Contact high poll: Nolan vs Nico vs Other

[SteveCangialosi123]

What's crazy too is before the season, Nico wasn't even in most people's top 15!!

Patrick has been the presumed #1 in this class for sometime now I believe.

Gotta look at the entire body of work, which Shero said as well in his interviews.

Yeah, I'm not all that comfortable using the #1 pick to pick a guy that wasn't in the top 15 the year before. And then handing Philly the guy that was the #1 prospect for a while. That scares me more than the injury concern.

 

[Lou is God]

Yeah, I'm not all that comfortable using the #1 pick to pick a guy that wasn't in the top 15 the year before. And then handing Philly the guy that was the #1 prospect for a while. That scares me more than the injury concern.

Same here, watching Patrick develop as Toews 2.0 down the New Jersey Turnpike would be a hard swallow.

 

[Davegarri]

Not that it really matters because he was really young, but I'm bored.

Patrick is 2nd all time in scoring his Bantam league with 3.95 ppg, only behind Jonathan Toews by 0.07 ppg (4.02 ppg).

Some other players of note coming out of the same league:
Cody Glass - 2.41 ppg
Mark Stone - 1.90 ppg
Cody Eakin - 1.50 ppg
Arron Asham - 1.76 ppg

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

Patrick is a lock at center where as Hischier might eventually play wing. We've been waiting for someone to bump Zajac out of that #1 spot and it just so happens that we won the Patrick sweepstake.

Going with Hischier wouldn't be a bad choice but going with Patrick would be the right choice.

 

[Cheddabombs]

Patrick is a lock at center where as Hischier might eventually play wing. We've been waiting for someone to bump Zajac out of that #1 spot and it just so happens that we won the Patrick sweepstake.

Going with Hischier wouldn't be a bad choice but going with Patrick would be the right choice.

For what it's worth I'm pretty sure Shero mentioned in a few of these interviews that he views them both has centers. Maybe indirectly but he said something along the lines of "you look at both of these players, they're both centers"

 

[NJ07102]

Just look at the goals Hischier scored against the US at the WJC and you'll see who the better choice is. His feet are tremendously fast.

 

[JBthree24]

I am 51% Nolan, 48% Nico, 1% trade

 

[NJDevs26]

Going to say it again so I'm not brought into an argument I'm not trying to make: I think both are close and see arguments for each player. However, the numbers argument is in favor of Hischier. Period.

Only if you're only using half of this year, and by a marginal total at that. Even Shero himself said at one point he was looking at more than just this year.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

It's interesting that 2/3 of the Devils' fans would like to pick Patrick and 2/3 of the Flyers' fans Hischier. Any thoughts why it is so?

 

[Ripshot 43]

It's interesting that 2/3 of the Devils' fans would like to pick Patrick and 2/3 of the Flyers' fans Hischier. Any thoughts why it is so?

If our teams draft spots were flipped, I bet the results would be identical.

Meaning, they are mostly voting for Nico because they know the concensious pick at 1 is Patrick. It's a strange fan thing.

 

[The Devil In I]

It's interesting that 2/3 of the Devils' fans would like to pick Patrick and 2/3 of the Flyers' fans Hischier. Any thoughts why it is so?

There could be multiple factors at play. Team needs is probably #1. Devils have had terrible center depth for a while and Patrick fits the prototypical #1 center mold. Where maybe the Flyers fans feel they could really use the speed of Hischier.

I think it can't go unsaid that there is probably at least some level of unconscious bias for Flyers fans though. If you know you're likely getting the player less likely to get picked #1, you look for ways to convince yourself you're getting the better player.

 

[VoidCreature]

Having offseason surgery for the sports hernia may have set Nolan Patrick back development wise. He probably wasn't able to train through the summer like he normally does, especially since we know he still wasn't fully recovered when the season opened up.

He had improved significantly every offseason other than this last one. Take a look at how his 17 year old season stacks up;

Nolan Patrick 17, 102 in 72, 1.42 PPG

Steven Stamkos 17, 92 in 63, 1.46 PPG

Taylor Hall 17, 90 in 63, 1.43 PPG

Nugent-Hopkins 17, 65 in 67, .97 PPG

Nate Mackinnon 17, 78 in 58, 1.34 PPG


Looks like typical #1 production to me. If he hadn't lost an entire offseason of training we might be looking at a much more clear cut choice between him and Hischier.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Same here, watching Patrick develop as Toews 2.0 down the New Jersey Turnpike would be a hard swallow.

Becoming my thinking as well.

 

[Comparison Ford]

I saw this semi mentioned in a main board thread, and I think it's a good idea to reiterate it here if it hasn't been discussed already.

