Steve Yzerman certainly knows how to make an entrance. The new General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning stunned many of the experts by selecting Prince George (WHL) center Brett Connolly with the sixth overall selection in the NHL Draft.
Connolly was believed to be one of the top prospects available for this year's entry draft, but a severe hip injury limited the 2009 WHL and CHL Rookie of the Year to just 16 games.
Many believed Connolly could go as high as fifth overall or as low as 30th because of the injury. With offensive dynamo defenseman Cam Fowler on the board, a player who played for the Windsor Spitfires and was seen multiple times by Yzerman while Stevie Y was with the Detroit Red Wings, Yzerman looked as he had no doubt in the selection of the ultra-talented Connolly.
Was Yzerman concerned about Connolly's injury?
"I think it made him available at the sixth pick," Yzerman told TSN, "If not for the injury, he would have been drafted much higher. It's a muscular issue and it's been resolved. We believe he's healthy."
If he is, Tampa Bay just got themselves a dynamic compliment to Steven Stamkos. The first 16 y ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by JC De La Torre
2010 NHL Draft: Tampa Bay Lightning Make Brett Connolly Their Top Pick
June 25th, 2010 by JC De La Torre Leave a reply »
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