The Montreal Canadiens took American Cole Caufield 15th overall at the NHL draft on Friday.
The five-foot-seven right-winger from Wisconsin had 72 goals and 100 points in 64 games with the U.S. under-18 team.
The Canadiens have nine other picks this year, starting with the 46th selection.
Last year, Montreal used the third overall pick to draft Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The Finnish centre had 11 goals and 23 assists in his rookie season before having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April to correct what Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin called a "chronic, minor injury."
Kotkaniemi wasn't the only young star to impress in Montreal this year, however.
Ryan Poehling, picked 25th overall by the Canadiens in 2017, joined the team for its last game in April after wrapping a successful NCAA career at St. Cloud State University. The 20-year-old centre scored a hat trick in the outing, helping the Habs to a 6-5 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Draft continues on second day
On the second day of the draf, the Canadiens added to their prospect pool by picking American defenceman Jayden Struble in the second round.
Struble, who was taken 46th overall, described himself as an offensive defenceman with good size. The left-handed d-man played for St. Sebastian's High School in the USHS last year.
The Habs traded their other second round pick, the 50th over all, to the Los Angeles Kings for the 64th and 126th picks. With the former, the team selected Swedish defender Mattias Norlinder.
Another defenceman, Gianni Fairbrother of the WHL's Everett Silvertips, was taken at 77th overall.
