Devils still holding No. 1 pick with entry draft a week away
New Jersey debating whether to keep or trade top selection, which could be WHL forward Nolan Patrick
NEWARK, N.J. — With the NHL draft a week away, the New Jersey Devils are still holding the No. 1 pick and getting ready to use it.
General manager Ray Shero said the team has gotten a couple of calls from teams asking what it would take to get the top pick in next Friday’s draft, but the choice still resides in New Jersey. Shero isn’t shedding any light on whose name will be called if the Devils make the selection at the United Center in Chicago.
Most experts think it will be either centre Nolan Patrick of the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings or Swiss import forward Nico Hischier of the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads.
This will be the first time the Devils have had the top pick in the draft, and they need a good choice after missing the playoffs the past five seasons.
This has been a busy week for Shero. He has been finalizing his list of the Devils that he wants to protect in the expansion draft that will stock the roster of the Vegas Golden Knights — and taking those calls.
“It’s usually. ‘Would you be interested in moving your pick, and what would it take?”’ Shero said. “I’m not shopping the pick. Some teams have called and some teams say: ‘Hey, here’s what we would be thinking.’ But put it this way, I still have the pick.”
Shero laughs as the words come out of his mouth.
“If they are calling me, they are also calling someone else to see what the cost is,” he said. “At this point, I have told our staff we have the pick at No. 1 and that’s the direction we are going. If that changes, we’ll prepare for that.” Shero will have 11 picks in the draft, although he may use some to make some moves.
“This should certainly help us,” he said.