News & Features
Video: 2012 NHL Draft – Jacob Trouba, Winnipeg Jets

Photo: The Winnipeg Jets added some physicality to their future defensive corps with the selection of Jacob Trouba (courtesy of Ken McKenna/HF)
The U.S. NTDP program has been prolific in recent years in terms of producing high-end NHL Draft prospects, and the 2012 NHL Draft is no exception. Three players from this program were chosen in the draft's first round, with Winnipeg Jets selection Jacob Trouba being the highest at ninth overall.
Video: 2012 NHL Draft – Derrick Pouliot, Pittsburgh Penguins

Photo: The Pittsburgh Penguins top selection at the 2012 NHL Draft, Derrick Pouliot, chats with Penguins legend Mario Lemiuex and the team's head coach, Dan Bylsma (courtesy of Jeanine Leech/Icon SMI)
There were a couple of “climbers” in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft, one of them being the Pittsburgh Penguins top pick, defenseman Derrick Pouliot of the WHL's Portland Winterhawks.
Video: 2012 NHL Draft – Matt Dumba, Minnesota Wild

Photo: The Minnesota Wild continued adding young, talented players to their organization with the selection of Matt Dumba at the 2012 NHL Draft (courtesy of Ken McKenna/HF)
The parade of defensemen chosen in the top 10 of the 2012 NHL Draft's first round continued with the selection of Red Deer Rebels defender Matt Dumba by the Minnesota Wild with the seventh pick overall.
Video: 2012 NHL Draft – Brian Burke, Toronto Maple Leafs

Photo: Toronto Maple Leafs' GM Brian Burke, shown here at the 2011 NHL Draft, elected to hang onto his fifth overall pick at the 2012 NHL Draft to select Morgan Rielly (courtesy of Brace Hemmelgarn/Icon SMI)
Although the Toronto Maple Leafs and their GM, Brian Burke, were presented with trade options for their fifth overall selection at the 2012 NHL Draft, they elected to instead hang onto the pick to choose defenseman Morgan Rielly of the WHL's moose Jaw Warriors.
Big trades headline 2012 NHL Draft

Photo: A few trades highlighted the first day of the 2012 NHL Draft, including one that allowed the Buffalo Sabres to choose Latvian forward Zemgus Girgensons (courtesy of Jeanine Leech/Icon SMI)
The 2012 NHL Draft started out routinely enough, the consensus top pick of the class, Nail Yakupov, went first overall and the second ranked player, Ryan Murray, went second overall. By an hour into the draft though things changed dramatically when the host team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, traded budding star center Jordan Staal to the Carolina Hurricanes for center Brandon Sutter, defenseman Brian Dumoulin, and the eighth overall pick, which the Penguins used to select WHL defenseman Derrick Pouliot.
1. Nail Yakupov
2. Ryan Murray
3. Alex Galchenyuk
4. Griffin Reinhart
5. Morgan Rielly