LONDON, Ontario – Erie Otters rookie Connor McDavid encountered plenty of media attention in minor hockey. But it was nothing like what the highly touted No. 1 pick has faced since the OHL Priority Selection in the spring and, most recently, during the opening weekend of his OHL career.
“It’s been crazy. It’s going to take some getting used to,” said McDavid, who was asked for autographs by five people during the pre-game skate before Thursday’s season opener at Niagara. It’s no wonder he’s looking forward to the attention settling down as the season progresses.
However, he felt more comfortable before tonight’s game against London. “I’m forming into a routine,” he said.

* Behind the number: Overage center J.P. Labardo chose No. 22 on his sweater to show his appreciation to former Otters center Phil Varone – his close friend and mentor. They have been friends since Varone’s father taught them the finer points of power skating when they were kids.
Varone, now a Buffalo Sabres prospect, gave Labardo some advice after Thursday’s game in St. Catharines. “I don’t feel any pressure to wear that number,” Labardo said. “It’s an honor to wear it.”

* Showing his true self: Veteran forward Connor Crisp showed glimpses of his offensive skill during his one-goal performance Thursday. Now that he’s healthy, Crisp hopes to show more of his skill.
“I know I can put the puck in the net,” said Crisp, who was on a line with Labardo and Luke Cairns for the second straight game. “I know I can help those guys out.”

* Focused and ready: Rookie goaltender Oscar Dansk was a man of few words before tonight’s game. When asked to assess his performance in his OHL debut Thursday, he said, “Not good enough because we lost.” When asked what he wants to improve on tonight, he said, “Win.”

* News and notes: Dane Fox wrote on Twitter that he miss another six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery on his right foot. … Rookie defenseman Justin Felker made his OHL debut after being a healthy scratch in Thursday’s season opener at Niagara. … The Otters scratched defensemen Liam Maaskant and Travis Wood as well as winger Mitch Eisenberg (upper-body injury). … Jeff Paul, who played for the Niagara Falls Thunder/Erie Otters from 1994-99, is an assistant coach with the Knights. … Dale Hunter officially returned behind the Knights bench after coaching the NHL’s Washington Capitals to the Stanley Cup playoffs a season ago. … London’s 2011-12 OHL championship banner was raised to the rafters in a pregame ceremony.

- Victor Fernandes

NEW YORK — The Edmonton Oilers won the 2012 Scotiabank NHL Draft Lottery today and gained the first drafting position for the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft.

The Oilers own the first overall selection for the third consecutive year. This is the second time the Oilers have won the lottery. In 2010, Edmonton won the lottery, retaining the top pick in the Draft, which they used to select Taylor Hall. Last year, the Oilers again retained the first pick, which they used to select Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, when the New Jersey Devils won the lottery and moved from 8th position to 4th.

The Oilers had the second-greatest percentage likelihood, 18.8%, that one of the numbered sequences assigned to them would be the winning combination. Under the system, only the five teams with the fewest points had the chance to win the first overall selection; no team could move up more than four spots and no team could move backward more than one.

The Columbus Blue Jackets, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs own the second, third, fourth and fifth drafting positions, respectively, in the first round.

The order of selection for the first 14 drafting positions in the first round, only, of the 2012 NHL Draft is as follows:

1. Edmonton Oilers
2. Columbus Blue Jackets
3. Montreal Canadiens
4. New York Islanders
5. Toronto Maple Leafs
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. Minnesota Wild
8. Carolina Hurricanes
9. Winnipeg Jets
10. Tampa Bay Lightning
11. Washington Capitals (from Colorado)
12. Buffalo Sabres
13. Dallas Stars
14. Calgary Flames

The remaining positions are determined by the results of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The drawing was conducted at the NHL’s New York office and the results were televised live on the 2012 Scotiabank NHL Draft Lottery on TSN in Canada and NBC Sports Network in the U.S. The program aired live on TSN Mobile TV and can also be viewed on demand on TSN.ca.

Fourteen balls, numbered 1 to 14, were placed in a lottery machine. The machine expelled four balls, forming a series of numbers. The four-digit series resulting from the expulsion of the balls was matched against a probability chart that divided the possible combinations among the 14 participating clubs. The chart showed that the Oilers had been assigned the numbers (2-10-11-13) that were expelled.

The 2012 Scotiabank NHL Draft Lottery is a weighted system to give the teams that finished with the fewest points during the regular season the greatest chance of having their combination selected. The Columbus Blue Jackets finished the regular season with the fewest points in the League (65) and were assigned the greatest number of combinations, representing a 25% likelihood that their combination would emerge. Oilers were assigned 18.8% of the combinations, followed by Montreal (14.2%), the Islanders (10.7%) and Toronto (8.1%). The remaining teams had the following chances: 6.2%, 4.7%, 3.6%, 2.7%, 2.1%, 1.5%, 1.1%, 0.8% and 0.5%.

The 2012 NHL Draft will take place at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh. The first round is on Friday, June 22 and the subsequent rounds take place Saturday, June 23.

