1:00 p.m. - We're live from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, your hosts are Gord Miller, Bob McKenzie, and Pierre McGuire. We are informed that Bob Clarke traded Ruslan Fedotenko and a couple of picks to Tampa Bay for the No. 4. Wow. I'm shocked. A smart move by Bobby? No, can't be. It is. What is Tampa thinking? They had the chance to grab the big Finn, Joni Pitkanen. Do the Lightning want to win? I'll bet my brother's right leg that Pitkanen has a better career than Fedotenko.

1:04 p.m. - BREAKING TRADE ALERT!! Rick Dudley has done something? Ooh he's not showing his cards, very tempting. Bob McKenzie fills us in as the Panthers have traded the first pick for a player they want. Who is this player? It's anyone's idea, but if you're a Panther fan, you better hope it's an impact player.

1:05 p.m. - Columbus got the pick? We have drama folks! The player Florida wants is Bouwmeester, so this means that Rick Nash is going No. 1 and Jay Bouwmeester will fall to No. 3 to the Cats. Wouldn't it just suck if Atlanta traded their pick and someone stole Bouwmeester? Man, that'd be HIGH-larious. Then Rick Dudley wouldn't have that smug look on his face anymore.

1:07 p.m. - John Buccigross interviewing Canada World Junior coach Stan Butler who coached both Bouwmeester and Nash. Man, I hate Buccigross because I can't believe he had the gall to say that Erik Cole would never be an All Star. For some reason that just really pisses me off.

1:11 p.m. - Look for Scottie Upshall, my dark horse of the draft, to be the head of this draft class in five years. This kid is going to win the Art Ross one day.

1:13 p.m. - Aerial shot of the ACC. Looks pretty empty. What else is going on in Toronto? A Blue Jays game? Riiiiight.

1:16 p.m. - Count Bettman makes his way to the stage with a roar of boos following him, good stuff from the Toronto crowd. Anyone realize how much of a great bobblehead doll that Bettman would make? Those things would sell like hotcakes on Ebay.

1:20 p.m. - Trade announcement. Florida trades first pick to Columbus in exchange for Columbus first pick (#3) and the right to exchange at Florida's option their first-round picks in 2003.

1:21 p.m. - BJ's GM Doug McLean announces that Rick Nash is the first overall pick in the 2002 NHL Draft. It's got to be weird for Nash now. Twenty minutes ago, he was expected to go #3, now he has all the pressure of being a number one pick. I hope this kid is ready, McLean has said that their first pick is expected to be in the BJ's lineup next season.

1:27 p.m. - Atlanta is up next and GM Don Waddell congratulates the (sunshinin') Red Wings. The Thrashers take goalie Kari Lehtonen. I was kind of hoping they would take Bouwmeester just to mess up the Panthers' plans. They then can cut to a camera shot of Rick Dudley's "deer in headlights" look after Waddell announces the pick. Dudley then charges the stage and spears Waddell before security breaks them up. What? If this is supposed to be a weak draft, we need SOMETHING to remember it by.

1:30 p.m. - Interview with Waddell about the pick. Hey, Donnie, nice coif! That's got to be up there with Kerry Fraser's majestic mane.

1:32 p.m. - Third pick is Jay Bouwmeester from Medicine Hat. He may not have the pressure of being a number one pick, but he's going to have a lot of pressure to perform in Florida.

1:33 p.m. - First official Mike Keenan sighting. Keep an eye on him, he's got a habit of disappearing...sorry Ranger fans.

1:35 p.m. - Interview with Keenan. ESPN has an EXTREMELY close shot on his face. I can see rat whiskers on that guy!

1:38 p.m. - Bobby Clarke and the Flyers up next and take Joni Pitkanen after some lovely boos from the Toronto crowd. I still can't believe Clarke was able to get the number four pick for Fedotenko!! If any Flyers fans can explain this to me, please e-mail me immediately.

