The debate raged for nearly six months: Nico or Nolan?
Across mock-draft boards and rankings, Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick were the consensus top two players in the 2017 NHL Draft. The only question was the order. Experts weighed in on both sides, and the bond between the two centers was formed before either had an NHL home. When two rivals in the Devils and Flyers got the top two picks via the lottery, the two were going to be linked far beyond the Draft.
The Devils ultimately took Hischier No.