Results of Previous Draft Drawings

Year Selected Effect On Draft Order Player Selected
1995 Los Angeles Moved from 7th to 3rd D Aki Berg
1996 Ottawa Retained 1st selection D Chris Phillips
1997 Boston Retained 1st selection C Joe Thornton
1998 Tampa Bay Moved from 3rd to 1st via trades C Vincent Lecavalier
1999 Chicago Moved from 8th to 4th RW Pavel Brendl *
2000 NY Islanders Moved from 5th to 1st G Rick DiPietro
2001 Atlanta Moved from 3rd to 1st LW Ilya Kovalchuk
2002 Florida Moved from 3rd to 1st LW Rick Nash **
2003 Florida Moved from 4th to 1st G Marc-Andre Fleury ***
2004 Washington Moved from 3rd to 1st LW Alex Ovechkin
2005 Pittsburgh n/a C Sidney Crosby
2006 St. Louis Retained 1st selection D Erik Johnson
2007 Chicago Moved from 5th to 1st RW Patrick Kane
2008 Tampa Bay Retained 1st selection C Steven Stamkos
2009 NY Islanders Retained 1st selection C John Tavares
2010 Edmonton Retained 1st selection LW Taylor Hall
2011 New Jersey Moved from 8th to 4th D Adam Larsson
2012 Edmonton Moved from 2nd to 1st

* NY Rangers obtained Chicago’s pick in a trade (via Vancouver and Tampa Bay). The Rangers selected RW Pavel Brendl fourth overall.

** Columbus obtained Florida’s pick in a trade. The Blue Jackets selected LW Rick Nash first overall.

*** Pittsburgh obtained Florida’s pick in a trade. The Penguins selected G Marc-Andre Fleury first overall.

- From NHL news release

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Former Erie Otters Shawn Szydlowski and Phil Varone had an assist apiece in the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 win against the New York Rangers in the championship game of the NHL Prospects Tournament at Center Ice Arena on Wednesday.

Varone finished the four-game tournament tied for second on the team with four points (two goals, two assists). Szydlowski had a goal and two points overall.

The Sabres haven’t announced their training camp roster. Former Otters forward Andrew Yogan, who appeared to be injured earlier in the tournament, didn’t play for the second straight game.

Otters overage defenseman David Shields has been invited to camp with the St. Louis Blues, which begins Friday in St. Louis Mills, Mo. Shields had no points and a minus-2 rating in the Blues’ 4-3 OT win against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third-place game. He finished the tournament with no points and a minus-1 rating.

Otters OA goaltender Ramis Sadikov was the backup in the Detroit Red Wings’ 4-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in the seventh-place game. He had an 0-1-0 record, 4.00 goals-against average and .846 save percentage in one game. The Red Wings haven’t announced their camp roster.

Former Mercyhurst College standout forward Scott Pitt had no points and a minus-2 rating against the Red Wings. He finished tied for the team lead with two points (one goal, one assist), but didn’t receive an invitation to main camp.

Greg McKegg (Contributed/Toronto Maple Leafs)

OSHAWA, Ontario – Erie Otters forwards Greg McKegg and Sondre Olden scored a goal apiece in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on the final day of the 2011 Rookie Tournament at General Motors Centre.

Then according to mapleleafs.nhl.com, they joined former Otters winger David Broll in earning invitations to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ main camp, which begins Friday in Toronto and is headlined by the preseason opener Sept. 19 against the Senators.

McKegg finished the tournament tied for the team lead with four points (two goals, two assists).

At Traverse City, Mich., former Otters center Phil Varone scored his second goal in the NHL Prospects Tournament in the Buffalo Sabres’ 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday at Center Ice Arena. Former Otters teammate Shawn Szydlowski had no points for the Sabres.

Otters goaltender Ramis Sadikov didn’t play for the Red Wings. The Sabres face the New York Rangers today at 7 p.m. in the championship game. The game can be seen on NHL Network and Madison Square Garden Network.

But Varone and Szydlowski might not face former Otters teammate Andrew Yogan, who didn’t play in a 4-3 double-overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. While I watched the broadcast of the Rangers’ win Sunday against the Dallas Stars, it appeared Yogan was injured while crashing into the boards.

Meanwhile, former Mercyhurst College standout Scott Pitt had a goal, assist and a plus-2 rating for the Hurricanes against the Rangers on Tuesday. Otters defenseman David Shields, who’s expected to begin his professional career this season, had no points and a plus-1 rating in the St. Louis Blues’ 6-1 win against the Stars.

- Victor Fernandes

Greg McKegg (Contributed/Toronto Maple Leafs)

OSHAWA, Ontario – Erie Otters captain Greg McKegg had a goal and two assists to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2011 Rookie Tournament at General Motors Centre on Sunday.

Otters teammate Sondre Olden didn’t record a point for the Leafs. Former Otters winger David Broll was injured in the game, according to the team’s website. The Leafs face the Ottawa Senators on Monday at 7 p.m.

At Traverse City, Mich., Otters goaltender Ramis Sadikov allowed four goals on 26 shots in the Detroit Red Wings’ 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild in the NHL Prospects Tournament at Center Ice Arena.