Obviously we are going to be comparing Nico and Nolan for years to come, but in terms of offensive production, I think there's a pretty good chance that whomever the Flyers pick will have better numbers, at least to start.

The flyers are way more offensively stacked and right now are a further along then us in terms of compete.

I think whoever we pick will be great for us, but I would advise to temper the expectations that our prospect has to blow the other one out of the water statwise.

And to keep the discussion going, I think we need Nolan. Just imagining a top 6 where we have big forwards and speedy forwards is mouth watering.

You see a team like the oilers who have lucic, maroon and kassian who can slide next to their shiftier skilled players and balance out those lines.

If we picked up Nolan, we could have Nolan, Zacha and Zajac line up with our speedy players in Hall, Palmieri, McLeod etc.

 

[NJDevs26]

If our teams draft spots were flipped, I bet the results would be identical.

Meaning, they are mostly voting for Nico because they know the concensious pick at 1 is Patrick. It's a strange fan thing.

Probably but also like one fan on their board said, we need a true center in Patrick more, and they need someone with Nico's skillset more because they have big centers already.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Probably but also like one fan on their board said, we need a true center in Patrick more, and they need someone with Nico's skillset more because they have big centers already.

They also seem a little burned by Couturer

 

[Devilsgrl35]

I go back and forth with this day to day. I'm on team Patrick today. I'm thinking the combine is going to be critical. BTW, when is the combine? I'm actually going to pay attention this year.

 

[EnglishDevil]

They also seem a little burned by Couturier

Patrick has much more offensive skill than Couturier, but I can certainly see why Flyers fans would prefer Hischier.

For me it's still a cut and dry situation, I take Patrick and don't give it a second thought, he's the better overall player and the better fit for what this organization needs.

 

[AfroThunder396]

I just don't see how anyone who has a shot at drafting a 6'4" right handed North American center with first line skill can turn that down.

This is the holy grail of prospects we lucked into at a time when we need it the most, I can't see how anyone in their right mind can say no.

Imagine drawing a full house, and then throwing away a card because you think you can hit four of a kind.

Hischier is great and everything and I wouldn't hate my life if we took him, but man.

 

[EnglishDevil]

I just don't see how anyone who has a shot at drafting a 6'4" right handed North American center with first line skill can turn that down.

This is the holy grail of prospects we lucked into at a time when we need it the most, I can't see how anyone in their right mind can say no.

Imagine drawing a full house, and then throwing away a card because you think you can hit four of a kind.

Hischier is great and everything and I wouldn't hate my life if we took him, but man.

Agreed, given the state of this organization the last few years I simply can't rationalize passing on Patrick, he's exactly what we need going forward.

Your analogy is perfect, there's no need to get greedy in this situation. Hischier could absolutely be the better player eventually, but he's also still a relative unknown and may never reach the heights people are projecting for him. Patrick is as much of a sure thing as you're going to find in the draft, I consider him a lock to be a top line center, there's zero chance I pass on him.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Legit the idea of sending someone who could potentially become another Towes or Getzslaf down to Philly is also scary sounding.

 

[Cult of Hynes]

I just don't see how anyone who has a shot at drafting a 6'4" right handed North American center with first line skill can turn that down.

This is the holy grail of prospects we lucked into at a time when we need it the most, I can't see how anyone in their right mind can say no.

Imagine drawing a full house, and then throwing away a card because you think you can hit four of a kind.

Hischier is great and everything and I wouldn't hate my life if we took him, but man.

Injury prone.

 

[JimEIV]

Legit the idea of sending someone who could potentially become another Towes or Getzslaf down to Philly is also scary sounding.

And they still have a crap Defense and no goalie...Just like the last 30 years...And if they ever get a decent goalie...Just him a Porsche.

 

[EnglishDevil]

Injury prone.

So are Crosby & Malkin, I'd still happily take either.

Patrick played 93 games (and scored 132 points) in his draft-1 year, he's obviously capable of staying healthy for a full season.

His injuries were all unlucky and none of them appear to be chronic. Hockey is a very physical sport, the vast majority of players miss some games every now and then.

As long as the medical staff do their due diligence I have no qualms with picking Patrick.

 

[SaSaShi]

And they still have a crap Defense and no goalie...Just like the last 30 years...And if they ever get a decent goalie...Just him a Porsche.

You are a sick individual....u're really gonna make light of pelle lindbergh's life? You want to attack the flyers, pls go right ahead, you certainly hold the bragging rights.

But show an ounce of human decency. Imagine if someone said that about your father.