as low as forty fifth overall, the pick may be considered a reach if he cannot bring his defensive game up to par with his scoring ability.

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NHL Draft 2012: Calgary Flames Select Mark Jankowski With No. 21 Pick

With the No. 21 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Calgary Flames have selected Mark Jankowski, a center from Stanstead of the Quebec Prep League. The 18-year-old was ranked No. 41 by TSN in their final top-60 draft rankings and was taken well above the spot in the hopes of developing the 6'3", 170-pound forward into a dominating center at the NHL level.

The Flames acquired the No. 21 pick in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres in order to gain possession of the No. 42 selection in the second round.

Jankowski was a rising star this year as he wasn't even on the scouting radar at the start of the 2011-12 season. An excellent skater with a long, efficient stride, Janikowski can skate with power as well as agility, which allows to him to take control of a given game.

He is a capable passer with puck skills that will dazzle and a shot that rivals any other player in the 2012 draft class.

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NHL Draft 2012: Florida Panthers Select Mike Matheson With No. 23 Pick

With the 23rd pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Florida Panthers have selected Mike Matheson, a defenseman from Dubuque of the United States Hockey League

A native of Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Matheson was ranked 30th among North American skaters by NHL Central scouting. Considered an "effortless" skater, the 6'1" defender lead Dubuque in scoring by defensemen and was tied for sixth overall on the club. He has committed to Boston College and will begin classes in the fall. His major issue is his size, given that he has yet to put bulk onto his frame at just 175 lbs.

Matheson also has received some international exposure, playing with both Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka U18 tournament and Team Quebec at the U17 World Hockey Challenge, where he collected two goals and six assists in eight games.

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NHL Draft 2012: Boston Bruins Select Malcolm Subban With No. 24 Pick

With the No. 24 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Boston Bruins select Malcolm Subban, a goaltender from the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League. Subban was the No. 1 ranked North American goaltender in the draft, according to Central Scouting.

Subban is the younger brother of P.K. Subban, the defenseman from the Montreal Canadiens. Malcolm was a defenseman until age 12 when he switched to goaltending. He played for Team Canada at the 2011 World Junior Championship, finishing the tournament with a .913 save percentage.

In 39 games with Belleville, Subban compiled a 2.50 goals against average and a .923 save percentage. His biggest strength would have to be poise: His ability to bounce back from a weak goal or a bad game is of note and makes him standout in the Major Junior ranks.

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NHL Draft 2012: Pittsburgh Penguins Selects Olli Maatta With No. 22 Pick

With the No. 22 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins select Olli Maatta, a defenseman from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.

Maatta, a native of Jyvaskyla, Finland, led all rookie defenseman in the OHL with 32 points (5 goals and 27 points) in 58 games. He was selected to play for the Finnish national team at the 2012 World Junior Championships, but and injury in the first game kept him out of the rest of the tournament, adding him to the list of 2012 draft prospects who've suffered injury troubles this season. He did log ice time in six games during the 2011 World Junior Championships, where he became the first Finnish player to play for their World Junior team at the age of 16 since 1998. He's also represented Finland at the World Under-18 Championship.

He was ranked No. 8 among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and No. 10 overall by TSN.

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2012 NHL Draft: With the No. 20 Pick, Philadelphia Flyers Select Scott Laughton

With the No. 20 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers have selected Scott Laughton, a center playing for the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League.

A native of Oakville, Ontario, Laughton has shown steady development in the 2011-12 season and proven that he has a love for the game. An effective player who has shown that he excels in the cerebral elements of the game, Laughton has proven that he will do anything it takes to help his team win.

Willing to take hits, block shots or playing shut-down minutes against top competition, Laughton is a versatile player with tremendous upside.

A strong skater with a low center of gravity, it is difficult to knock him off the puck, Laughton is known for playing larger than his six-foot, 178-pound frame.

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NHL Draft 2012: With the 19th Pick, Tampa Bay Lightning Selects Andrey Vasilevskiy

With the 19th pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Tampa Bay Lightning have selected Andrey Vasilevskiy, goaltender for Tolpar Ufa of the Russian Jr. League.

A native of Tyumen, Russia, Vasilevskiy was ranked the No. 1 European goaltender by the ISS and NHL Central Scouting. Able to fill the net impressively at 6'4" and 204 pounds, Vasilevskiy's draft stock started to rise after he split time in the World Juniors tournament for Team Russia, but the question of if he will go to North America or stay in the KHL is an obvious concern.

