NASHVILLE - Panthers general manager Rick Dudley said center Nathan Horton was at the top of Florida's prospect list "for a long time."
When he was sure he could get him with the No.3 overall pick in Saturday's draft, he traded the No.1 pick to the Penguins. It was the third time the former Lightning general manager traded the top selection.
The Penguins took goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (from Cape Breton of the QMJHL). The Hurricanes took center Eric Staal (OHL Peterborough), and Florida took Horton (OHL Oshawa) with the pick it received from Pittsburgh.
"That's the guy we wanted," said Dudley, who traded the No.1 overall with Tampa Bay in 1999 and Panthers in 2002. "We knew (Pittsburgh) wanted the goaltender. We felt Carolina would take Staal. It's nice when a trade works out for everybody."
Florida also received Pittsburgh's second-round pick (left wing Stefan Meyer of WHL Medicine Hat, No.55 overall) and right wing Mikael Samuelsson, who had 10 goals in 80 games last season.
Dudley said five teams angled for the top pick, but the Flyers were the other serious suitor. Dudley said he needed more from Philadelphia if he was going to swap for the 11th pick.
"I don't think we hid the fact that it was going to cost a lot if we moved down very far," Dudley said.
Horton, 6 feet 2, 201 pounds, had 33 goals, 35 assists in 54 games last season.
"An amazing feeling, something I will never forget," he said of being drafted. "I will do my best to get in the best spot and stay there. Maybe next year."
FLEURY OF ACTIVITY: Why, Penguins GM Craig Patrick was asked, with a stable of young goalies, including Sebastien Caron who turns 23 Wednesday and Jean Sebastien Aubin, 26, did he need to draft Fleury?
"We're in a real building mode," he said. "We decided the best place to start building is in goal. We based our decision on skill. He's a tremendous goaltender, very good quickness, very good style."
Fleury, 6-1, 172, is the third goalie drafted No.1 with Rick DiPietro (Islanders, 2000) and Michel Plasse (Canadiens, 1968). He plays a butterfly style, has excellent lateral movement and was named best goaltender at the 2003 World Junior Championships.
"It's pretty flattering," he said of being the top pick. "My goal is to stay in the NHL. I will do my best to do it."
NIK STAYS PUT: One hour before the draft, the Gaylord Entertainment Center was buzzing with the rumor Lightning goalie Nikolai Khabibulin was traded to the Flyers.
Tampa Bay officials quickly put a stop to it, and general manager Jay Feaster said he is tired of it.
"It sells papers, I guess," he said of the rumors. "I guess there's nothing else to do in Canada right now than speculate about that kind of stuff. It's part of the nature of the business that people speculate. It's all part of the merry-go-round."
Once and for all, Feaster said of the rumors, "It's all B.S. I just get tired of having to respond to it."
MUST BE THE BACK ROW: As one of the final six scheduled selectors, the Lightning's table was in the draft floor's back row. Feaster loved the change from the front row, where he was since coming to the team in 1998.
"It speaks volumes about how far we've come," he said. "It's been so frustrating year after year to sit in that front row. ... It's embarrassing for the franchise."
"I don't dwell on it," head scout Jake Goertzen said. "But when you sit there year after year, it's no fun."
FAMILY AFFAIR: Feaster's daughter, Theresa, 11, and son, Bobby, 9, were the Lightning runners, bringing the team's picks to the podium and running various errands.
"I told them it's going to be the toughest job anybody has had as a runner here in five years," Feaster said. "We're always in the front row and always nice and close to the water and the coffee and the sodas. They actually had to do some work back there."
MORE TRADES: The Blues sent Tyson Nash to the Coyotes for a conditional draft pick and got Mike Danton from the Devils for a third-round pick. ... Carolina sent David Tanabe and Igor Knyazev to the Coyotes for Danny Markov and conditional picks in 2004 and '05.
ODDS AND ENDS: For the second time in history two black players, both Canadian, went in the first round. Florida took center Anthony Stewart from OHL Kingston at No.25 and St. Louis took defenseman Shawn Belle from WHL Tri-City at No.30. ... Seven U.S.-born players went in the first round, tying the 1986 record.
