“[Welch] has a heavy shot, he sees the ice really well and he plays with an edge,” said Penguins scout Neil Shea. “He’s got a hell of a future ahead of him.”

Smith, a third-round pick and the 84th selection overall by the Edmonton Oilers, was the second Harvard player picked. After missing the first half of this past season with a stress fracture, Smith established himself as one of the Crimson’s most reliable defensemen, typically teaming up with captain-elect Pete Capouch to form the Crimson’s top penalty-kill unit.

Smith made a name for himself well before coming to Harvard. He is a former captain of both the U.S. Under-17 and Under-18 teams. At the prestigious Hockey Night in Boston summer tournament, he was named the top professional prospect.

The first Harvard forward selected was Cavanagh, a sixth round selection by San Jose. Cavanagh rewrote the record book at Phillips Exeter Academy, tallying 42 goals and 40 assists during his senior season. His father, Joe Cavanagh ’71, was a three-time All-American for the Crimson.

Packard, a seventh round selection by Tampa Bay, rounded out the Crimson draft choices. Packard picked up just four goals and four assists on the season. But he finished the season strong, scoring the Crimson’s first goal and adding an assist in Harvard’s season-ending, 3-2 overtime victory over Dartmouth in the ECAC consolation.

U.S. college hockey produced four of the 30 first round picks in this year’s draft. The OHL and the WHL, two of the major Canadian junior leagues, produced the most first round picks.