One of the most purely talented goaltenders in the draft, Vasilevskiy also has excellent positional skills and a willingness to take away shooting angles as he fills the net. Athletic and regarded as an excellent butterfly netminder, he could be part of the long-term answer in net that Tampa Bay has sought for the last several years.

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2012 NHL Draft: With the No. 18 Pick, Chicago Blackhawks Select Teuvo Teravainen

With the No. 18 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks have selected Teuvo Teravainen, a left wing playing for Jokerit in the Finnish Elite League.

A native of Helsinki, Finland, Teravainen was ranked as the second overall European skater by NHL Central Scouting, and ranked seventh overall by TSN in their June 2012 draft rankings.

An incredibly skilled player, Teravainen has been praised for his impressive skill and hockey sense, but a great deal of concerns have been raised by scouts about his small stature and lack of physical development. If Teravainen moves from Europe to North America, bulking up will be a major priority over the next two to three years. The young winger was a point-per-game talent at junior levels, but his production dropped after moving to the top league, which may signal potential issues with his transition to the NHL as well.

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NHL Draft 2012: With the No. 17 Pick, San Jose Sharks Select Tomas Hertl from Slavia in the Czech League

With the No. 17 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the San Jose Sharks have selected Tomas Hertl, a center playing for Slavia in the Czech League.

Born in Prague, Hertl was ranked as the fifth overall European skater by NHL Central Scouting, and ranked 19th overall by TSN in their June 2012 draft rankings.

At 6'2" and 198 pounds, Hertl is expected to develop into a strong power forward, and has already shown he is willing to drive to the net and create offense in international play. Scoring three goals and two assists in six games with Czech team that advanced to the quarterfinals, Hertl was a player that many felt upped his game on the big stage. Considered an average playmaker, his calling card is a powerful, accurate shot he's willing to unleash at any opportunity.

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NHL Draft 2012: Washington Capitals Select Thomas Wilson With No. 16 Pick

With the No. 16 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Washington Capitals have selected Thomas Wilson, a right wing from the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League.

Yet another on the list of 2012 draft prospect that missed significant time due to injury during the 2011-12 season, he spent most the OHL campaign out with a sprained MCL and a broken knuckle. When he was healthy, he was a valuable member of the Whalers, recording 27 points (nine goals and 18 assists) in 27 games. A physical player, Wilson recorded 141 penalty minutes in 27 games. He was voted "Best Body Checker" by an OHL Western Conference coaches poll.

Wilson, a native of Toronto, represented Canada at the 2011 Ivan Hnlinka Memorial Tournament, scoring three goals in five games to lead Canada to gold. He also represented Team Ontario and won a gold medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

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NHL Draft 2012: Ottawa Senators Select Cody Ceci With No. 15 Pick

With the No. 15 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Ottawa Senators have selected Cody Ceci, a defenseman from the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League.

Ceci finished the 2011-12 OHL season second among defenseman in points, with 60 (17 goals and 43 assists) in 64 games. This was a breakout season for Ceci, after putting up seasons of 12 and 34 points previously with Ottawa. His 34-point season in 2010-11 was second among Ottawa defensemen, while his nine goals led the 67's blueliners, and nearly triple his output in 2009-10.

He is ranked No. 6 among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and No. 14 overall by TSN. He's also represented Canada at the 2011 World Under-18 Championship, and his home province of Ontario at the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He was one of five players eligible for the 2012 NHL Draft invited to Canada's World Junior selection camp in 2012.

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NHL Draft 2012: Buffalo Sabres Select Zemgus Girgensons With No. 14 Pick

With the No. 14 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres have selected Zemgus Girgensons, a center from the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League.

The Sabres traded the No. 21 and 42 overall selections in the 2012 draft to the Calgary Flames in order acquire the No. 14 pick.

A native of Riga, Latvia, Girgensons has spent the last two seasons in Dubuque. He led the team in scoring with 55 points (24 goals and 31 assists) in 49 games during the 2011-12 season, after finishing third on the team in scoring with 49 points (21 goals and 28 assists) in 2010-11.

He tied for fourth in the United States Hockey League with six game-winning goals this season. Girgensons will play for the University of Vermont in Hockey East next season. He was ranked No. 18 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, but went unranked by TSN.

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NHL Draft 2012: Dallas Stars Select Radek Faksa With No. 13 Pick

With the No. 13 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Dallas Stars select Radek Faksa, a center from the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League.

