Hockey in Columbus.

I like "Go Wild" over "Let's Go, Blue Jackets" myself... but the Blackhawks have picked up a player surely worth watching. And Wisconsin hockey fans might also have something to enjoy.

The Chicago Blackhawks, trying to rebuild a once-proud franchise after four consecutive losing seasons, selected Patrick Kane with the first pick. The 5-foot-9, 160-pound right wing, is a native of Buffalo, N.Y., who scored 62 goals and had 83 assists in 58 games last season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.

Then with the No. 2 pick, the Philadelphia Flyers selected left wing James vanRiemsdyk, a member of the U.S. National Team Development Program from Middletown, N.J. The 6-3, 200-pound physical power forward had 33 goals and 30 assists in 42 games for the U.S. National Under-18 team a year ago.

Twice before Americans had taken two of the top three spots, in 1983 and 2005.

Rated the No. 2 skater in North America by the NHL Central Scouting Service, Kane is expected to give the Blackhawks, who were 31-42-9 a year ago, a creative scorer and deft puck-handler.

The top two picks appeared to support pre-draft rumors that teams were shying away from the top-ranked North American skater, Kyle Turris of Burnaby, British Columbia, because he had already committed to play next season at the University of Wisconsin.