1:41 p.m. - My Pittsburgh Penguins are picking next. We kind of have a bad history of drafting (i.e. Robert Dome, Chris Wells). The Pens take Ryan Whitney, a big defenseman from Boston University. Good pick. The Pens are going to have a huge blue line in a few years with Brooks Orpik, Ross Lupachuk, and now Whitney in our system.

1:46 p.m. - Nashville GM David Poile says hello to Predator fans watching the draft at a saloon. A saloon? Tell me he did not just say that! Then Poile tells the people of Toronto, "Ya'll come out and see us." Oh man. They take Scottie Upshall. Great choice. "Devil Boy," as he's affectionately known, can score and will succeed at the NHL level. Did you know he's been compared to LCS Hockey hero Darcy Tucker?

1:53 p.m. - Anaheim is up next. They desperately need someone to play with Paul Kariya. The Ducks take Joffrey Lupul, a scoring forward. He put up 56 goals for Medicine Hat this season. Next move by GM Bryan Murray, he fires coach Mike Babchuk and hires Emilio Estevez. Apparently, Murray ordered Mighty Ducks last night in his hotel room and saw the great job Charlie Sheen's brother did with those kids. Goldberg the goalie is signed to a three-year deal as well.

1:59 p.m. - GM Murray is interviewed. I wish I had a lisp. People joke about them, but I think they're cool. Don't mind me, the Nyquil hasn't set in yet...or has it?

2:00 p.m. - Minnesota selects Pierre Marc-Bouchard. He can score goals, but will his 5'9, 155 lbs. frame hold up in the NHL? Right now I'm picturing him digging out a puck in the corner and Chris Pronger coming in from behind. Ouch. Not pretty folks. Cleanup, aisle five please.

2:05 p.m. - TRADE ALERT! A possible pick exchange between Florida and Calgary? Yes, Panthers pick ninth and Calgary picks 10th. I have to say that Rick Dudley is working some magic today. Could my opinion of Dudley change by the end of the draft? Well, you're just going to have to keep reading aren't you?

SPEEDING AHEAD: The Panthers select Petr Taticek out of Sault Ste. Marie. The Calgary Flames choose Eric Nystrom from the University of Michigan. Father Bobby is interviewed and talks about how Eric beat him in a wrestling match last year. What? Bobby's looking skinnier, not to mention being over 50 years old. That's like Scotty Bowman eating Wendy's, it shouldn't be happening.

SPEEDING AHEAD SOME MORE - The bankrupt Buffalo Sabres take yet another collegian, Keith Ballard from the University of Minnesota. Washington selects Steve Eminger from Kitchener and Ted Leonsis is interviewed. He mentions he enjoyed the fruit basket that Bobby Clarke sent him for that lovely Adam Oates trades in March.

2:29 p.m. - We have a new winner in the "best name" contest. This prestigious award goes to Washington's second pick, Alexander Semen. Do I need to explain?

2:32 p.m. - Edmonton and Montreal have swapped picks, the Oilers will now pick 15th and the Habs, 14th. Also, the Isles trade Marius Czerkawski for Arron Asham and Montreal's fifth pick. Trader Mike dumping some salary for a big-name free agent? We shall see come July 1.

2:35 p.m. - Les Habitants choose Chris Higgins from Yale University. Hey, he's also from Long Island! Woohoo! Long Island representing.

2:40 p.m. - Michel Therrien is interviewed and is finally wearing a decent suit. A nice grey number. Much better than his lovely yellow piece he wore in the Carolina series.

2:42 p.m. - GM Kevin Lowe selects Jesse Niinimaki from Finland. Does Kevin Lowe know something that The Hockey News, Central Scouting Bureau, and TSN do not? This kid was picked to go late second round and now he jumps to 16.

SPEEDING AHEAD - The Sens pick Jakub Klepsis (Portland, WHL), then Washington takes Boyd Gordon (Red Deer, WHL).