A native of Vitkov, Czech Republic, Faksa is ranked seventh among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and No. 11 overall by TSN. He led all OHL rookies in goals (29), assists (37) and points (66) during the 2011-12 season. He also led the league's first-year players in game-winning goals (6) and plus-minus (+19). He was selected to play for the Czech Republic's 2012 World Junior Championship team. He scored two goals in six games, as his Czech team made its way to a fifth-place finish in Alberta. He also represented the Czech Republic at the 2011 Under-18 World Championship.

He played junior hockey in the Czech Republic with Trinec on both their junior and under-18 teams from 2007 until 2011, before traveling across the pond to play for Kitchener.

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NHL Draft 2012: Buffalo Sabres Select Mikhail Grigorenko With No. 12 Pick

With the No. 12 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Buffalo Sabres have selected Mikhail Grigorenko, a center from the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

A native of Khabarovsk, Russia, Grigorenko was ranked third among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and No. 12 by TSN, though an argument could be made that his lower rank is due to being a native of Russia, which always attracts a stigma that a player might be more inclined to stay in the Kontinental Hockey League. He came to the Remparts to play major junior this season, however, and promptly led all QMJHL rookies with 40 goals and 85 points for Patrick Roy's team, while scoring five points (two goals, three assists) for Russia's silver medal-winning World Junior Championship team.

Grigorenko has, as statistics clearly show, a solid offensive game and clutch credentials, finishing third in the QMJHL with eight game-winning goals this season.

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NHL Draft 2012: Washington Capitals Select Filip Forsberg With No. 11 Pick

With the No. 11 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Washington Capitals have selected Filip Forsberg, a Right Wing from Leksand of the Swedish Elite League.

Born in Ostervala, Sweden, Forsberg was ranked first overall among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. A member of the gold medal-winning Swedish team at the 2012 World Junior Championships, he projects as a big-bodied power forward able to crash the net and cause havoc for opposing defenses.

The main drawback that kept Forsberg out of the top picks this year was his commitment to play at least one more season in Sweden before coming to North America, forcing the team to wait for his contract to expire before he can be introduced to the North American game.

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Alex Galchenyuk's Just Like The Rest Of Us

NHL Draft 2012: Tampa Bay Lightning Select Slater Koekkoek With No. 10 Pick

With the No. 10 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Tampa Bay Lightning have selected Slater Koekkoek, a defenseman from the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League. The 18-year-old Ontario native was ranked No. 23 among North American skaters by Central Scouting, down six spots from his midterm ranking at No. 17.

A torn labrum hurt Koekkoek's draft stock a bit, as he only played 26 games over the course of the entire season. He scored five goals and 13 assists in those games, picked up 17 penalty minutes and finished with a minus-7 rating. Despite his injury-shortened year and the stunted development that could potentially come from it, Koekkoek was still expected to be a mid-to-late first round pick.

His most valuable skills are his speed and puck-moving ability. Couple that with his big 6'2 frame and strong hockey sense and you have a guy with very high potential. It's a risky pick due to the injury but it could pay off.

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Jordan Staal Traded To Hurricanes: Penguins Get Brandon Sutter, 8th Overall Pick In Return

Jordan Staal is headed to the Carolina Hurricanes after a draft-day trade.

NHL Draft 2012: Winnipeg Jets Select Jacob Trouba With No. 9 Pick

With the No. 9 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Winnipeg Jets have selected Jacob Trouba, a defenseman who plays for the U.S. National Team Development Program in the United States Hockey League.

Trouba, who will play for the University of Michigan this fall, is ranked No. 9 among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and No. 9 overall by TSN. A native of Rochester, Michigan, Trouba had a 31-point season (9 goals and 22 assist) for the U-18 team in 50 games this season, his first full campaign after being called up from the U-17s last year. He logged three assists in six games for Team USA at the World Junior Championships.

Trouba has been part of the U.S. Under-18 World Championships team, which has won consecutive gold medals two years running in the tournament, including a goal in the gold medal game in 2011. He posted three points and was a plus-five at the 2012 tournament.

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NHL Draft 2012: Nail Yakupov, Ryan Murray, Alex Galchenyuk Join New Clubs

PITTSBURGH -- The lives of 30 young hockey players will change Friday night. Some of them are watching the first round of the NHL Draft on the edge of their Consol Energy Center seats, but for Nail Yakupov, Ryan Murray and Alex Galchenyuk, the uncertainty of the evening went away pretty quickly.

