June 20, 2008

OTTAWA, Ont. - Colin Wilson became the ninth player in Boston University history to be a first-round pick in the National Hockey League when the Nashville Predators selected the forward seventh overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft on Friday evening at Scotiabank Place. Wilson was the first collegiate player taken in the draft.

At seventh overall, Wilson is the fourth-highest pick in BU history and the highest since Ryan Whitney was picked fourth by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2002.

His father, Carey, enjoyed a 13-year NHL career with the Calgary Flames, Hartford Whalers and New York Rangers, while his grandfather, Gerry, had a brief stint with the Montreal Canadiens before becoming the Winnipeg Jets' team doctor.

Wilson is coming off an impressive freshman season with the Terriers, ranking third on the team with 35 points (13g, 22a) en route to being named both the New England and Hockey East Rookie of the Year.

Following classmate Kevin Shattenkirk's first-round selection (14th overall) by the Colorado Avalanche last season, this marks just the second time in BU history that the program has had first-round picks in back-to-back years (Keith Tkachuk - Winnipeg, 1990; Scott Lachance - New York Islanders, 1991).

Nashville traded up two spots to select Wilson, who is the second BU player to be drafted by the Predators (Kevin Schaeffer, 2004). Two former Terriers have prominent positions in the Nashville organization, as Paul Fenton is the team's assistant general manager and Jeff Kealty serves as the chief amateur scout.