Nhl Draft 2011

Nhl Draft 2011

JONATHAN MILLER: It's an unbelievable honor, an original six team, a great state to play in. It will be great to hopefully play there soon.
JONATHAN MILLER: I have to get a little stronger and faster and be able to play with some men out there.
JONATHAN MILLER: I was a little shocked.
JONATHAN MILLER: I think I'm a pretty competitive kid.
JONATHAN MILLER: I've only been there once. To get a little more insight on the state will be great.
JONATHAN MILLER: No, they're all going to get drafted. Q. In your meeting with the Rangers…
JONATHAN MILLER: Yeah, I think they liked me.
JONATHAN MILLER: Yeah, we got used to it the first season we played, and the second season came a little bit easier.
JONATHAN MILLER: I'd like to be a top guy that can be relied on to produce. I'll be a guy that works hard just like they do. I'm excited to play there.
JONATHAN MILLER: Yeah, it's going to be hopefully great playing there. I've gotten to watch the Rangers play a lot being in the Pens' Division, I guess.
JONATHAN MILLER: Yeah, this is a great birth year, so I think there will be a bunch more names called tonight or tomorrow.
JONATHAN MILLER: Not really, no.

I love the National Hockey League Entry Draft. The first pick is Red Deer forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who goes to the Edmonton Oilers.

7:30 p.m. Colorado picks Swedish forward Gabriel Landeskog (by way of Kitchener of the Ontario Hockey League) with the second overall pick.

7:32 p.m. Versus loses its feed from TSN. The Florida Panthers, who own the third overall pick, have missed the playoffs for 10 straight seasons which, says TSN, is an NHL record. The Panthers take forward Jonathan Huberdeau, who played for Saint John in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League . The Isles take Niagara (OHL) forward Ryan Strome.

The Sens take forward Mika Zibanejad. The Thrash-beens (now officially the Jets) have the seventh overall pick. The Jets take forward Mark Scheifele from Barrie (OHL).

The Flyers pick forward Sean Couturier from Drummondville in the QMJHL.

8:25 p.m. Boston owns the ninth overall pick in the draft. The B’s take hulking defenseman Dougie Hamilton from Niagara (OHL). Tough darts, Scotty Bowman.

The hometown Wild has the 10th overall selection.

8:35 p.m. TSN’s scouting report on the Wild selection, Swedish defenseman Jonas Brodin: he’s not physical and isn’t an offensive defenseman. With the 12th overall pick, Carolina picks Kitchener defenseman Ryan Murphy. TSN says he’s a one-dimensional offensive defenseman. The Flames’ cupboard, TSN says, is bare. Still waiting for the first player with college ties to be selected, and we’re at the No. 14 pick, which belongs to Dallas. There’s our first college guy.

9:07 p.m. Nice move by the Rangers, who have the 15th overall pick. They’ve invited Derek Boogaard’s brother, Aaron, to the podium to announce the selection.

9:11 p.m. TSN compares Miller to former UMD Bulldog and current Vancouver wing Mason Raymond. The Sabres have pick No. 16. With the 17th overall pick, Montreal selects QMJHL defenseman Nathian Beaulieu. The Habs have had a recent tradition of picking players with college ties, but not this time around.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie tweets that San Jose will trade forward Devin Setoguchi, Boston University prospect Charlie Coyle, and the N0. 28 overall pick to the Wilds for defenseman Brent Burns and a second-round pick.

TSN reports that McNeill won a gold medal at the world ball hockey championship. Please tell me John Kruk and Lance Armstrong played.

9:42 p.m. Edmonton uses the 19th overall selection on Swedish defenseman Oscar Klefbom. TSN’s McKenzie speculated that Edmonton might take Denver recruit Scott Mayfield … but called him “Curtis Mayfield”. TSN compares him to former Gopher and current Penguin Alex Goligoski.

With the 21st overall pick, Ottawa took Stefan Noeson, a forward from the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers by way of Plano, Texas.

9:58 p.m. Trade: Toronto acquired the 22nd overall pick in the draft from Anaheim for the 30th overall pick and a second rounder. With the 22nd overall pick, Toronto GM Brian Burke announces that the Leafs indeed take Tyler Biggs. McKenzie says he’s the toughest player in the draft, the strongest player in the draft, and the best fighter in the draft.

10:08 p.m. Burke calls Biggs “a hostile player” but has offensive skills.

10:15 p.m. Portland (WHL) defenseman Joe Morrow goes to Pittsburgh with the 23rd overall pick. The Leafs use the 25th overall pick to take defenseman Stuart Percy from the OHL’s Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, which is the longest team name since the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

10:36 p.m.TSN reports that Chicago is primed to trade wayyy-overpriced defenseman Brian Campbell to Florida.

10:41 p.m. Steve Yzerman strides to the podium to announce Tampa Bay’s selection, which is the 27th overall pick. Anyway, the Lightning select forward Vladislav Namestnikov, a Russian who grew up in Michigan and played for London of the OHL. The Wilds, using the 28th overall pick acquired from San Jose in the Setoguch trade, select Zack Phillips, who played for Saint John in the QMJHL. Minnesota likes college prospects as much as Sarah Palin likes American history.

WIth a stud goaltender and a solid core of defensemen, the Blueshirts needed a skilled player up front. Luckily for them, that desire came true, as they selected center Jonathan Miller with the No. 15 pick in the draft.

ESPN.com's NHL Draft guru Gare Joseph had this to say about Miller:

Clark compares Miller to some familiar names: "like a Dubi, or Mike Richards. He plays every shift, expends everything he's gotCenter definitely targets a position of need for this team and fits into what this era of Rangers is selling -- max-effort, two-way hockey.