First round in the books
Devils select Hischier from Mooseheads with first pick at NHL draft
CHICAGO Nico over Nolan. The New Jersey Devils ended the long simmering debate on Friday night, making Nico Hischier the first No. 1 overall pick in franchise history. The so-called “Swiss McDavid” got the nod over Nolan Patrick, the Brandon Wheat Kings centre who was long projected to go first in a draft lacking the slam-dunk star of recent years.
“There are no words to describe this feeling,” said Hischier, giddy after becoming the highest-drafted Swiss player in NHL history.
An electric centre with game-breaking speed, Hischier rose into top spot with an emphatic first season in the Quebec Major Junior League, piling up 38 goals and 86 points in 57 games as a rookie for the Halifax Mooseheads. The 18-year-old made maybe his biggest impression at the world junior championships this past winter with four goals and seven points in five games for Switzerland.
He should — alongside Taylor Hall — help jump-start a Devils offence that ranked thirdlast in the NHL last season.
Devils general manager Ray Shero said the club nailed down their choice for the top pick in the last week to 10 days. It came down to Hischier’s “ability to make other players better.
“At the end for us we felt that’s the best pick for our franchise and honestly, thrilled to have him,” said Shero, who travelled to Switzerland ahead of the draft for a five-hour lunch with the young prospect.
Patrick didn’t drop much — ending up in the second spot after being taken by the Philadelphia Flyers. He should line up as the second centre behind captain Claude Giroux.
“I think me and Nico are completely different players,” said Patrick, coming off an injury-plagued draft year in Brandon.
“I think he might be a little more offensively dynamic than me and I think I might be a little more defensive than him. I think we’re just completely different players. So they wanted him. It’s not like I’m sitting here mad wishing I went to Jersey. They didn’t want me so it doesn’t matter too much to me.”
Patrick might very well have been the first pick had injuries not limited him to just 33 regular season games.
Patrick, a Winnipeg native, was superb two seasons ago with 41 goals and 102 points in 72 games for Brandon before adding the Western Hockey League’s playoff MVP. He still finished 10th in the WHL with 1.39 points per-game this past season and was dubbed the Canadian Hockey League’s top NHL draft prospect.