A pretty eventful opening round of the 2012 NHL Draft has passed us by, with the Florida Panthers standing down on any big trades or notable moves. The Cats came into the day with the 23rd overall pick and stayed there, selecting defenseman Michael Matheson with the pick, and not making any additional deals before day two would start. It wasn’t for lack of trying, though, as General Manager Dale Tallon and Assistant GM Mike Santos worked the phones as usual. “It takes two to tango,” said Tallon. “We couldn’t find a partner today, so that’s just the way it goes.”
There’s certainly plenty of opportunity to shift around in the draft and get the guys they want, but the Panthers won’t be doing so with their second round pick, as they deferred the pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning. That means the Cats now have third, fourth and sixth round picks remaining at this point. Drafting a defenseman in the first round likely means the Cats will focus on some forwards in the remainder of the draft, though a goalie pick wouldn’t be out of the question.
We’ll keep you updated on any news, as well as videos and photos from the draft, including all of the Cats selections. Stay tuned.