Staal leads CHL class at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft

By Aaron Bell

Jordan Staal knows that he has some big footsteps to follow in.

Last week, Staal watched his oldest brother Eric hoist the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. Jordan knows that he’s still a long way from that dream, but he fulfilled another one on Saturday when he was selected second overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver.

Staal is the third member of his family to be drafted in the first round of the NHL Draft. Eric was the second overall pick in 2003 and Marc Staal was the 12th overall pick of the New York Rangers last year. Their youngest brother Jared was the first round pick of the Sudbury Wolves in the OHL Priority Selection last month.

Jordan admitted that despite being the number two ranked prospect, he was still surprised by the selection.

“You’re pretty nervous coming into the draft,” Staal said. “You don’t really know where you’re going to end up. I’m just happy to be a part of this organization and hopefully I can step up in the next couple of years and be a part of this team.”

Staal, who helped the Peterborough Petes win the OHL championship in May, was the first of 15 Canadian Hockey League players selected in the first round of the draft. 78 CHL players were selected during the seven round process.

“I’m really excited,” said Staal, who joins Rimouski Oceanic graduate Sidney Crosby as consecutive first round picks from the CHL for the Penguins. “We’ve got a good young team coming through the ranks and hopefully I can make an impact in the next couple of years.”

Staal was happy to have his entire family with him this weekend in Vancouver. All four brothers sat together with parents Henry and Linda in the stands at GM place.

“It means a lot,” Eric said. “He was there watching me in the Stanley Cup finals and doing that dream. This is the first step for him and for us all to be here and support him is pretty nice.”

Despite watching sons drafted in two previous years, Henry admitted that each time is special.

“They’re all different because it’s a different guy and a different team and circumstances,” Henry said. “They are all exciting and they’re all a lot of fun.”

Derick Brassard of the Drummondville Voltigeurs was picked sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Peter Mueller of the Everett Silvertips was the first WHL player selected, eighth overall by the Phoenix Coyotes. He was picked by OHL graduate and Coyotes’ coach Wayne Gretzky.

Other OHL players selected in the first round included Bryan Little of the Barrie Colts (12th overall to the Atlanta Thrashers), Chris Stewart of the Kingston Frontenacs (19th overall to the Colorado Avalanche), Bob Sanguinetti of the Owen Sound Attack (21st overall to the New York Rangers), Nick Foligno of the Sudbury Wolves (28th overall to the Ottawa Senators) and Matt Corrente of the Saginaw Spirit (30th overall to the New Jersey Devils).

Senators’ GM John Muckler was pleased to pick Foligno, whose father Mike played in the NHL with Toronto, Buffalo and Detroit and is now Nick’s coach with the Wolves.

“I happen to know his father very well and I saw (Nick) play four or five times and he reminds me a lot of his dad,” Muckler said.

“I have that competitive edge and I’m going to bring it every night,” Nick Foligno said. “I thank the organization and Mr. Muckler for picking me. I’m really excited to be an Ottawa Senator and I’m just looking forward to training camp.”

OHL Players Selected in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft

First Round
2 PIT Jordan Staal PETERBOROUGH
12 ATL Bryan Little BARRIE
18 COL Chris Stewart KINGSTON
21 NYR Bob Sanguinetti OWEN SOUND
28 OTT Nick Foligno SUDBURY
30 N.J. Matt Corrente SAGINAW

Second Round
36 S.J. Jamie McGinn OTTAWA
41 DET Cory Emmerton KINGSTON
47 DET Shawn Matthias BELLEVILLE
57 BUF Mike Weber WINDSOR

Third Round
69 CBJ Steve Mason LONDON
72 MIN Cal Clutterbuck OSHAWA
75 EDM Theo Peckham OWEN SOUND
83 ANA John DeGray BRAMPTON
85 CBJ Tom Sestito PLYMOUTH
87 CGY John Armstrong PLYMOUTH
90 DAL Aaron Snow BRAMPTON
93 CAR Harrison Reed SARNIA

Fourth Round
95 CHI Ben Shutron KINGSTON
97 WSH Oskar Osala MISSISSAUGA
98 S.J. James DeLory OSHAWA
103 FLA Michael Caruso GUELPH
112 ANA Matt Beleskey BELLEVILLE
122 WSH Luke Lynes BRAMPTON
123 CAR Bobby Hughes KINGSTON

Fifth Round
133 EDM Bryan Pitton BRAMPTON
151 OTT Ryan Daniels SAGINAW

Sixth Round
155 FLA Peter Aston WINDSOR

Seventh Round
187 CGY Devin DiDiomete SUDBURY