NHL Draft Prospects Take In Philadelphia Sights Ahead of Their Big Moment

By Paul Kurtz

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia is hosting the 2014 NHL draft this weekend, and today a handful of top prospects took a trolley tour of some city landmarks.

First stop was the art museum and a look at those iconic steps.   It was a perfect photo op -- one of many this week for these projected first-rounders who have high hopes of taking the fast track to the National Hockey League.

"I'm excited and nervous," said Anthony DeAngelo (below), an 18-year-old defenseman out of Sewell, NJ.  "Everybody dreams about playing in the NHL.   Now that the draft is coming forth, this is a dream come true.  I've been playing since I was three on the ice, competively since I was five.  So it's been a long time."

(Anthony DeAngelo, in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel at 17th and Race Streets, waits to board a tour bus. Photo by Paul Kurtz)

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And Aaron Ekblad, a native of  Windsor, Ontario, admits that he's battling a case of the jitters.

"It's just starting right now.  This kind of stuff (touring Philadelphia) dumbs it down and gets you a little bit more relaxed for the whole situation.  But I'm excited to be here.  It's a special time for me and my family, and we're gonna have a great time with it," he told KYW Newsradio.

The draft runs from Friday evening through Saturday.

 

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