NHL Draft: Montreal picks Lancer center

MONTREAL — The Canadiens went local with their first pick, selecting Omaha Lancers center Louis Leblanc 18th overall Friday at the NHL Entry Draft.

Chants of “Louis, Louis, Louis” rained down on the Montreal native as he hugged his friends and family and made his way to the podium where he was greeted by a smiling Bob Gainey, Montreal's general manager.

Leblanc becomes the first Quebec-born player drafted by the Canadiens in the first round since the Quebec Remparts' Eric Chouinard, who was selected 16th overall by Montreal at the 1998 draft.

Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Ballard, who was the 11th overall pick in 2002, is believed to be the highest drafted Lancers product in franchise history.

On the final North American Central scouting report, Leblanc was ranked as the 13th-best draft-eligible skater among American and Canadian prospects.

In 60 games with the USHL's Lancers this past season, Leblanc put up a team-high 28 goals and 59 points on a club that includes Danny Kristo, the Canadiens' top pick a year ago.

Leblanc will now move on to the Ivy League, slated to attend Harvard this fall.

The New York Islanders kept everyone guessing, including John Tavares himself, right up until they made the high-scoring center the No. 1 pick in the draft on Friday.

The Islanders chose Tavares, an 18-year-old junior star with the London Knights, with the first overall pick ahead of 6-foot-6, 220-pound Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman, the top-ranked European prospect.

The Tampa Bay Lightning took Hedman and the Colorado Avalanche followed with forward Matt Duchene, the first three selections going as expected.

The Philadelphia Flyers made an early splash by acquiring All-Star defenseman Chris Pronger from Anaheim in a multi-player trade. The Ducks reacquired right wing Joffrey Lupul and received defenseman Luca Sbisa and two first-round draft picks.

Tavares, a 6-foot, 185-pound native of Oakville, Ontario, led the Ontario Hockey League with 58 goals this season and broke Peter Lee's 33-year-old league record of 213 career goals.

Islanders GM Garth Snow kept the team's intentions a closely guarded secret right until he announced Tavares as the team's fourth No. 1 pick overall in draft history, and the first since it made Rick DiPietro the first goalie selected first overall in 2000.

“Yeah, I had no idea, just like everybody else,” Tavares said. “I didn't know what their decision would be but it was obviously a great moment for me, a special feeling.”

Tavares' selection was immediately celebrated by Islanders fans, who were shown on the Bell Centre video scoreboard gathered for a team draft party at Nassau County Coliseum, the team's arena in Uniondale, N.Y.

“I didn't see it but I heard things and obviously they are really interested in having me, and I definitely have the support of the fans and the community — that's huge,” Tavares said. “I'm very thankful to be going there and I appreciate the opportunity to be part of Long Island. It's going to be great and I can't wait to get things going knowing where it's headed. It's going to be a great future for all of us.”

Hedman joins a Lightning squad that drafted center Steven Stamkos first overall last season.

“My goal is to play with the Tampa Bay Lightning next season,” Hedman said. “I'm going to work hard this summer to make the team next year.”

After Duchene was picked third by Colorado, his favorite team growing up, Atlanta selected center Evander Kane of the Vancouver Giants, followed by Los Angeles, which chose Brandon Wheat Kings center Brayden Schenn, the younger brother of Toronto defenseman Luke Schenn, who went fifth overall to the Leafs last year in Ottawa.

The embattled Phoenix Coyotes delivered the first surprise of the first round when they drafted Swedish defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson with the sixth pick.

Rounding out the top 10: Center Nazim Kadri, Tavares' Knights teammate, went to Toronto with the seventh selection. Right wing Scott Glennie, Brayden Schenn's Brandon linemate, was chosen eighth by Dallas. Ottawa drafted defenseman Jared Cowen of the Spokane Chiefs with the ninth pick and Edmonton took Swedish center Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson to complete the top 10.