RALEIGH, N.C. -- To hear some tell it, Andrew Ladd walked off the moon or emerged from some unheard of hockey backwater and within a year became the top rated North American skater in the 2004 Entry Draft. Truth be told, with hundreds of scouts prowling hockey rinks around the world, there are no hidden hockey havens like Mystery Alaska.

That Ladd would rise to the top of the crop is a surprise, not a shock.

Sure, Ladd was playing Tier II hockey in Coquitlam, British Columbia, a year ago and has only one season of major junior hockey under his belt, but his development comes as no surprise to the hard-working scouts who remembered he would have been one of the top draft picks for the WHL three years ago had he not broken his ankle. Playing for the Calgary Hitmen in 2003-04, Ladd led all WHL rookies in scoring with 30 goals and 75 points. He was runner-up for WHL rookie of the year honors.

"I was always on Triple AAA teams when I was younger," Ladd said. "Maybe I didn't get the breaks I needed when I was 15, 16 and 17. When I was 15 I broke my ankle and I didn't get drafted by the WHL. So, that hindered things a bit. It took a while to get back and work my way up. It took me about a year after I broke my ankle to get back skating right. Then it took awhile to work my way back up. In the end, I think it worked out right for me."

Indeed it did. Ladd was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes with the fourth overall pick Saturday. As expected, he was the first North American-raised forward to be selected.

What was unexpected was Carolina GM Jim Rutherford trading the eighth and 59th picks Saturday to secure the selection from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The deal in front of the hometown fans brought down the house.

Ladd certainly strengthens the Carolina offense and the fans can't help but think of future line with Ladd and Eric Staal, the 'Canes' top selection from the 2003 draft.

"The fact that we were able to select the No. 1-ranked North American skater two years in a row, we see as an important building block for our team. We also see him as a character guy," Rutherford said. "The deal has been in the works for a couple of months although Columbus, I'm sure, was fielding other offers. There were conditions. We had to see who was taken in the first three picks. When Chicago selected Cam Barker, we sealed the deal and picked Ladd.

"Players like Andrew Ladd, when you get into the playoffs, you know those are the players who will go to the wall for you." -Jim Rutherford

"Players like Andrew Ladd, when you get into the playoffs, you know those are the players who will go to the wall for you," Rutherford continued. "(Ladd's comeback) is one of those factors in knowing what kind of player he is."

Ladd won't forget the fans' reaction.

"They seemed like a great, great crowd," he said. "The whole time we have been here, Carolina has been really receptive. So, I'm excited about the fans, for sure.

"I would have been happy to go anywhere," he continued. "I think the first thing we wanted was an opportunity and I think that Carolina is a great place to have that opportunity to play. I'm just really excited about it."

Turns out Ladd is already a Staal fan.

"I've seen him play a few times and he's an amazing player," Ladd said. "I have a chance to hopefully grow into a line with him."

Misfortune creates opportunity and Ladd worked very hard to return to the upper echelon of players his age. In doing so, he showed the scouts and the NHL teams more about his character than could be gleaned about many of his competitors. Character counts in the talent-rich NHL. The NHL teams making selections work from thick books filled with evaluations, interviews and career histories of players. What they don't know is how any particular 18-year-old will mature, both physically and mentally.

Ladd has already made it clear he'll pay any price to achieve his goals. So, it comes as no surprise that the NHL player Ladd would most like to emulate is Gary Roberts, the veteran forward who returned from a serious neck injury to resume his place as one of the League's grittiest players.

Ladd certainly strengthens the Carolina offense and the fans can't help but think of future line with Ladd and Eric Staal, the 'Canes' top selection from the 2003 draft.

Ladd, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound left wing, grew up in Maple Ridge, B.C., about an hour east of Vancouver and showed promise at an early age. Scouts say he's a great skater with a tremendous work ethic who combines top puck-handling skills, hard work along the boards and a deceptively quick shot.

Sure, that sounds like a description of Joe Sakic, the British Columbia native who has become the role model for younger players in the region.

Ladd's injury so impacted his game that he dropped to the Junior B level, playing the 2001-02 season with the Poco Buckeroos of the Pacific Junior Hockey League. He had 15 goals and 38 points in 40 games and he moved up to Junior A Coquitlam. He had 15 goals and 55 points for coach Sean Crowther, whom he credits for guiding his development.

Ladd certainly appeared ready for the WHL last season but there were obstacles to overcome.

"I wasn't really guaranteed a spot and going in as an 18-year-old, the odds of making a team weren't very good," Ladd said. "I went in there with the right attitude and did all the right things to make the team."

He didn't set the world on fire at first but he made steady progress and pretty soon the scouts started flocking to his games.

"Did I have a good start? Not really, offensively. But defensively, I was playing pretty good," Ladd admitted. "My offensive numbers came in the second half of the year. We had a bunch of guys who weren't in training camp because they were at NHL camps, like Ryan Getzlaf, (the No. 1 pick last year of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) and Brandon Segal, (Nashville's top pick in 2003.) After they got back, I played with them on what I guess was an offensive line."

"They seemed like a great, great crowd," he said. "The whole time we have been here, Carolina has been really receptive. So, I'm excited about the fans, for sure."

Ladd deflects too much credit. Segal turned pro in midseason and reported to Nashville's AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. Ladd never missed a beat, continuing to rise in the prospect rankings.

"That was definitely a big break," Ladd said of playing with Getzlaf and Segal. "Definitely, those are pretty talented guys and when that happens it makes it a lot easier on you. Ryan was probably the best player in the league in terms of skill. I think I opened a lot of space along the boards and was able to get him the puck. He's a great finisher so it worked out well.

"I played half the season with Brandon before he signed with Milwaukee. Obviously, he's a guy with a lot of skill that opens a lot of room for his line mates and can put the puck in the net. I think he's got a real good chance to make that Nashville lineup next year and be a really good player down the road."

Ladd's sunny personality includes a quick wit and self-deprecating humor. Asked when he first thought he'd be drafted by an NHL team, Ladd's answer was preceded by a deep, rumbling laugh.

"December? Pretty much," Ladd said. "Early in the season, I didn't expect this but then later, I guess, I thought I'd go pretty high."