Todd Cordell: More thoughts on Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier

8 weeks holy I am not prepared for this wait

Todd Cordell: More thoughts on Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier
- Todd.Cordell

I'm setting the over/under of Todd blogs with this title before the draft at 15.

So who does NJ take?

I am leaning towards Hischier. Not sure why but just a feeling. Either way NJ and Philly lucked into a nice draft spot.

If Todd Cordell says Nolan Patrick is the next Austin Matthews that's good enough for me to want him #1 overall! Kidding. My reading comprehension is slightly better then that. But really I think I'd go with him. Just feel safer with a larger Canadian hockey player. With Philly and Washington in the Metro I think a players physicality is still relevant.

If Patrick didn't have a sports hernia to begin the year, there wouldn't even be a debate. He has been the consensus #1 for over 2 years. I think this debate over who goes #1 is a bit media driven, the same thing happened last Year with Matthews and Laine but we all knew who was going #1.

I'm on the Patrick bandwagon, I'd rather have a Toews or Kopitar than an Ehlers...not that there is anything wrong with Ehlers but you win Cups with the other guys.

Nolan Patrick all day

I'd be happy with either but give the edge to Patrick.

I will keep coming in here to claim Nico as our own. As long as it takes.

You keep your hands off my boy, Shero.

If Todd Cordell says Nolan Patrick is the next Austin Matthews that's good enough for me to want him #1 overall! Kidding. My reading comprehension is slightly better then that. But really I think I'd go with him. Just feel safer with a larger Canadian hockey player. With Philly and Washington in the Metro I think a players physicality is still relevant.
- Queenie_5_hole

Because of all those towering Flyers prospects, right?

I'm setting the over/under of Todd blogs with this title before the draft at 15.
- MannySilvers

Bro that will be passed by the end of May.

Patrick all day!!!!

I'd be happy with either but give the edge to Patrick.
- FAZOOL

Patrick and it's not close. Nico will be a nice player but Patrick can be a star. He's not in the Eichel/McDavid/Matthews area but he will be in the Kopitar range.

Gotta be Patrick. I don't think I'll budge on that.

If Patrick didn't have a sports hernia to begin the year, there wouldn't even be a debate. He has been the consensus #1 for over 2 years. I think this debate over who goes #1 is a bit media driven, the same thing happened last Year with Matthews and Laine but we all knew who was going #1.

Sure, there would be. Hischier played into the role; Patrick did not get himself injured out of it. I mean if Patrick went to World Juniors and scored 14 points in 11 games, too, there probably wouldn't even be a debate...

If one of them had led their team to the Mem Cup, it probably, again, would have strengthened each case, but Hischier got knocked out round one and Patrick was injured.

Lastly, if either of them had gone to the IIHF tournament like Laine and Matthews did last year, it would have intensified the debate, but no such luck...

So we were essentially put into debate hell over these two players for the next 8 weeks.

I will keep coming in here to claim Nico as our own. As long as it takes.

You keep your hands off my boy, Shero.
- Mordecai

He's all yours

well once Hak gets his hands on either of these players, carrying the puck over the blue line will go right out the window.

Is the combine useless for this stuff? I never cared enough to find out

Sure, there would be. Hischier played into the role; Patrick did not get himself injured out of it. I mean if Patrick went to World Juniors and scored 14 points in 11 games, too, there probably wouldn't even be a debate...

If one of them had led their team to the Mem Cup, it probably, again, would have strengthened each case, but Hischier got knocked out round one and Patrick was injured.

Lastly, if either of them had gone to the IIHF tournament like Laine and Matthews did last year, it would have intensified the debate, but no such luck...

So we were essentially put into debate hell over these two players for the next 8 weeks.
- archromat

Don't think Patrick is good enough to make Team Canada at this point. I am surprised Nico isn't playing for Swiss. That might say something right there.

Don't think Patrick is good enough to make Team Canada at this point. I am surprised Nico isn't playing for Swiss. That might say something right there.
- Matthews_Auston

I didn't even consider that. He should be able to make it.

Don't think Patrick is good enough to make Team Canada at this point. I am surprised Nico isn't playing for Swiss. That might say something right there.
- Matthews_Auston

Partly true: think the people who run Hockey Canada don't want to bring draft talent to the tournament because they'd likely be stuck in 13/7 slots and extra guys and get 5 minutes of ice time per game. They'd rather bring role players for that.

I don't know the Swiss protocol for things like this since I've never checked it.

He's all yours
- shvingter88

I'm taking Hischier. He's the better skater, he's strong defensively, he's not small 6' with room to fill out, and he doesn't have the injury history. Patrick posted those numbers in his full season on a stacked Wheat Kings team. With Similar talent surrounding them, Hischier did more. On top of that, Patrick's played one full season in the last 5 years and even then he had to have surgery after the season ended. This team still has Zajac, they have Zacha and McLeod, both of whom are billed as defensively responsible players. If Hischier were a liability in his own end, it'd be different, but with both being defensively responsible players, I'll take the guy who had the better season from a pt/gm standpoint, the better skater, and the guy who doesn't have the injury history.

Todd Cordell: More thoughts on Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier
- Todd.Cordell

One of Todd's earlier reviews mentioned two things that have been consistent in each video I watch: Patrick clearly has a better shot and looks like a natural sniper, but Hischier definitely looks like the better skater.

Beyond that...I'll leave it to the experts. I just tend to lean towards Patrick.

I'm taking Hischier. He's the better skater, he's strong defensively, he's not small 6' with room to fill out, and he doesn't have the injury history. Patrick posted those numbers in his full season on a stacked Wheat Kings team. With Similar talent surrounding them, Hischier did more. On top of that, Patrick's played one full season in the last 5 years and even then he had to have surgery after the season ended. This team still has Zajac, they have Zacha and McLeod, both of whom are billed as defensively responsible players. If Hischier were a liability in his own end, it'd be different, but with both being defensively responsible players, I'll take the guy who had the better season from a pt/gm standpoint, the better skater, and the guy who doesn't have the injury history.
- CaptCrankypants

Ohh I'd love to move Zajac and go with Zacha, McLeod and this year's pack lined up down the middle. Won't happen, but I can dream.