Toronto Maple Leafs select Auston Matthews with No. 1 pick in NHL draft
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have selected Auston Matthews with the No. 1 pick of the 2016 NHL draft.
Matthews, 18, was widely expected to be picked first after finding success with the ZSC Lions in the Swiss National League last year, the top professional men’s league in Switzerland.
• 2016 NHL draft live blog and tracker
The 6'2", 202-pound center from Scottsdale, Ariz., broke Patrick Kane’s record for goals and points in a season with USA Hockey’s U-18 team in 2014–15 by scoring 55 goals for 117 points in 60 games.
The Leafs earned the No. 1 pick after finishing the 2015–16 season with the NHL’s worst record at 29–42-11.
• PREWITT: Auston Matthews blazing his own trail to NHL stardom
Last year the Leafs selected Mitchell Marner with the No. 4 pick in the draft.