The 2015-16 NHL season was a tough one for hockey fans in Canada with all seven Canadian franchises missing the playoffs for the first time in 46 years.
With all of that futility came a silver lining Friday night in Buffalo, with all of the Canadian teams picking within the top 11 at the NHL draft.
Here’s a rundown on who the Canadian teams picked.
Toronto Maple Leafs
No one was surprised when the Toronto Maple Leafs selected American centre Auston Matthews first overall.
The widely projected top pick is seen as having all the desired traits – size, speed, skill, and smarts – of a future top-line centre, a long-standing area of need for the Leafs since probable Hall of Famer Mats Sundin departed the organization in 2008.
Matthews will be the most significant piece of a major rebuild project in Toronto. The Leafs finished last in the NHL this season with a 29-42-11 record.
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets selected Finnish winger Patrik Laine with the second overall pick of the NHL draft.
NHL Central Scouting ranked Laine No. 2 among European players behind centre Auston Matthews, who played for Zurich last season.
At six foot four and 201 pounds, the 18-year-old Laine has size as well as a wicked shot.
The Jets also drafted defenceman Logan Stanley with the 18th pick in the first round.
Edmonton Oilers
After the Columbus Blue Jackets passed on the projected third pick, Finnish forward Jesse Puljujarvi, the Oilers wasted no time in grabbing the world juniors MVP with their fourth.
Puljujarvi played for Karpat in the Finnish Elite League last season, scoring 13 goals with 15 assists through 50 games. He also added four goals and five assists through 10 playoff games.
NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr describes Puljujarvi as the “ultimate power forward package,” a “well-rounded winger” who can score and create opportunities for his teammates.
Vancouver Canucks
With the fifth pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, the Canucks selected the third player from Finland in the top five with the defenceman Olli Juolevi.
The 18-year-old helped Finland to gold at the world juniors, leading all defenders with nine assists.
Juolevi had nine goals and 33 assists in 57 regular-season games for the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights in 2015-16.
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames selected American forward Matthew Tkachuk with the fifth overall pick at the NHL draft on Friday.
Tkachuk was one of the key members of the London Knights’ dominant Memorial Cup-winning team this season, finishing fifth in the Ontario Hockey League, scoring 107 points in 57 games.
The left-winger is the son of long-time NHL power winger Keith Tkachuk.
Montreal Canadiens
Russian defenceman Mikhail Sergachev went ninth overall to the Canadiens at the draft.
The 17-year-old played for the Windsor Spitfires in 2015-16, leading all Ontario Hockey League defenders with 17 goals in his rookie season.
He also had 40 assists and 57 points, good for third at his position.
Ottawa Senators
Rounding out the first picks of the Canadian teams, The Ottawa Senators went with centre Logan Brown with their 11th pick.
Brown scored 21 goals and 53 assists in 59 games in his second season with the Windsor Spitfires.
At six foot six and 218 pounds, Brown brings a big presence at centre for the Senators.
He’s the son of former NHL defenceman Jeff Brown, who played 747 games, scoring 585 points.
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