The Pittsburgh Penguins have certainly made the most noise on the first night of the 2012 NHL Draft, stirring the crowd at their home Consol Energy Center. The Pens made a blockbuster deal with the Carolina Hurricanes in the first hour on Friday night, sending Jordan Staal to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a package that included the No. 8 overall pick. The Pens selected defenseman Derrick Pouliot with that their first Round 1 selection.
With their second Round 1 selection, the Penguins added another stout defenseman in the London Knights' Olli Maatta. The Pens are quickly creating their blue line of the future and Maatta added to a huge night for Ray Shero. Dale Hunter and his brother in London have been developing elite-level NHL defenseman for some time now, and Maatta is expected to be the next in line. He was considered a potential top ten prospect, and the instant reaction from Pens fans at nabbing Maatta at No. 22 has been very positive.
For more on the NHL Draft, check out SB Nation's NHL hub page. For the latest on the Penguins Draft and the Jordan Staal deal, be sure to stay tuned to SB Nation Pittsburgh and check out Pensburgh, SB Nation's Pittsburgh Penguins blog.