The top 10 picks at the 2014 NHL entry draft will be dominated by Canadian teams, underscoring what a miserable season most of them had this year but also offering them an opportunity to capitalize on the next wave of talent.
As winners of the draft lottery, the Florida Panthers will pick first, followed by last-place finishers the Buffalo Sabres.
The Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames hold the third and fourth picks, respectively, followed by the New York Islanders, who have to surrender their first-round pick in this or next year's draft to Buffalo as part of the deal that brought Thomas Vanek over from the Sabres, according to TSN.
The Vancouver Canucks pick sixth, followed by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the eighth pick and the Winnipeg Jets with the ninth.
Ottawa would have picked tenth overall if they hadn't traded that pick to second-place finishers the Anaheim Ducks, who sent Bobby Ryan to the Senators in exchange.
Left-winger Sam Bennett of the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs tops the NHL's North American prospect rankings, followed by Barrie Colts defenseman Aaron Ekblad, centreman Sam Reinhart of the WHL's Kootenay Ice, left winger Leon Draisaitl of the WHL's Prince Albert Raiders and left winger Michael Dal Colle of the OHL's Oshawa Generals.
The NHL entry draft will take place on June 27 and 28 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
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