WATCH ABOVE: The Edmonton Oilers made it official Friday, selecting Connor McDavid with its first pick in the NHL Draft. Kevin Karius is there.
EDMONTON – After months of anticipation, it’s official: Connor McDavid will join the Edmonton Oilers after being selected first overall Friday in the 2015 NHL Draft.
“This is unbelievable. There’s no words to describe how I feel right now. It’s so surreal,” said McDavid.
McDavid said the feeling of being drafted was even better than he expected.
“I didn’t know exactly how I was going to feel. I wasn’t too nervous, I was just anxious,” McDavid told reporters in Florida.
“It was just so exciting to hear your name called … it was unbelievable.”
After his name was called, the 18-year-old walked up to the stage, shook NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s hand and accepted his Edmonton Oilers jersey. The brand new WHA-inspired orange jersey had his No. 97 on the back and shoulders.
“It’s very special,” he said of seeing his number on the jersey.
“It means a lot for them to do that. To see 97 when I flipped that jersey around was special.”
WATCH: McDavid speaks to the media after being drafted by the Oilers
The Oilers traded their 16th and 33rd picks to the New York Islanders for defenceman, and former Edmonton Oil King, Griffin Reinhart.
The 21-year-old, who was the fourth overall pick in 2012, has just eight regular season games and one post-season game of NHL experience.
WATCH: Kevin Karius has an update from the NHL Draft, after Reinhart acquired from New York Islanders
It’s likely McDavid will make the team, meaning his NHL debut will be on Oct. 8 in St. Louis. McDavid will make his home debut in an Oilers jersey at Rexall Place on Oct. 15, also against the St. Louis Blues.
READ MORE: Oilers fans, teammates welcome Connor McDavid to Edmonton
McDavid played the 2014-15 season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters. He finished third in the OHL scoring with 120 points, including 44 goals and 76 assists, despite playing just 47 games due to injury.
“The OHL was a huge stepping stone and they were the best few years of the life so far and they’re what’s led me to this point,” McDavid said of the Erie Otters.
This was the fourth time in six years the Oilers chose first overall in the draft, after winning the lottery back in April. Edmonton had an 11.5 per cent chance of landing this year’s top pick after finishing 28th out of 30 teams last season.
WATCH: Fans at Rexall Place go nuts when Oilers draft McDavid
The Oilers have not made the playoffs since reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2006.
The second pick, Jack Eichel, just as instantly became the poster boy for the new-look Buffalo Sabres, who also acquired goaltender Robin Lehner and forward Ryan O’Reilly at the draft.
After weeks of listening to offers, Arizona Coyotes general manager Don Maloney kept the No. 3 pick and took McDavid’s good friend and Otters teammate Dylan Strome, the dynamic centre who led the OHL in scoring.
The Toronto Maple Leafs took London Knights forward Mitch Marner fourth, and the Carolina Hurricanes selected Boston College defenceman Noah Hanifin to round out the top five.
Global Edmonton’s Kevin Karius is in Florida for the NHL Draft, with live TV coverage through to Friday night on News Hour Final. Global News will also have extensive online coverage. Follow @KevinKarius on Twitter and Global News on Snapchat.
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With files from The Canadian Press.
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