Oilers Select C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins With First Overall Pick

The first overall selection in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft went to the same team that possessed the pick a year ago - the Edmonton Oilers. In 2010, the question presented to them was a simply matter of Taylor (Hall) or Tyler (Seguin). This year, it was a bit more complicated. Did general manager Steve Tambellini want to continue building his team's offense, fill a position that is lacking on defense or perhaps even trade the pick to move down and acquire more assets?

When it came time for him to kick off the selections at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, he went with the centerman from Red Deer, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Hopkins was the consensus top offensive players available and will be paired up soon enough with a couple of Edmonton's other top scoring threats, including last year's first overall pick Taylor Hall and 2011 Goal of the Year Award winner, Jordan Eberle.

In 69 games this past season with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL, he posted 31 goals and a league-high 75 assists for 106 points. He added four goals and seven assists in 11 postseason contests.

The Colorado Avalanche followed the Nugent-Hopkins pick with another offensive selection. The Avs grabbed 18-year old Swedish winger Gabriel Landeskog of the Kitchener Rangers. Playing a more North American style game, he netted 36 goals and 66 points in 53 games for the Rangers last season. He was also plus-27 with 61 penalty minutes.

The Florida Panthers grabbed center Jonathan Huberdeau with the third overall pick. A center with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL, Huberdeau is coming off winning the Memorial Cup MVP. During the regular season, he had 43 goals and 105 points while adding 16 goals and 30 points during the playoffs.

The New Jersey Devils broke the offensive mentality of the draft by finally grabbing defenseman Adam Larsson out of the Swedish Elite League. The Devils are known for their defense, but it has been lacking in recent years. Larsson was the undoubted top defensive pick in the draft and TSN's Pierre McGuire considered him a steal at the fourth overall spot. The 6'3", 200-pounder is considered a great puck-moving defenseman that can play both ends of the ice well. He isn't an offensive dynamo, but can produce on the score sheet as witnessed by his four-point performance at the World Junior Championships.