Blue Jackets draft Pierre-Luc Dubois 3rd overall

The Columbus Blue Jackets selected forward Pierre-Luc Dubois with the third overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft on Friday.

Pierre-Luc Dubois

Position: Left Wing
Height: 6-3
Weight: 202 pounds
Age: 17
Club: Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Nationality: Canadian

GP G A P ES GPG ES PPG ES GF%
62 42 57 99 0.468 1.048 66.667

(Even-strength stats courtesy: prospect-stats.com)

Dubois was NHL Central Scouting's top-ranked North American skater ahead of the draft, having shot up to No. 1 after a midterm ranking of seventh. After scoring only 10 goals in 54 games in his first season with Cape Breton, Dubois exploded in 2015-16, finishing with 42 goals, 99 points, and 112 penalty minutes in 65 games. He had seven goals and 12 points in 12 playoff games.

A "dynamic two-way winger," according to Elite Prospects, Dubois plays in all situations and possesses above-average hockey IQ. He's been compared to NHLers like James Neal and Patrick Marleau.

Dubois isn't as physical a player as many would hope considering his size, and his skating is thought to be his biggest downside.

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Maple Leafs officially unveil new uniforms

What's old is new again.

The Toronto Maple Leafs officially revealed their new uniforms upon selecting Auston Matthews with the first overall pick in the draft Friday night.

James Mirtle of The Globe & Mail passed along a closer look at the inscription on the collar.

The jerseys were leaked Thursday night when the Leafs accidentally uploaded a video featuring the new look to their mobile app.

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Twitter reacts to Matthews’ No. 1 selection

The Auston Matthews era is officially underway in Toronto, as the Maple Leafs locked down the consensus No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2016 Draft on Friday.

It's been a long time coming for the Maple Leafs and their fans, and Matthews officially donning blue and white set Twitter ablaze.

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Jets take Patrik Laine 2nd overall

The Winnipeg Jets selected Patrik Laine with the second overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft on Friday.

Patrik Laine

Position: LW/RW
Height: 6-4
Weight: 206 pounds
Age: 18
Club: Tappara Tampere (Liiga)
Nationality: Finnish

GP G A P
46 17 16 33

Laine was can't-miss programming in the latter portion of his inspired, fervid, and impassioned crusade toward the draft floor. This is a prospect that made it his mission, on the ice and on the mic, to unseat Auston Matthews as the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft.

This is a supremely talented, exceedingly dynamic, NHL-ready scorer with the skill set pundits liken to Alex Ovechkin, and who's as physically prepared to take on the challenge at the next level as any lottery pick. His robust frame, elite shot, and underrated vision and passing capability makes him a terror in the offensize zone. His one flaw, at least in an attacking capacity, would be his average skating ability compared to other top prospects.

He was a national force over the last calendar year for three separate teams. Laine helped Finland win gold at U-18 and U-20 tournaments before being named to the senior team for last month's World Championship. There, he scored seven goals and five assists in 10 games, earning MVP honors in a competition saturated with elite NHL talent.

Laine totalled 33 points in 46 regular-season games at the club level before absolutely exploding in the playoffs. He spliced together a personal highlight tape (see below) with 10 goals and five assists in 18 games, and was named, unsurprisingly, playoff MVP as Tappara Tampere captured the Liiga title.

The decorated sniper immediately becomes the best prospect in Winnipeg's loaded system, and jump to the front of the line, factoring on opening night.

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Canadiens trade Lars Eller to Capitals for pair of 2nd-round picks

The Montreal Canadiens have traded Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals for second-round draft selections in 2017 and 2018, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Friday.

Washington stated its intent to shore up the top six after a disappointing end to what was a record-breaking season, and Eller should be able to provide that upgrade.

He's hit double-digit goal totals in four of his six seasons with Montreal, performing predominantly in a bottom-six capacity. But always thought to have more to provide, he failed to live up to expectations in top-six opportunities.

He will earn $9 million over the next two seasons, but will only cost the Capitals $3.5 million against the salary cap.

The trade directly preceded the announcement that Montreal had acquired Andrew Shaw from the Chicago Blackhawks, also for two second-round draft selections.

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Blackhawks trade Shaw to Canadiens for 2 draft picks

The Chicago Blackhawks traded forward Andrew Shaw to the Montreal Canadiens for two 2016 second-round picks, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced at the NHL Draft.

The deal was announced after Bettman revealed the Canadiens traded forward Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals for two second-round picks, one in 2017 and one in 2018.

Shaw's a restricted free agent, and another casualty of the Blackhawks' salary-cap issues. He had 14 goals and 20 assists in 78 games this past season, and had six points in six playoff games. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2011 draft and won two Stanley Cups with Chicago.

The Belleville, Ontario native will turn 25 on July 19, and made $2.5 million last season. He's reportedly seeking at least $4.5 million per season on his next deal.

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