Atlanta Gets Top Pick In Draft

June 22, 1999 / 9:39 PM EDT / CBS/AP

The Atlanta Thrashers chose Patrik Stefan, a powerful forward from Europe, with the first pick Saturday as the NHL entry draft opened with a flurry of trades.

The biggest question about the 205-pound Stefan, rated first by the league's Central Scouting Service, was his health. But he said he was fine after suffering his second concussion of the season on March 31.

Atlanta obtained the top pick, originally held by Tampa Bay, in one of four trades announced by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

The deals allowed Vancouver to take twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin with the second and third picks. They have said they want to play together in the NHL but are expected to stay in their native Sweden for at least one more season.

The New York Rangers, who obtained the fourth pick from Tampa Bay, then chose high-scoring Pavel Brendl. He and Stefan, both from the Czech Republic, are considered the only players in the draft likely to play in the NHL next season.

"My health is fine," Stefan said. "I was not aware Atlanta traded for the top pick. It's been my dream to be No. 1."

Brendl had 73 goals and 61 assists with Calgary of the Western Hockey League last season.

"I didn't care if I went No. 1 or No. 4," Brendl said. "I'm really happy to be in New York."

Atlanta, which didn't get much offense , which didn't get much offense in Friday's expansion draft, hopes to get that out of Stefan, who had 11 goals and 24 assists in 33 games for Long Beach in the International Hockey League, where the competition is tougher than in the WHL.

His season was shortened by his second concussion but he said today he won't change his playing style because of the injuries.

Tampa Bay had the first pick last year when it took Vincent LeCavalier. He played in all 82 games, scoring 13 goals and 15 assists.

In Saturday's trades:

- Vancouver sent defenseman Bryan McCabe and its first-round pick in 2000 or 2001 to Chicago for the fourth pick overall in today's draft.

Brother act: Vancouver gets Daniel and Henrik Sedin. (AP)

- Tampa Bay traded the first pick overall to Vancouver for the fourth pick, obtainefrom Chicago, and two picks in today's third round.

- Vancouver then sent the No. 1 pick, obtained from Tampa Bay, to Atlanta for the No. 2 pick today and a conditional third-round pick next year.

- Tampa Bay then traded the No. 4 pick, obtained from Vancouver, to the New York Rangers for goalie Dan Cloutier, right wing Niklas Sundstrom and their picks in the first and third rounds in 2000.

That changed the original order of the top four picks from Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Vancouver and Chicago to Atlanta, Vancouver, Vancouver and the Rangers.

With the fifth pick , the New York Islanders chose center Tim Connolly from Baldwinsville, N.Y. He had 34 goals and 34 assists with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League and was the first American player drafted.

The next three picks were goalie Brian Finley of Barrie of the Ontario Hockey League to Nashville, center Kris Beech of Calgary of the OHL to Washington and left wing Taylor Pyatt of Sudbury of the OHL to the Islanders.

The nine-round draft followed Friday's expansion draft in which the Thrashers chose 26 players.