Draft is over for the night and a number of highly ranked players are still on the board, beginning with David Perron, the No. 10 ranked player by Central Scouting, who played for Lewiston of the QMJHL and was expected to go in the first round. Perron led all Quebec League rookies in goals and plus minus last year and was second in points with 83.
Also still on the board: No. 12 Tommy Cross (a U.S. high schooler), Stefan Legein at 13 (Mississauga), Brett MacLean at 14 (Oshawa) and Dana Tyrell at 15 (from Prince George).
Blackhawks' general manager Dale Tallon, for one, likes the break in the draft because it gives his team a chance to redo its list in anticipation of today's second day of action. Rounds 2-7 begin Saturday morning at 10 a.m.
The biggest non-deal of the day involved the Edmonton Oilers who, according to general manager Kevin Lowe, thought he'd put together an attractive-enough package to acquire the second overall pick (which he would have used to select Kyle Turris). The deal apparently fell through at the last minute.
"It was an absolute circus," said Lowe. "We had a lot of laddering going on. I thought it was done."