Yakupov, as expected, was selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers. Murray went No. 2 overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Galchenyuk went third overall to the Montreal Canadiens.

First overall pick Nail Yakupov gives a radio interview.

No. 2 overall pick Ryan Murray, No. 3 overall pick Alex Galchenyuk.

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NHL Draft 2012: Pittsburgh Penguins Select Derrick Pouliot With No. 8 Pick

With the No. 8 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins have selected Derrick Pouliot, a defenseman from the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League.

A native of Estevan, Saskatchewan, Pouliot was ranked No. 12 among all North American skaters by NHL central scouting, and ranked No. 17 overall by TSN. Pouliot could be labeled a potential power play quarterback, with a solid 48 assists during the 2011-12 Western Hockey League season. He also scored 11 goals, and finished second in scoring among Portland blueliners with 59 points. During his rookie season in 2010-11, Pouliot scored 30 points and notched 25 assists for Portland in 66 games.

He has competed for Canada at the 2011 Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, winning a gold medal and adding three points. He also competed for Team West at the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He also had three points during that tournament, all assists.

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NHL Draft 2012: Minnesota Wild Select Mathew Dumba With No. 7 Pick

With the No. 7 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Minnesota Wild select Mathew Dumba, a defenseman from the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League.

Dumba, a native of Regina, Saskatchewan, led all WHL defensemen in goals during the 2011-12 season with 20, and ranked sixth in points with 57 in 69 games. He was ranked No. 11 among North America skaters by NHL Central Scouting and No. 6 overall by TSN. He won Rookie of the Year in the WHL in 2010-11 after leading the Rebels in rookie scoring, and finished seventh overall among first-year players with 15 tallies. Dumba, 17, was also invited to Canada's 2012 World Junior Championship team camp. Though he was not selected to play, he was the youngest invited.

He was captain of Canada's 2012 Under-18 team at the U-18 World Championships, where he scored 12 points in seven games en route to a bronze medal.

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2012 NHL Draft: Anaheim Ducks Select Hampus Lindholm With No. 6 Pick

With the No. 6 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Anaheim Ducks have selected Hampus Lindholm, a defenseman playing for Rogle in the Swedish Elite League.

Born in Helsingborg, Sweden, Lindholm was ranked as the fourth overall European skater by NHL Central Scouting, and ranked 15th overall by TSN in their June 2012 draft rankings.

A puck-moving defenseman with an impressive transition game, Lindholm is not afraid to join the rush and contribute offensively, but also possesses the skills to product the puck in his own end without becoming a liability. As part of a squad that pushed Rogle from Sweden's second tier, HockeyAllsvenskan, into the elite league, he has received raves for his ability to perform against mature competition and is expected to adjust well to the NHL game.

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NHL Draft 2012: Toronto Maple Leafs Select Morgan Rielly With No. 5 Pick

With the No. 5 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Morgan Rielly, a defenseman from the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League.

Rielly is yet another prospect in the 2012 draft class who missed time this past season with an injury, as he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament 18 games into the Western Hockey League regular season. Before that, he was scoring at a remarkable point per game pace, with three goals and 15 assists in those 18 games prior to getting hurt. During the 2010-11 season, he led Moose Jaw rookies in scoring with 28 points (6 goals and 22 assists) in 65 games. He was ranked No. 5 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and No. 8 among all prospects by TSN.

Rielly, while only 6'0, is known as a defenseman who can play a physical game, in addition to his well-known prowess.

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NHL Draft 2012: New York Islanders Select Griffin Reinhart With No. 4 Pick

With the No. 4 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the New York Islanders have selected Griffin Reinhart, a defenseman from the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League.

A native of North Vancouver, Reinhart is ranked No. 10 among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scounting, and is ranked No. 4 overall by TSN. He led all Edmonton defenseman with 12 goals in 58 games during the 2011-12 WHL season, while adding in 24 assists. This came after a rookie season with the team in 2010-11, during which he put up a solid 25 points (6 goals and 19 assists) in 45 games.

Reinhart is the son of former Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames defenseman Paul Reinhart, and his brother Max was drafted in the third round (64th overall) by Calgary in 2010. He also has another brother who plays in the WHL, and will be eligible to be selected in the 2014 NHL Draft.

