San Jose made a transfer in the first draft for General Manager Mike Grier, who took over the position this week and have become the first Black G.M. in league historical past. The Sharks despatched choose No. 11 to Arizona for No.s 27, 34 and 45. Arizona chosen ahead Conor Geekie, brother of Seattle middle Morgan Geekie.
Arizona additionally made a commerce with Edmonton, buying Zack Kassian, No. 29 and two future picks in change for No. 32 in a deal that gave the Oilers some salary-cap room. The Coyotes selected the Canadian defenseman Maveric Lamoureux at No. 29, and Edmonton chosen the Canadian wing Reid Schaefer with the last choose of the first spherical.
After Slafkovsky and Nemec turned the highest-drafted gamers from Slovakia, Rutger McGroarty made some Nebraska hockey historical past when he went 14th to the Winnipeg Jets. McGroarty, an Omaha-born ahead, turned the highest-drafted participant from the state.
N.H.L. Commissioner Gary Bettman opened the first in-person draft since 2019 in French by saying, “Bon soir, Montreal.” When followers booed him, as is custom, he stated: “Thank you for that welcome. It is a return to normalcy.”
It was additionally the first time the host workforce picked at No. 1 since the Toronto Maple Leafs chosen Wendell Clark in 1985. With rival Montreal internet hosting, the Leafs bought the loudest boos throughout roll name, with some in the crowd chanting, “’67!” in reference to the newest yr Toronto received the Stanley Cup.
Recent deaths in hockey have been additionally acknowledged earlier than the Canadiens went on the clock. Bettman requested these on the draft flooring and in the stands to carry a second of silence for the retired defenseman Bryan Marchment, who died at age 53 on Wednesday in Montreal, the place he was attending the draft as a scout for San Jose. Grier, a former teammate of Marchment, paid tribute to him earlier than the Sharks’ collection of the Swedish middle Filip Bystedt at No. 27.
Children of the Hall of Famers Guy Lafleur and Mike Bossy, who each died in April, additionally addressed the crowd.
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