There was a lot of hype leading up to the 2016 NHL draft. With expansion on the way, and many teams up against a nearly flat salary cap, there was every reason to think the annual event would be a wild and woolly affair.
Instead, it was surprisingly tame. Auston Matthews, the consensus No. 1 pick, went first overall to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Most of the rest of the first round carried on more or less like it had been scripted by the various publications that handicap the draft each year. A few minor trades were made, but nothing earth-shattering transpired.
Still, the stakes were high for the teams involved and the teenagers being selected; the future of both groups was substantially altered by the night's proceedings.
The following is a lighthearted look at the winners and losers of the first round, capturing the surprises for good and bad and the strengths and weaknesses of the draft.
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Article written by Jonathan Willis
2016 NHL Draft Results: Biggest Winners and Losers of Round 1
June 24th, 2016 by Jonathan Willis Leave a reply »
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