text: BUFFALO - When the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft wrapped up on Friday night at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, 12 American born players had been selected.Five of them came from one city: St. Louis, MO.Maybe that's why they call it the "Heartland of Hockey."Matthew Tkachuk (No. 6 - Calgary Flames), Clayton Keller (No. 7 - Arizona Coyotes), Logan Brown (No. 11 - Ottawa Senators), Luke Kunin (No. 15 - Minnesota Wild) and Trent Frederic (No. 28 - Boston Bruins) all heard their names called in the first round Friday.A sixth St. Louis native - goalie Joseph Woll - was selected in the third round by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday."I'm blown away," said TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie during NBC Sports Network's draft coverage. "Five guys from St. Louis minor hockey in the first round!"Including Woll, all six players once played for the St. Louis AAA Blues.The St. Louis AAA Blues were established in the early 1990s and serve as one of the premiere Tier I youth hockey organizations in North America. Hundreds of former AAA Blues are currently playing junior, college or some level of professional hockey.The following players are just some of the former AAA Blues who have made it to the National Hockey League: Paul Stastny, Pat Maroon, Ben Bishop, Joe Vitale, Cam Janssen, Yan Stastny, Scott Mayfield and Mike McKenna.