Nico Hischier Is Joking His Way Up My Draft Board, And That Legitimately Concerns Me

 h/t NorthJersey


I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
I will not fall in love with a prospect before he's officially on the New Jersey Devils' roster.
​
Okay, good. Now that we have filled up the blackboard with false promises we can talk about how much I prefer Nico Hischier to Nolan Patrick. I mean, obviously the most important characteristic that a prospective player can possess is quick wit. I'm not sure how it translates between the whistles, but my scouting expertise consists of watching the same grainy YouTube videos on loop for upwards of 90 days so pandering to my sensibilities with a sense of humor will always get you successfully expedited to the top of my draft board. 

That's especially the case when you're a dynamic two-way player that owns a skill set that is currently lacking on the New Jersey Devils' roster. I have said that neither selection would bother me seeing as Nolan Patrick has all the making of a big bodied, number one center. I'm just not so sure that I still believe myself when I say it considering the injury history of one player and the sharp tongue of the other.

​As is always the case, the draft is a complete gamble, but I think I'm currently more comfortable stacking the chips on #13. His hands and creativity aren't just things that have been missing in a lineup that's being built to compete while the NHL is at it's most handsy and creative, but they are things that are ever present on the last team that Ray Shero built. Safe to say that organization is doing okay for themselves these days. 

Deep breaths, deep breaths, deep breaths....

Just going on conversations I've had this weekend in Buffalo with those around the league, a lot of feeling Devs will take Nolan. We'll see. https://t.co/dGY6ClIwc5

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) June 3, 2017

Nolan Patrick said he had sports hernias on both left and right side. Only one was diagnosed/surgery done on.

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) June 2, 2017