The second-ever NHL Draft in South Florida this past weekend saw a turnout to BB&T Center that "was impressive and enthusiastic, particularly Friday night," according to Craig Davis of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. There was a "long line to pose with Lord Stanley's cup, and the arena was packed for the first-round selections." Although attendance figures "weren't announced, the draft configuration accomodated seating for about 12,300." Florida hockey fans, "much maligned around the NHL, acquitted themselves well, with Panthers supporters generating the loudest ovation of the night" when their No. 1 pick, LW Lawson Crouse, was announced. The "intriguing question is how loud and proud the building will feel when the puck drops in October." Panthers Exec VP & GM of Hockey Operations Dale Tallon said of the draft, "Great attendance, great atmosphere. It's starting to come. Great support from [team Owner Vinnie Viola] and [Vice Chair & Partner Doug Cifu]. We're committed, and the fans sense it, so it's good." Panthers Exec Chair Peter Luukko said, "Our offseason, just from a business standpoint, has been fantastic. We've renewed over 90 percent of our (season-)tickets. We've sold more new full-season (packages) than we have in recent years" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 6/28). In Ft. Lauderdale, Dave Hyde wrote Friday "was a good night, a fun night." Viola, addressing the crowd, said, "The cats are coming -- and they're coming strong" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 6/27). NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, addressing the crowd, said, "Hockey's alive and well in South Florida!" But in Miami, David Neal wrote hockey has "done just fine in South Florida." It is the NHL team "that has had a problem." Neal: "Not that you would know it by Friday night. The arena crackled the way it often does during an NHL Draft" (MIAMI HERALD, 6/27). In Pittsburgh, Rob Rossi writes if the Panthers' run to the '96 Stanley Cup Final "marked the South Florida market's equivalent of a hole in one," the support fans showed for the '15 NHL Draft "was at least a double-eagle" (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 6/29).
RED-EYE SKIES: In Boston, Fluto Shinzawa wrote the NHL "did not do the teams’ hockey operations groups any good with its scheduling and locations of the GM meetings (Tuesday, Las Vegas) and the draft (Friday and Saturday, Sunrise)." Bruins GM Don Sweeney "took a red-eye from Las Vegas to South Florida after the meetings." GMs "needed to be at their freshest physically and clearest mentally" for the Draft, but the travel schedule "did not allow that to happen" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/28).
OVER THE GREAT WALL: The AP's Tim Reynolds noted a Chinese player was "selected in the NHL draft" for the "first time" Saturday. The Islanders picked D Andong Song with the No. 172 pick in the draft, and his selection was "broadcast live in China." Song, who "plays on one of China’s national teams," plans to attend Phillips Andover Academy in Massachusetts this coming school year "as a postgraduate student" (AP, 6/27).
