Blue Notes

At 51, some of the notables, included Jared Staal, who went to Phoenix, Yann Sauve, Zac Dalpe, Luke Adam, were gone.

Stepan will play at the University of Wisconsin next season.

Here's what one scouting report says:

The fifth-ranked Minnesota high-school player, according to Central Scouting's final rankings of North American skaters, he's the second-rated forward and top-rated center among Minnesota high schoolers... has excellent offensive instincts and big-time scoring potential, but is smallish and must get stronger in order to maximize his upside... could become an important offensive cog in college right away... projects as a top-six forward in the pros if he can improve his play without the puck...

UPDATE:

Thought Rangers might go for U.S.-born RW Danny Kristo at 51...Habs took him a few picks later...The Hockey News web site (www.thn.com) has live pick-by-pick coverage for those interested. That's where I took the above info on Stepan...Third round has started...Rangers are 10 picks away from theirs at 75..perhaps Grachev or Stefanovich will be there...Brittain and Lalonde gone...LA Kings seem to be loading up, having a very solid draft....Isles took David Toews, smaller and younger bro of Hawks' Jonathan, from same program Shattuck/St. Mary's,
as Stepan....