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Surprise Choices Open NHL Draft

ARTFORD, Connecticut -- A surprise No. 1 pick and a surprising trade were the features at the opening of the NHL draft.


Ed Jovanovski, a defenseman from the Canadian junior ranks, was the top pick by the Florida Panthers over Radek Bonk on Tuesday night.


Bonk, a forward from the Czech Republic had been rated No. 1 by the NHL's Central Scouting Service.


But he was No. 3 as far as the NHL draft was concerned when picked in that position by the Ottawa Senators.


Bonk was also passed up by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, who took Russian defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky as the No. 2 pick.


"To tell you the truth, I was shocked," Jovanovski said. "I was never rated at the No. 1 spot all year."


With Jovanovski and Tverdovsky going 1-2, it marked a contrast to previous drafts when forwards were usually the primary picks.

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