The NHL draft is like Christmas time for hockey fans, and there were seven new presents under the tree for the seven Canadian franchises on Friday.
From Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin to Jonathan Toews and Phil Kessel, many of the NHL's biggest names started their pro careers as first-round picks in the NHL draft.
The Florida Panthers made the biggest headlines at the 2014 draft by picking Canadian defenceman Aaron Ekblad first overall, while a total of 14 Canadian-born players were selected in the first round.
Canada’s NHL hockey teams chose seven teenage players in the first round. Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, Winnipeg and Montreal all made selections on Friday, while Ottawa had to wait until Saturday to get in on the action, when rounds 2-7 got underway.
Here's what Canada's seven hockey teams did in the first round of the NHL draft.
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers made centre Leon Draisaitl the highest German-born draft pick in NHL history on Friday when they chose him with the third overall selection.
Draisaitl stands six-foot-one and weighs 208 pounds, making him already bigger than young Oilers stars Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall. The native of Cologne, Germany came to North America in 2012 to play for the Western Hockey League's Prince Albert Raiders, where he led his team in scoring last season.
Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish compared Draisaitl to two-time Stanley Cup champion Anze Kopitar, the top centre for the Los Angeles Kings.
"We feel Leon's skillset fits in incredibly well for us in Edmonton," MacTavish told TSN's James Duthie on Friday.
The Oilers have had the highest draft position -- and the worst regular-season record -- for four of the last five NHL seasons.
Extremly proud to be part of the @EdmontonOilers !! #amzing
— Leon Draisaitl (@Drat_29) June 28, 2014
Calgary Flames
New Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving used the fourth overall pick to take Sam Bennett, a point-producing centre from Holland Landing, Ont.
Bennett spent 2013-14 playing for the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs, a team now run by his father's favourite player, Doug Gilmour. Scouts say the six-foot Bennett plays a lot like Gilmour, who won a Stanley Cup as a member of the Flames in 1989.
Bennett, who wears Gilmour's No. 93 on his jersey, had the most points and second-most penalty minutes on his team this year.
Bennett was listed as the best player in the draft at the midpoint of the season, but drew criticism when he failed to complete a single pull-up at the NHL's draft combine earlier this month.
"I can do them now and I'm not too worried about it," he told the Canadian Press on Friday.
"I've worried about a lot of things since the combine," said Treliving. "Him not doing a pull-up is not one of them."
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks made a big splash ahead of the draft, shipping disgruntled centre Ryan Kesler and a third-round pick to Anaheim in exchange for centre Nick Bonino, defenceman Luca Sbisa and first- and third-round picks in the 2014 draft. The Anaheim pick gave the Canucks the sixth and 24th choices in the first round on Friday.
First, Vancouver used the sixth selection to choose Abbotsford, B.C. native Jake Virtanen – a kid who grew up a Canucks fan. Virtanen was a top scorer for the Calgary Hitmen, of the Western Hockey League, last season, and played for Canada at the World Under-18 Championship last April.
After his selection, Virtanen told the Canadian Press that it was a "dream come true" to be chosen by his favourite team.
What an honor to be apart of the @VanCanucks ! super excited to join the Canucks and what a dream come true !
— Jake Virtanen (@Jake_Virtanen) June 28, 2014
Then, Canucks rookie GM Jim Benning used the draft pick acquired in the Kesler trade to select centre Jared McCann at 24th overall. McCann, a native of London, Ont., spent the 2013-14 season skating for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, of the Ontario Hockey League.
Couldn't be happier right now! Thanks to my family and friends for all the support. Beyond happy to be a Vancouver Canuck!!!
— Jared McCann (@jaredmccann19) June 28, 2014
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs went for a player with proven pedigree on Friday, selecting Swedish scorer William Nylander eighth overall in the draft.
Nylander, the son of former NHLer Michael Nylander, was born in Calgary, Alta., but grew up in Sweden, where he spent last season playing against grown men in the Swedish Elite League. The five-foot-eleven forward was the only first-round selection by a Canadian team who did not play in North America this season.
Nylander was named the best forward at the World Under-18 Championships last April.
"I wouldn't be shocked if he's playing in Toronto next season," Leafs GM Dave Nonis told TSN's James Duthie.
It's been an amazing day! Thank you to my friends and family for always supporting me. Proud to be part of the @MapleLeafs #unreal
— William Nylander (@snizzbone) June 28, 2014
Winnipeg Jets
If new Winnipeg Jets prospect Nikolaj Ehlers wasn't in hockey, we might have been watching him at the World Cup in Brazil this week.
The Jets' ninth overall pick was once on the path to soccer stardom as a player for Denmark's national team. But Ehlers quit soccer at 14 to focus on hockey, and now, the five-foot-nine Dane will look to carve out a long career with the Jets.
Ehlers was the second-leading scorer for the Halifax Mooseheads, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, this year while playing with Jonathan Drouin, Tampa Bay's third overall pick from 2013.
The speedy Ehlers was the QMJHL rookie of the year and the top offensive rookie this season.
At five-foot-10 and 176 pounds, his game relies more on skill than muscle.
"He's not the biggest guy when it comes to size," Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told the Canadian Press. "But he plays with such good hockey sense that he knows when to take an opportunity to go, and not really put himself in harm's way to try to make a play."
Ehlers' father, Heinz, was drafted by the New York Rangers 30 years ago, but never played in the NHL.
Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens’ GM Marc Bergevin was the first to draft a Russian this year, picking Saskatoon Blades winger Nikita Scherbak with the 26th selection on Friday.
Bergevin described the Russian-born forward as a player with lots of personality.
"He's got an appeal to him. He's got confidence. Montreal's a different market and from what we've seen so far, we feel he could handle that," Bergevin told the Canadian Press.
Like Draisaitl, Scherbak came to North America to hone his skill in the WHL, and finished the season as the top goal-scorer and point-producer for his team.
He said the language barrier was difficult to overcome when he first arrived in North America, but now he speaks English fluently and hopes to learn French.
"I can speak French a little bit," he told TSN's James Duthie. "Bonjour? Merci? Comment ca va? Easy words."
Ottawa Senators
The Senators were the only Canadian team without a first-round pick on Friday, having dealt their eventual 10th overall selection to Anaheim last summer as part of a trade for forward Bobby Ryan. The Ducks used Ottawa's pick to select hulking six-foot-three winger Nick Ritchie from the OHL's Peterborough Petes.
Still, Sens GM Bryan Murray was plenty busy, working the phones in an effort to move team captain Jason Spezza, who has reportedly requested a trade.
With files from the Canadian Press
