Pickard, Simpson lead local NHL draftees
Three Everett Silvertips and one Seattle Thunderbird were taken in the NHL Draft on Saturday, all on the defensive side of the ice.
The first local player who went in the draft was Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard. He was taken in the Colorado Avalanche in the second round of the draft. He was the 49th pick overall.
Pickard had a 3.09 goals against average and a 91.4 percent save percentage for the T-Birds in the 2009-10 season. He also joins his brother, Chet, as an NHL draftee. Chet Pickard, who was a goalie for Tri-City, was drafted by Nashville in 2007.
The next player to go was Everett goaltender Kent Simpson. He was also taken in the second round, as the he was taken by the Stanley Cup Champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, with the 58th pick. He was second in the Western Hockey League with a 2.26 GAA, going along with a .925 save percentage.
Everett defenseman Radko Gudas was taken in the third round by the Tampa Bay Lightning with the 66th overall pick. The second Czech player taken in the draft, Gudas had seven goal, 30 assists and 151 penalty minutes in 65 games for the Silvertips in the 2009-10 season.
The final local player taken was Silvertips defenseman Alex Theriau. The Dallas Stars grabbed him in the fourth round with the 109th overall pick. He had four goals and 20 assists in 70 games for Everett in 2009-10.
The last time Everett had three players taken in the NHL Draft was in 2007, while Pickard is the first Seattle player taken in two years.
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More information:
• Pickard taken by Avs in 2nd round of NHL Draft
• Tips goalie Simpson drafted by Blackhawks in NHL Draft
• Tips D-man Gudas taken by Tampa Bay in NHL Draft
• Silvertips D-man Theriau taken by Dallas in NHL Draft
The first local player who went in the draft was Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard. He was taken in the Colorado Avalanche in the second round of the draft. He was the 49th pick overall.
Pickard had a 3.09 goals against average and a 91.4 percent save percentage for the T-Birds in the 2009-10 season. He also joins his brother, Chet, as an NHL draftee. Chet Pickard, who was a goalie for Tri-City, was drafted by Nashville in 2007.
The next player to go was Everett goaltender Kent Simpson. He was also taken in the second round, as the he was taken by the Stanley Cup Champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, with the 58th pick. He was second in the Western Hockey League with a 2.26 GAA, going along with a .925 save percentage.
Everett defenseman Radko Gudas was taken in the third round by the Tampa Bay Lightning with the 66th overall pick. The second Czech player taken in the draft, Gudas had seven goal, 30 assists and 151 penalty minutes in 65 games for the Silvertips in the 2009-10 season.
The final local player taken was Silvertips defenseman Alex Theriau. The Dallas Stars grabbed him in the fourth round with the 109th overall pick. He had four goals and 20 assists in 70 games for Everett in 2009-10.
The last time Everett had three players taken in the NHL Draft was in 2007, while Pickard is the first Seattle player taken in two years.
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More information:
• Pickard taken by Avs in 2nd round of NHL Draft
• Tips goalie Simpson drafted by Blackhawks in NHL Draft
• Tips D-man Gudas taken by Tampa Bay in NHL Draft
• Silvertips D-man Theriau taken by Dallas in NHL Draft