2010 NHL Entry Draft

Kings kick off Draft night dealings

Friday, 06.25.2010 / 9:40 PM / 2010 NHL Entry Draft

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Kings kick off Draft night dealings
It took well into the middle of the first round before the wheeling and dealing started during Friday night’s first round of the NHL Entry Draft.

The first 14 picks went off without a deal before Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi, who had his eyes on hulking defenseman Derek Forbort, made a deal to move up and get him.

Moments after sending the 19th and 59th picks to the Florida Panthers in exchange for the 15th selection, Lombardi and his staff plucked the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Forbort. A native of Duluth, Minn., Forbort had 4 goals, 10 assists and 26 penalty minutes in 26 games with the U.S. National Under-17 Team.

That was the first deal of the night -- and the second one came just a few minutes later when the Ottawa Senators dealt the 16th pick to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Swedish defenseman David Rundblad, who was taken No. 17 last year and is expected to spend another year in Sweden.

Montreaal and Phoenix made the third deal of the first round when the Coyotes send their first-round pick, No. 22, and a fourth-rounder to Montreal for the Canadiens' first- and second-round picks -- Nos. 27 and 57. The Canadiens used the pick to take Jarred Tinordi, a defenseman with the United States Under-18 team and the son of former NHL defenseman Mark Tinordi.

Florida and Vancouver pulled off the first deal involving a player when GM Dale Tallon sent defenseman Keith Ballard and forward Victor Oreskovich to Vancouver for forwards Michael Grabner and Steve Bernier along with the Canucks' first-round pick, No. 25. The Panthers, picking for the third time in the opening round, picked center Quinton Howden from Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League.

The last deal involved the final pick of the night, as the New York Islanders dealt a pair of second-rounders (Nos. 35 and 58) to Chicago for the 30th pick, which they used to select Minnesota high school player Brock Nelson.