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Crosby joins Penguins as first overall draft pick

Posted on: Saturday, 30 July 2005, 14:53 CDT

By Roger Lajoie

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Junior hockey sensation Sidney Crosby was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the first overall pick at the NHL's scaled down Entry Draft Saturday.

He is one of the most highly-rated prospects in the sport's history and has already been compared to current Penguins great and part-owner Mario Lemieux.

"It's amazing. I'm just really relieved, it's unbelievable. I'm so happy right now," Crosby, who does not turn 18 until next weekend, told reporters.

His selection was a formality after the Penguins won the NHL's first draft lottery on July 21, earning the right to take the native of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia with the first pick.

Crosby is a 5-foot-11, 193-pound center who scouts say has tremendous skating ability, great hockey sense and a prolific natural scoring touch.

The Anaheim Mighty Ducks received numerous offers to trade the number two overall pick but new general manager Brian Burke resisted all approaches and took forward Bobby Ryan of the Owen Sound Attack from the Ontario Hockey League.

Ryan is a 6-foot-1, 213-pound power forward who can score, putting up 89 points in 62 games last season in junior hockey.

The Carolina Hurricanes used the third pick for defenseman Jack Johnson of the U.S. National Development Program.

There was just one deal involving a player during the draft as the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired winger Jeff O'Neill from the Hurricanes for a conditional pick in the 2006 draft.

SEVEN ROUNDS

The NHL draft is usually held at an arena but this year's selection took place in an Ottawa hotel ballroom with only 21 of the top prospects on hand and was closed to the public.

The draft was reduced to seven rounds this year and will be completed in just one day as opposed to the usual two.

Crosby has been Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year for the past two seasons and is considered a cast iron NHL prospect who is ready to play in the league immediately.

He helped Rimouski Oceanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) into the Memorial Cup this year, where they lost in the championship game to the London Knights.

He has won the QMJHL scoring title for the last two seasons, finishing with 66 goals, 102 assists and 168 points in just 62 games this season.

When Crosby reports to Pittsburgh's training camp in September, the young protege will not only carry the hopes of the franchise but the entire league.

The NHL is reeling from a lock-out that saw it become the first major professional sports league to cancel an entire season.

The Penguins are trying to get a new arena built in their city and hope Crosby's arrival will help get the project underway. Lemieux bought the team out of bankruptcy a few seasons ago.

The NHL will introduce a variety of new rules this season, which it hopes will open up the game. The changes are expected to benefit players like Crosby, considered to be one of the best offensive players to come into the NHL in many years.

Source: REUTERS

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