Right winger Austin Wuthrich of Anchorage became the first Alaskan taken in the 2012 NHL entry draft when the Washington Capitals selected him in the fourth round this morning.

Wuthrich, 18, is heading into his sophomore season at Notre Dame. The Caps made him the 107th overall pick.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder enjoyed a strong first season in South Bend, racking 7-10--17 totals in 36 games as a true freshman for the Fighting Irish.

Wuthrich previously played in USA Hockey's prestigious National Team Development Program for both the U-17 and U-18 teams.

In final rankings released by the NHL's Central Scouting before the draft, Wuthrich was ranked 94th among North American skaters, so getting taken with the 107th pick rated as a bit of a nice surprise.