NHL Draft 2012: Everett Silvertips Defenseman Ryan Murray Selected No. 2 Overall

The first round of the 2012 NHL Draft is underway on Friday night. A top prospect with strong local ties ended up being one of the most sought-after picks of this year's talented crop. 18-year-old Ryan Murray, who had been playing with the Everett Silvertips, has been selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets as the No. 2 overall pick.

As expected, the Edmonton Oilers selected young phenom Nail Yakupov as No. 1 overall, but Murray was at the top of most mock drafts, as well as at the top of the early-picking teams' lists. Murray is a defenseman from Saskatchewan who has been playing for the Silvertips since the 2008-09 season.

While Murray doesn't put up the flashy raw offensive numbers that a player like Yakupov does, he is considered to be one of the best defensive players in the draft and is expected to have an incredibly high ceiling.

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