Avalanche take MacKinnon

NEWARK, N.J. - Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby now share more than a hometown.

They’ve both been No. 1 picks in the NHL draft.

The Colorado Avalanche made MacKinnon, 17, the first pick of the draft on Sunday at the Prudential Center.

The Avalanche won the draft lottery for the first time and Joe Sakic, the man put in charge of Colorado’s rebuilding project, had made it clear that MacKinnon was going to be the top pick. He was the first player drafted No.1 overall out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League since the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Crosby in 2005.

MacKinnon and Crosby are both from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia.

“I love Sid. He’s my favorite player,” MacKinnon said. “I guess he’s still my favorite player. I don’t really know what to say now since I’m going to be in the same league as him. I don’t know if I should dislike him or not.”

MacKinnon, a 6-foot, 182-pound center, said it all with a laugh. But he’s serious about making the big club this season with Colorado.

“Hopefully, I can make the team and stick there,” MacKinnon said. “I feel like I can be a contributor next year.”

MacKinnon is a solid two way presence with strong hands and stick-handling and skating skills. He is considered a natural scorer and an excellent distributor. Sakic, a former Avalanche captain who is now the executive vice president of hockey operations, ended the guessing game in the final week when he said MacKinnon would be the pick.

“They said it in the media but I didn’t really get my hopes up,” MacKinnon said. “I was definitely more nervous than I expected to be a couple of minutes before the draft.”

He played for the Halifax Mooseheads and led them to the Memorial Cup championship. MacKinnon, who turns 18 Sept. 1, was named tournament MVP after scoring 13points.

Next stop, Colorado?

A jam-packed crowd at the home of the New Jersey Devils cheered when it was announced goaltender Cory Schneider, 27, had been acquired from Vancouver. Schneider seems in line to be the eventual successor to Martin Brodeur, 41, in net.

The Florida Panthers made center Aleksander Barkov, the top-ranked European skater, the second overall pick. Tampa Bay took forward Jonathan Drouin, also out of Halifax, with the third overall pick.

The Nashville Predators pounced on defenseman Seth Jones with the fourth overall pick. Jones, a 6-4, 205-pounddefenseman, was widely considered the top prospect. He was the top player on the NHL Central Scouting’s final list of North American skaters.

He is the son of former NBA forward Popeye Jones. Popeye Jones paced the floor of the Prudential Center and said Seth slept great and was calm in the final hours leading up to the draft. But that had to change just a bit when Jones, who played for Portland of the Western Hockey League last season, slipped to fourth.

Jones, who lived in Colorado as a youth and seemed a perfect fit for the Avalanche, has ties to Tennessee, as well.Popeye Jones owns a house there,

“It’s a perfect spot for him,” Popeye Jones said, proudly. “He’ll be motivated there, and ready to go.”

The Edmonton Oilers took defenseman Darnell Nurse, of Saulte Ste. Marie in the OHL, with the seventh choice. Nurse is the nephew of former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

The Buffalo Sabres took Finnish defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen with the eighth overall pick.

The Prudential Center hosted the draft for the first time. Commissioner Gary Bettman was drowned out by boos each time he took the podium. But he finally heard cheers when he announced the Devils were on the clock. It became louder when Bettman announced the Devils traded the ninth pick to Vancouver for Schneider.

“I think you guys are gonna want to hear this,” Bettman told the crowd.

First-round selections

  1. Colorado, Nathan MacKinnon, C, Halifax (QMJHL).

  2. Florida, Aleksander Barkov, C, Tappara (Finland).

  3. Tampa Bay, Jonathan Drouin, Halifax (QMJHL).

  4. Nashville, Seth Jones, D, Portland (WHL).

  5. Carolina, Elias Lindholm, C, Brynas (Sweden).

  6. Calgary, Sean Monahan, C, Ottawa (OHL).

  7. Edmonton, Darnell Nurse, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL).

  8. Buffalo, Rasmus Ristolainen, D, TPS (Finland).

  9. Vancouver (from New Jersey), Bo Horvat, C London (OHL).

  10. Dallas, Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Chelyabinsk (Russia).

  11. Philadelphia, Samuel Morin, D, Rimouski (QMJHL).

  12. Phoenix, Max Domi, C-LW, London (OHL).

  13. Winnipeg, Joshua Morrissey, D, Prince Albert (WHL).

  14. Columbus, Alexander Wennberg, C, Djurgarden (Sweden).

  15. N.Y. Islanders, Ryan Pulock, D, Brandon (WHL).

  16. Buffalo (from Minnesota), Nikita Zadorov, D, London (OHL).

  17. Ottawa, Curtis Lazar, C-RW, Edmonton (WHL).

  18. San Jose (from Detroit), Mirco Mueller, D, Everett (WHL).

  19. Columbus (from N.Y. Rangers), Kerby Rychel, LW, Windsor (OHL).

  20. Detroit (from San Jose), Anthony Mantha, RW, Val¢D’Or. (QMJHL).

  21. Toronto, Frederik Gauthier, C, Rimouski (QMJHL).

  22. Calgary (from St. Louis), Emile Poiriwe, LW, Gatineau (QMJHL).

  23. Washington, Andre Burakovsky, LW, Malmo (Sweden).

  24. Vancouver, Hunter Shinkaruk, C, Medicine Hat (WHL).

  25. Montreal, Michael McCarron, RW, USA U-18 (USHL).

  26. Anaheim, Shea Theodore, D, Seattle (WHL).

  27. Columbus (from Los Angeles), Marko Dano, C, Bratislava (Russia).

  28. Calgary (from Pittsburgh), Morgan Klimchuk, LW, Regina (WHL).

  29. Dallas (from Boston), Jason Dickinson, C, Guelph (OHL).

  30. Chicago, Ryan Hartman, RW, Plymouth (OHL).

Sports, Pages 19 on 07/01/2013

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