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Capitals Trade Cody Eakin, 2nd Round Pick To Dallas Stars For Mike Ribiero

The Washington Capitals have traded Cody Eakin and the No. 54 overall pick to the Dallas Stars for center Mike Ribeiro.

Ducks Trade Lubomir Visnovsky To Islanders For 2013 Draft Pick

The Islanders have acquired Lubomir Visnovsky from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a second-round pick in 2013.

NHL Draft 2012: Montreal Canadiens Select Alex Galchenyuk With No. 3 Pick

With the No. 3 pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the Montreal Canadiens have selected Alex Galchenyuk, a center from the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League.

Galchenyuk played in only two regular season games and six playoff games during the 2011-12 OHL season due to a knee injury suffered in a pre-season game. He recorded four points in his limited playoff action. The season before, Galchenyuk recorded 83 points in 68 games, playing with fellow top prospect Nail Yakupov.

Galchenyuk's father, Alex Sr., played for Belarus at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano. His son was born while Alex Sr. was playing for the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League, and Galchenyuk will compete internationally for the United States in the future.

The Sarnia centerman is known for having a high hockey IQ, and his fairly consistent point total in the Ontario Hockey League post-season shows that his injury didn't hurt his effectiveness.

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NHL Draft 2012: Columbus Blue Jackets Select Ryan Murray With No. 2 Pick

With the No. 2 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets select Ryan Murray, a defenseman from the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League.

Murray was ranked No. 2 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and No. 2 overall by TSN, and was the top-ranked defenseman on both rankings. Murray, much like fellow top prospect Nail Yakupov, had an injury shortened season, but still performed well, leading all Everett blueliners with 31 points (9 goals, 22 assists) in 46 games. He also represented Canada in the 2012 World Junior Championships and put up two points in five games. He was one of only two players eligible for the 2012 draft to play for Canada's junior team.

Murray, despite his solid offensive statistics, is known more as a defensive defenseman who can make a solid first pass out of the zone, while making good decisions and not suffering from mistakes.

Stick with SBNation.com for full coverage of the 2012 NHL Draft. For team-by-team coverage of the draft, check out our network of hockey blogs.

NHL Draft 2012: Edmonton Oilers Select Nail Yakupov With No. 1 Pick

With the No. 1 pick in the 2012 National Hockey League Draft, the Edmonton Oilers have selected Nail Yakupov, a right wing from the OHL's Sarnia Sting and a native of Nizhnekamsk, Russia.

Ranked No. 1 among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting and No. 1 among all prospects by TSN, Yakupov remained the consensus big prize of the Draft despite an injury-plagued 2011-12 season in major junior. During the season, though, he scored 69 points (31 goals and 38 assists) in just 42 games, while putting up nine points for Russia's silver medal-winning team at the World Junior Championships. This came after a rookie season in which he scored 101 points in 65 games, the most for an OHL rookie since Patrick Kane.

Yakupov is known as a great skater, and was noted by TSN's Craig Button as the best in the 2012 draft. He's also been noted to have a high hockey IQ and is a solid playmaker. Some wonder if he has a reckless style that could make him injury prone throughout his career, but there's no question that Yakupov has the potential -- as much as anyone in this year's draft class -- to become a star in the NHL.

Stick with SBNation.com for full coverage of the 2012 NHL Draft. For team-by-team coverage of the draft, check out our network of hockey blogs.

NHL Draft 2013 To Be Hosted By New Jersey Devils; Philadelphia Flyers To Host 2014 Draft

The NHL announced Friday the host sites for the 2013 and 2014 NHL Drafts. The New Jersey Devils will host the event next June, and the Philadelphia Flyers will do the honors the year after.

NHL Draft 2012: Alex Galchenyuk An Injury Risk?

Alex Galchenyuk suffered through injury this past season with the Sarnia Sting, but he's still expected to go early in the 2012 NHL Draft.

NHL Draft 2012: Nail Yakupov Has The Spotlight

Nail Yakupov is the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, but will the Edmonton Oilers select him?

NHL Draft 2012: Start Time, TV Coverage And More

The 2012 NHL Draft kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on Friday night in Pittsburgh.

NHL Draft 2012: Solid, Yet Unspectacular Ryan Murray Should Be Early Selection

A profile of Ryan Murray, a defenseman from the Everett Silvertips expected to go in the top-4 during this weekend's NHL Draft.

Get full 2012 NHL Draft coverage from SB Nation's draft hub.