According To Ray Shero, Nico Hischier Was The Pick Alllll Along

Shero said he knew it was Nico about a week out from the draft.

Told Assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald 90 minutes before the Draft.

— Devils Insiders (@DevilsInsiders) June 26, 2017

"I don't want to leave this weekend without Nico."

- Ray Shero to Paul Castron the night before the #NHL Draft.

— Devils Insiders (@DevilsInsiders) June 26, 2017

To clarify, Ray said if a deal made sense to trade down AND he knew he'd still get Nico Hischier, he would've considered. Otherwise, a no go

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) June 26, 2017

The increasing suspense of not knowing what New Jersey was going to do with the number one overall pick probably added to the unmitigated glee I displayed while shamelessly downing a dozen beers in celebration of the selection of a teenager, so I suppose I can't be too upset. Still, I wouldn't have hated having the peace of mind that Ray Shero apparently did for an entire week prior to officially adding the silky smooth Swiss kid to an organization that is in desperate need of his skill set. After all those self prescribed panic attacks that become more and more frequent as that fateful Friday night drew closer, it's a retroactive relief to know that the Devils General Manager was emphatically clinging to a "Nico or bust" mentality. Honestly - considering the track record of the executive that basically stocked the offensive pipeline of the franchise that just hoisted it's second Stanley Cup in as many seasons - that type of decisiveness only makes me feel more confident that the Devils made the right choice.

Especially since they have a recently retired European with a little bit of time on his hands and a lot of experience being a creative, two-player who is new to the NHL...

It was a table for two last night! Our #1 all-time leading scorer joined our #1 pick for dinner. #N1CO pic.twitter.com/8L4mAzy2NQ

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 26, 2017

Also, I will refuse to believe that Nico Hischier won't be in the NHL next year, at the very least until he's not in the NHL next year. I have a sneaking suspicion that thought process parallels that of the people that matter the most...

Shero on possibility of @nicohischier playing in the #NHL next season: "We have a spot for him and we’ll go from there."#N1CO

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 26, 2017

"His skill and hockey sense are at a National Hockey League level."

- John Hynes, on Nico Hischier

— Devils Insiders (@DevilsInsiders) June 26, 2017