2014 NHL Draft: Scouting the Southeast’s Top Picks

Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Aaron Ekblad (middle) poses for a photo with team officials after being selected as the number one overall pick to the Florida Panthers in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The 2014 NHL Draft is underway, and every organization’s making choices to better their future.

While some players are likely to make the NHL leap as soon as this upcoming season, others expect to take a longer path. One thing remains certain, however. All of them will make an impact sometime in the future. Where and when remains uncertain, but these kids have a chance to fulfill lifelong dreams.

In this slideshow, I will take a look at the first round picks selected by teams located in the Southeastern United States for the most part. Those organizations include the Florida Panthers, who picked first overall in this years draft, Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning and the newly renamed Arizona Coyotes.

Did these teams select the best player available, or go outside the box to make their pick? Keep reading to find out.