2:58 p.m. - The Los Angeles Kings up next and they take Denis Grebeshkov. A dynamic, speedy center that hasn't played that much in the last three seasons; only 69 games in the Russian League and 14 in the World Junior Championships. Bob McKenzie notes that Grebeshkov came to the 2001 Draft thinking he was eligible, only to find out he filled out the paper work wrong. That reminds me of an old Saturday Night Live skit with Bill Murray as the traveling lounge singer entertaining troops in Greenland. Turns out the troops were all there because they filled out their destination forms wrong. Classic.

3:02 p.m. - Wayne Gretzky makes his way to the podium to announce the Phoenix Coyotes pick. Jakub Koreis, another big center (6'3, 205) has his name called and gets the chance to meet Wayne. Scouts say he could be another dark horse and stand out from the rest five years from now.

3:08 p.m. - Commercial for Sesame Street on Ice. Not surprisingly, Gary Bettman will be headlining as the Count.

3:10 p.m. - TRADE ALERT! Columbus trades the #20 pick to Buffalo for the #30 and the rights to prospect Mike Pandolfo. Got to love draft day trades, the fans get excited when they hear a trade has gone through, only to be disappointed when it usually involves draft picks and a player they never heard of.

3:11 p.m. - The Sabres take their pick and select Daniel Paille from Guelph, former club of one Jeff O'Neill. Paille has a huge cheering section in the upper deck. I wish I had a cheering section to follow me wherever I go. That'd be sweet. I get an A on a test and my fans go nuts. Or I take the last bite of a sandwich and they erupt into a huge "Sean!" cheer. OK, I think that Nyquil has officially kicked in.

3:16 p.m. - The Blackhawks are up next. Chicago fans have to believe GM Mike Smith will make a decent pick knowing his draft history. With a deep prospect pool, the Hawks can only be getting better. With the 21st selection, Anton Babchuk is now a Blackhawk. This 6'4, 195 lbs., defenseman, once he bulks up, will be a punishing asset on Chicago's blue line.

3:22 p.m. - The New York Islanders are up next. After last year's great draft day acquisitions of Alexei Yashin, Mike Peca and Adrian Aucoin, Mad Mike's head is no longer on the chopping block. But as a lifelong New Yorker, believe me that can change in two minutes. TRADE ALERT! Columbus trades Mattias Timmander for the Isles fourth-round pick. A good deal for the Isles who get a solid defenseman to add to their depth.

SPEEDING AHEAD - The Isles select Sean Bergenheim, a speedy winger with questionable offensive talent. Phoenix takes Ben Eager from the Oshawa Generals. Host Toronto Maple Leafs are up and choose Alexander Steen, the son of ex-Winnipeg Jets star Thomas Steen.

3:40 p.m. - The Stanley Cup losers, Carolina Hurricanes select goalie Cam Ward from Red Deer (WHL). The Toronto crowd boos during the entire announcement. Got to love sour grapes.

3:44 p.m. - CuJo's agent, Don Meehan is interviewed about the contract talks. Discussions will continue this week. Could Byron Dafoe be Pat Quinn's Plan B if Joseph skips town?

SPEEDING AHEAD - Dallas picks Martin Vagner (Hull, QMJHL); San Jose snatches up high schooler Mike Morris.

3:52 p.m. - The Avs choose Jonas Johansson (HV 71, Sweden), a talented winger that some scouts say plays like Pavel Datsyuk.

3:58 p.m. - ESPN cuts their coverage after Boston's pick (Hannu Toivonen, HPK, Finland) in order to meet time constraints of a Major League Soccer game. Funny how they couldn't fit in the whole 5-10 minutes more for the final first round pick. Another reason I love and respect the game, because many people don't.

Anyway, to finish the first round, Atlanta, which acquired the pick through trades, selected Michigan State center Jim Slater.

A pretty wild first round to say the least. The top four picks were known, but after them it was up in the air. A lot of surprises for sure and still many solid players like Jim Deslauriers, Jiri Hudler, and Maxime Daigneault are still on the board. And yes, my opinion has changed on Florida general manager. He made some good picks that will improve the Panthers for next season.

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