Former Otters Shawn Szydlowski (goal) and Phil Varone (assist) led the Buffalo Sabres to a 6-3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Former Otter Andrew Yogan scored a goal in the New York Rangers’ 6-2 win against the Dallas Stars.

Overage defenseman David Shields, who’s expected to begin his pro career this season, had no points in the St. Louis Blues’ 2-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes. Former Mercyhurst College standout Scott Pitt had no points and a minus-2 rating for the Hurricanes.

Tuesday’s schedule is N.Y. Rangers vs. Carolina at 3 p.m.; St. Louis vs. Dallas at 3:30 p.m.; Minnesota vs. Columbus, 6:30 p.m.; and Buffalo vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Former Erie Otters center Phil Varone scored in the Buffalo Sabres’ 6-3 win against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday at the NHL Prospects Tournament. Former teammate Shawn Szydlowski had no points and four shots on goal for the Sabres.

In other tournament action, David Shields, an overage defenseman with the Otters who’s expected to start his professional career this season, had no points and a plus-1 rating in the St. Louis Blues’ 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers. Former Otters forward Andrew Yogan, who was traded to Peterborough last month, had no points and a minus-1 rating for the Rangers.

Otters overage goaltender Ramis Sadikov didn’t play for the Detroit Red Wings in a 7-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Former Mercyhurst College standout Sc0tt Pitt had a minus-2 rating and one shot on goal in the Carolina Hurricanes’ 8-2 loss to the Dallas Stars.

Here is Sunday’s tournament schedule:

Columbus vs. Buffalo, 2:30 p.m.

Carolina vs. St. Louis, 3 p.m.

Dallas vs. N.Y. Rangers, 6 p.m. (Live on NHL Network, replay on NHL Network at 9 p.m.)

Detroit vs. Minnesota, 6:30 p.m.

Here’s the rest of the tournament schedule:

Tuesday

Dallas vs. St. Louis, 3 p.m.

N.Y. Rangers vs. Carolina, 3:30 p.m. (Live on NHL Network, replay on NHL Network at 7 p.m.)

Columbus vs. Minnesota, 6:30 p.m.

Detroit vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m.

Wednesday

7th-place game, 3 p.m.

5th-place game, 3:30 p.m.

3rd-place game, 6:30 p.m.

Championship game, 7 p.m.

Steve Montador (Contributed/NHL)

The Buffalo Sabres traded the negotiating rights to defenseman Steve Montador, a former Erie Otter, to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday in exchange for a 2012 or 2013 draft pick, the Sabres announced.

The seventh-round pick in 2012, which the Blackhawks acquired from the Florida Panthers on Monday in the Tomas Kopecky trade, is currently conditional to the Nashville Predators. If that pick isn’t available, the Sabres would receive the Panthers’ seventh-round selection in 2013.

Montador, 31, had 10 goals, 49 points and 158 penalty minutes in 151 games with the Sabres the past two seasons. He has 28 goals, 117 points and 762 penalty minutes in 519 games with the Calgary Flames, Panthers, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins and Sabres from 2001-11. He had 12 goals, 62 points and 149 penalty minutes in 87 games with the Otters from 1997-99.

The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League are proud to announce that right wing Shawn Szydlowski has signed an entry-level contract with the National Hockey League’s Buffalo Sabres.

Szydlowski completed his Otters career sixth in all-time point scoring with 197 and tied for fifth in goals with 94. He scored a career-high of 41 goals in his overage campaign, and was an invite to Ottawa Senators rookie camp before the season.

The native of Michigan was initially drafted in the 10th round of the 2006 OHL Priority Selection by the Otters. His father, Steve, played professionally for three seasons, including the 1985-86 season with the Erie Golden Blades of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League.

Szydlowski is expected to report to the American Hockey League’s Portland Pirates, where he will reunite with former Otters play-by-play broadcaster Mark Jeanneret. Former Otters Brad Boyes, Tim Connolly and Steve Montador all play for the Sabres, making up the largest contingent of Otters alumni within the NHL. Earlier in the week, Otters forwards Anthony Luciani and Greg McKegg signed pro contracts with the NHL’s Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs, respectively.

- From Erie Otters news release

Former Erie Otters teammates Brad Boyes and Tim Connolly reportedly will play on the same line tonight in Boyes’ debut with the Buffalo Sabres against the New York Rangers. Read more and check out a video interview with Boyes by clicking the link.

Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have acquired RW Brad Boyes from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Buffalo’s second-round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft.

Boyes (4/17/1982, 6’, 204 lbs.) had 41 points (12+29) and was a plus-11 in 62 games with the Blues this season. The 28-year-old Boyes has now posted at least 40 points in each of his six NHL seasons, including a career-best 72 (33+39) with St. Louis in 2008-09. Boyes’ totals that season included 16 PP goals and 11 game winners. Boyes also scored a career-high 43 goals with the Blues in 2007-08. Boyes has totaled 335 points (145+190) in 472 career NHL games with St. Louis, Boston and San Jose.

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Boyes was a first-round pick (24th overall) of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2000 Entry Draft.

– From Buffalo Sabres news release