MiHockey’s 2016 NHL Draft Watch
By @MichaelCaples –
The 2016 NHL Draft officially began Friday evening in Buffalo, N.Y., and it didn’t take long for players with Michigan ties to be claimed by NHL clubs.
Arizona native Auston Matthews – a product of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor/Plymouth – was claimed No. 1 overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Join MiHockey as we follow all seven rounds of the NHL Draft, and keep track of all the Michigan natives and connections who are picked by NHL clubs. We will also be keeping tabs on the players welcomed into the Detroit Red Wings organization, as well.
Round 1 (Friday)
No. 1 – Auston Matthews – Scottsdale, Ariz. – NTDP alum – Toronto Maple Leafs
No. 6 – Matthew Tkachuk – St. Louis, Mo. – NTDP alum – Calgary Flames
No. 7 – Clayton Keller – Swansea, Ill. – NTDP alum – Arizona Coyotes
No. 14 – Charlie McAvoy – Long Beach, N.Y. – NTDP alum – Boston Bruins
No. 15 – Luke Kunin – Chesterfield, Mo. – NTDP alum – Minnesota Wild
No. 18 – Kieffer Bellows – Edina, Minn. – NTDP alum – New York Islanders
No. 20 – Dennis Cholowski – Langley, B.C. – Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL), St. Cloud St. commit – Detroit Red Wings
STORY: Red Wings select college-bound defenseman Dennis Cholowski in first round of 2016 draft
No. 24 – Max Jones – Rochester, Mich. – London Knights, NTDP alum – Anaheim Ducks
STORY: Max Jones selected No. 24 overall by the Anaheim Ducks
No. 26 – Tage Thompson – Orange, Conn. – UConn, NTDP alum – St. Louis Blues
No. 29 – Trent Frederic – St. Louis, Mo. – NTDP alum – Boston Bruins
Round 2 (Saturday)
No. 39 – Alex DeBrincat – Farmington Hills, Mich. – Erie Otters – Chicago Blackhawks
No. 45 – Chad Krys – Ridgefield, Conn. – NTDP alum – Chicago Blackhawks
No. 46 – Givani Smith – Thornhill, Ont. – Guelph Storm – Detroit Red Wings
No. 49 – Ryan Lindgren – Minneapolis, Minn. – NTDP alum – Boston Bruins
No. 52 – Wade Allison – Roland, Manitoba – Tri-City Storm, Western Michigan commit – Philadelphia Flyers
No. 53 – Filip Hronek – Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic – Detroit Red Wings
No. 54 – Tyler Parsons – Chesterfield, Mich. – London Knights – Calgary Flames
Round 3
No. 62 – Joseph Woll – Dardenne Prairie, Mo. – NTDP alum – Toronto Maple Leafs
No. 63 – Markus Niemelainen – Saginaw Spirit
No. 64 – William Lockwood – Bloomfield Hills, Mich. – NTDP alum, Michigan commit – Vancouver Canucks
No. 66 – Adam Fox – Jericho, N.Y. – NTDP alum – Calgary Flames
No. 70 – William Bitten – Flint Firebirds – Montreal Canadiens
No. 73 – Joey Anderson – Roseville, Minn. – NTDP alum – New Jersey Devils
No. 75 – Jack LaFontaine – Mississauga, Ont. – Janesville Jets, Michigan commit – Carolina Hurricanes
No. 76 – Rem Pitlick – Plymouth, Minn. – Muskegon Lumberjacks – Nashville Predators
No. 81 – Sean Day – Rochester, Mich. – Mississauga Steelheads – New York Rangers
Round 4
No. 92 – Jack Kopacka – Lapeer, Mich. – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – Anaheim Ducks
No. 101 – Keaton Middleton – Saginaw Spirit
No. 105 – Evan Cormier – Saginaw Spirit
No. 106 – Alfons Malmstrom – Lulea, Sweden – Detroit Red Wings
Round 5
No. 125 – Nolan Stevens – Sea Isle City, N.J. – NTDP alum – St. Louis Blues
No. 136 – Cameron Clarke – Tecumseh, Mich. – Lone Star Brahmas, Ferris State commit – Boston Bruins
No. 137 – Jordan Sambrook – Markham, Ont. – Erie Otters – Detroit Red Wings
No. 146 – Nicholas Caamano – Flint Firebirds – Dallas Stars
No. 149 – Graham McPhee – Bethesda, Ma. – NTDP alum – Edmonton Oilers
Round 6
No. 167 – Filip Larsson – Stockholm, Sweden – Detroit Red Wings
No. 170 – Collin Adams – Brighton, Mich. – Muskegon Lumberjacks – New York Islanders
Round 7
No. 193 – Nick Pastujov – Bradenton, Fla. – NTDP alum, Michigan commit – New York Islanders
No. 197 – Mattias Elfstrom – Sweden – Detroit Red Wings