Red Deer's Nugent-Hopkins picked No. 1 by Oilers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ST. PAUL – As expected in many hockey circles, the Edmonton Oilers selected Ryan Nugent-Hopkins as the first pick of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Nugent-Hopkins is a center from Red Deer of the Western Hockey League, where he notched 106 points, including a league-leading 75 assists. Nugent-Hopkins is the first WHL prospect to go No. 1 in the NHL Draft since Chris Phillips of Prince Albert was picked first in 1996 by the Ottawa Senators.
With the second pick, the Colorado Avalanche tabbed Gabriel Landeskog, a Swedish-born defenseman for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. Rounding out the top three is Jonathan Huberdeau, star center for this season's Memorial Cup winner St. John Sea Dogs. The Sea Dogs play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}More to come. Follow all of the first-round picks and trades on NHL.com throughout the night, plus tune in to the live broadcast on Versus and TSN. NHL Network will present a one-hour post-Draft show at 11 p.m. ET.