"He's an 18-year-old kid and we know he's going to be a great hockey player. But this is a big step. A lot of people can attest that playing defense at 18 in the NHL means you have to be a special player. We're going to go game-by-game and see how he gets along. We're not going to rush anyone.''

-Gerard Gallant, head coach of the Florida Panthers on #1 pick Aaron Ekblad. More on Ekblad from George Richards of On Frozen Pond.