Americans Abound in the First Round

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertJune 25, 2016
© USA TODAY Sports

It was certainly no surprise when the Toronto Maple Leafs began the evening by selecting Scottsdale, Arizona's Auston Matthews with the #1 overall pick. What we didn't know is that Matthews would be one of twelve Americans selected on the first night, a new record.

In total, the country count breaks down as United States (12), Canada (11), Finland (4), Russia (2), and Sweden (1). Positionally, teams selected Centers (12), Defensemen (9), Left Wingers (5), and Right Wingers (4).

A few notable draft day trades were processed to keep things interesting, including Andrew Shaw (C) being sent from the Blackhawks to the Canadiens for two saturday picks, Pavel Datsyuk's $7.5M cap hit being sent to Arizona (plans to play in Russia next year), and goaltender Ben Elliott shipped from St. Louis to Calgary. 

The draft will conclude Saturday with rounds 2-7.

Track all picks and breakdowns


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