Matthew Corrente Selected in First Round
Defenseman is New Jersey’s First of Eight Entry Draft Selections

East Rutherford, NJ – Defenseman Matthew Corrente of the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit was the first of eight selections by Devils’ Director of Scouting David Conte and his staff at the 2006 National Hockey League Entry Draft.  This year’s event took place this past Saturday, June 24 in Vancouver, B.C.

“At 18, Matthew Corrente has the potential to become a complete defenseman,” said Devils’ CEO/President/General Manager Lou Lamoriello.  “We are looking forward to his progress over the next few seasons, and one day becoming a member of the New Jersey Devils.”

Corrente, according to the league’s Central Scouting Department:  “Is a very good skater with superior mobility, a smooth stride, and exceptional lateral movement...a very good backward skater who has good balance and agility...makes good outlet passes to initiate breakouts...has a variety of shots that he gets away quickly from the point, including an accurate wrist shot...has deceptive speed in the open ice, is strong on his feet when fighting for the puck along the boards and in the corners and finds the open man with crisp accurate passes...is willing to stand up and make the play at the blueline and is seldom caught out of position...has a very active stick in the defensive zone and is used in all game situations...not a punishing type of defenseman but will take the body and finish his check...is a very competitive player who has good strength and knows how to use it...plays with drive and determination always getting involved and will not be intimidated...finishes his checks hard and with authority...”

The club’s remaining selections were:  left wing Alexander Vasyunov (2nd round/58th overall, Yaroslavl, Rus.), defenseman Kirill Tulupov (3/67, Leninogorsk, Vys.), right wing Vladimir Zharkov (3/77, CSKA Moscow, Rus.), defenseman T.J. Miller (4/107, Penticton, BCJHL), defenseman Olivier Magnan (5/148, Rouyn-Noranda, QMJHL), center Tony Romano (6/178, New York, AJHL), and defenseman Kyell Henegan (7/208, Shawinigan, QMJHL).

Draft Day notes:  The NHL Entry Draft took place in Vancouver for the first time since 1990…That draft, held in the city’s B.C. Place football stadium, produced goaltender Martin Brodeur…Corrente was Saginaw’s first pick, second overall, in the 2004 OHL priority selection…He was selected to the 2006 CHL Top Prospects Game in Ottawa and was a member of Team Ontario for the 2004 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge, as well as Team Canada for the 2006 Under-18 World Championships…Corrente was the first defenseman selected by the Devils in the first round since David Hale in 2000, and was just the ninth defenseman ever selected by the team in the first round…He was one of two prospects selected off of the Spirits’ roster (R. Daniels, Ott.), and one of 78 CHL players selected overall…Vasyunov, Tulupov, and Zharkov were New Jersey’s second, third, and fourth selections, and were all teammates for Team Russia at the 2006 World Under-18 Championships…This year’s tournament took place in Angelholm and Halmstad, Sweden…Vasyunov was also named the best forward at the 2006 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament…He played this past season with Yaroslavl, where former Devils’ forward Sergei Nemchinov concluded his playing career…Tulupov is expected to play junior hockey at Chicoutimi (QMJHL) this upcoming season…His parents are educators in Russia, while his father speaks five languages…Kirill himself speaks fluent English, and has seen action in North America with Toronto (Jr. A)…Zharkov played last season with CSKA Moscow, the most successful team in the history of the Russian Hockey League…Miller was born in Placetia, CA, but played his junior hockey in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League in 2004-05 with South Surrey, and 2005-06 with Penticton…His BCJHL teammates included Devils’ prospect Tyler Eckford, who is currently attending the University of Alaska-Fairbanks…Miller will attend CCHA rival Northern Michigan in the fall, where his teammates will include prospect Zach Tarkir (5th round, 2003)…Magnan played for Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) the past three seasons, but was traded to Drummondville on June 9…He served the Huskies as captain, and was often paired with Dallas’ first-round selection, Ivan Vishnevskiy…At 20 years, one month, and 23 days, he was New Jersey’s oldest selection…Romano is from Smithtown, Long Island, approximately 60 miles from the Meadowlands…He earned a 4.0 GPA while at St. Anthony’s High School…Romano will attend Cornell (ECAC) in September, where he will become a teammate of prospect Dan Glover (8th rd., ’02)…He caught the eyes of the team’s scouting staff while with the U.S. Under-18 team…Henegan spent the past two seasons with Shawinigan (QMJHL)…His teammates at the Cataractes included Benoit Mondou, the son of Devils’ scout/former NHLer Pierre Mondou…More than 1,500 fans attended the 2006 Draft Party at the Bubble at Giants Stadium from 6:00-9:00 PM…This year’s event was hosted by Devils/FSN NY Broadcaster Stan Fischler and Alumni Association Director Bruce Driver…Also on hand were current Devils’ right wing Grant Marshall, as well as former players Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko, and Rob Skrlac.

View the 2006 Draft Party Photo Gallery

2006 New Jersey Devils Entry Draft Selections

MATTHEW CORRENTE                  Defenseman
Born:  Mississauga, Ont.;  March 17, 1988;  Shoots right.  6’0”, 190 lbs.;  New Jersey’s 1st choice, 30th overall.

ALEXANDER VASYUNOV                    Left wing
Born:  Yaroslavl, Rus.;  April 22, 1988;  Shoots right.  6’0”, 190 lbs.;  New Jersey’s 2nd choice, 58th overall.

KIRILL TULUPOV                             Defenseman
Born:  Moscow, Rus.;  April 23, 1988;  Shoots right.  6’3”, 220 lbs.;  New Jersey’s 3rd choice, 67th overall.

VLADIMIR ZHARKOV                         Right wing
Born:  Elektrostal, Rus.;  January 10, 1988;  Shoots left.  6’0”, 185 lbs.;  New Jersey’s 4th choice (3rd round), 77th overall.

T.J. MILLER                                         Defenseman
Born:  Placetia, CA;  September 15, 1986;  Shoots left.  6’4”, 210 lbs.;  New Jersey’s 5th choice (4th round), 107th overall.

OLIVIER MAGNAN                          Defenseman
Born:  Sherbrooke, Que.;  May 1, 1986;  Shoots left.  6’2”, 200 lbs.;  New Jersey’s 6th choice (5th round), 148th overall.

TONY ROMANO                                         Center
Born:  Smithtown, NY;  January 5, 1988;  Shoots right.  5’11”, 180 lbs.;  New Jersey’s 7th choice (6th round), 178th overall.

KYELL HENEGAN                            Defenseman
Born:  Montreal, Que.;  October 27, 1987;  Shoots left.  6’4”, 205 lbs.;  New Jersey’s 8th choice (7th round), 208th overall

Not attending training camp (2006-07 team):  Alexander Vasyunov (Yaroslavl, Rus.), Vladimir Zharkov (CSKA, Rus.), T.J. Miller (N. Michigan, CCHA), Tony Romano (Cornell, ECAC).