(Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Lightning selected centerman Steven Stamkos with the first overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft Friday at Scotiabank Place. Stamkos was the top-rated North American skater by NHL Central Scouting and solidified his standing as the best available player in this year's draft with an excellent 2007-08 season. He led the Sarnia Sting with 105 points this year, notching 58 goals and 47 assists in 61 games.

The 18-year-old also upped his stock by posting one goal and five assists for gold-medal winning Team Canada at the 2008 World Junior Championships.

The six-foot, 176-pound Stamkos is an excellent skater and strong passer with the offensive skills to develop into a franchise player. The Lightning are hoping the arrival of Stamkos will help ease the loss of pivot Brad Richards, Tampa's former second-line center who was dealt to Dallas at the most recent trade deadline.

The Lightning had the No. 1 overall selection for the third time in team history, and for the first time since taking centerman Vincent Lecavalier in 1998.

"To tell you the truth right now, it's a relief to get my name called by the Tampa Bay Lightning," said Stamkos. "I can finally throw out those ifs, and, or buts we've been talking about the last couple of weeks. It's official now and I couldn't feel better about going to a great organization like the Tampa Bay Lightning."

The Kings had the second selection and used it to grab defenseman Drew Doughty, the 18-year-old who was named the best defenseman for Team Canada at the 2008 World Junior Championships. Doughty played excellent defense in the tournament and recorded four assists in seven games for the gold-medal winning club. Doughty was the third-rated North American skater by NHL Central Scouting and the second defenseman on that list.

Doughty also had a solid season for the Guelph Storm of the OHL in 2007-08, posting 50 points (13 goals, 37 assists) in 50 games.

"I've never been to LA and I'm hoping to get an invite to go there soon," said Doughty. "It'll be great to play with Rob Blake. He was one of my favorite defenseman when I was growing up. I'm very excited to go to this team."

Los Angeles' selection of Doughty began a stretch that saw four defenseman get picked in a row. Atlanta took Zach Bogosian with the third pick and St. Louis grabbed Alex Pietrangelo next. Toronto, which dealt its seventh selection to the New York Islanders for the fifth pick, snatched up Luke Schenn. It was the first time in the history of the NHL draft that four of the top-five picks were defensemen.

Bogosian, a native of upstate New York, is a 17-year-old who comes with a solid athletic pedigree, as two of his family members played Division-I football. Ike, Zach's father, played at Syracuse in the early 1980s and his uncle Steve played at Army in the early 70s. Bogosian is the second-rated North American skater by NHL Central Scouting and the top defenseman on that list. He played in 60 games for the Peterborough Petes of the OHL in 2007-08 and led the team with 61 points (11 goals, 50 assists). The 6-2, 200-pound Bogosian has solid skating and stickhandling ability as well as a strong shot.

At 6-3, 206 pounds, Pietrangelo is a highly-skilled defensive prospect out of the OHL. The 18-year-old is the sixth-rated North American skater by NHL Central Scouting and the fifth-rated defenseman on that list. He played in 60 games for the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL in 2007-08 and recorded 53 points on 14 goals and 40 assists.

Pietrangelo is not an explosive skater, but has the overall offensive skill set to quarterback a power play. He is also still growing into his frame and should project as a physical defenseman in the NHL.

While the OHL has its trio of all-around defenseman, the Western Hockey League boasts the best pure shutdown defenseman available in this year's draft in Schenn. Already 6-3, 216 pounds, Schenn played in 2007-08 for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL and notched seven goals and 28 assists in 57 games. Schenn was also a member of the gold-medal winning Team Canada squad at the 2008 World Junior Championships, leading the Canadians with a plus-five rating in the tournament.

Columbus selected Nikita Filatov, a left winger out of Russia, with the sixth pick, and Nashville traded up to pick Colin Wilson, a center from Boston University with the seventh selection. Danish centerman Mikkel Boedker was then picked eighth by Phoenix, Josh Bailey, a centerman from Windsor of the OHL, went ninth to the New York Islanders after they dealt the seventh selection to Nashville.

Vancouver then selected centerman Cody Hodgson out of Brampton of the OHL to complete the top-10.

Just two goaltenders were taken in the first round, as Nashville took Chet Pickard from Tri-City of the WHL and Detroit selected Thomas McCollum from Guelph of the OHL.

The second round of the NHL draft is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. (et) on Saturday.

The complete list of players selected in the first round goes as follows:

1. Tampa Bay, C-Steven Stamkos (Sarnia); 2. Los Angeles, D-Drew Doughty (Guelph); 3. Atlanta, D-Zach Bogosian (Peterborough); 4. St. Louis, D- Alex Pietrangelo (Niagara); 5. Toronto (from NYI), D-Luke Schenn (Kelowna); 6. Columbus, LW-Nikita Filatov (CSKA 2); 7. Nashville (from NYI & TOR), C-Colin Wilson (Boston University); 8. Phoenix, LW-Mikkel Boedker (Kitchener); 9. NY Islanders (from NAS & FLA), C-Joshua Bailey (Windsor); 10. Vancouver, C-Cody Hodgson (Brampton); 11. Chicago, C-Kyle Beach (Everett); 12. Buffalo (from LOS, ANA & EDM), D-Tyler Myers (Kelowna); 13. Los Angeles (from BUF), D-Colten Teubert (Regina); 14. Carolina, C-Zach Boychuk (Lethbridge); 15. Ottawa (from NAS) D-Erik Karlsson (Frolunda Jr.); 16. Boston, C-Joe Colborne (Camrose); 17. Anaheim (from LOS & CAL), D-Jake Gardiner (Minnetonka-H.S.); 18. Nashville (from OTT), G-Chet Pickard (Tri-City); 19. Philadelphia (from CLB & COL), D- Luca Sbisa (Lethbridge); 20. NY Rangers, D-Michael Del Zotto (Oshawa). 21. Washington (from NJD), C-Anton Gustafsson (Frolunda Jr.); 22. Edmonton (from ANA), C-Jordan Eberle (Regina); 23. Minnesota (from NJD & WAS), D-Tyler Cuma (Ottawa); 24. New Jersey (from MIN, ATL & STL) LW-Mattias Tedenby; (HV 71); 25. Calgary (from MON), C-Greg Nemisz (Windsor); 26. Buffalo (from SJS) C-Tyler Ennis (Medicine Hat); 27. Washington (from PHI), D-John Carlson (Indiana-USHL); 28. Phoenix (from ANA, LOS & DAL), C/W-Viktor Tikhonov (Severstal Cherepovets); 29. Atlanta (from PIT), C-Daultan Leveille (St. Catharines); 30. Detroit, G-Thomas McCollum (Guelph).



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