DALLAS — Gophers commit Blake McLaughlin admitted he was getting antsy while sitting in the stands at American Airlines Arena over the weekend.

After all, the 18-year-old was told he might go the he first round of the NHL draft, and that if he didn’t, there was no way he would make it out of the second round.

So imagine the restlessness when McLaughlin was still sitting there at the start of the third round.

“I had weird thoughts going through my head like, ‘Am I even going to get drafted? Should I just go home?’” McLaughlin said with a nervous laugh. “Once I heard my name called it was a really big relief.”

Yes, McLaughlin finally heard his name on Saturday afternoon when the Anaheim Ducks selected the No. 79 overall pick, and with that, started living out his childhood dream.

“I don’t want to be done here,” McLaughlin said. “I don’t just want to make the NHL. I want to win a Stanley Cup. There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

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