Posted January 13, 2018 at 06:00 AM | Updated January 13, 2018 at 06:05 AM
By Chris Ryan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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.
NHL: NHL Draft
David Banks | USA TODAY Sports
The Devils ultimately took Hischier No.1 overall before the Flyers grabbed Patrick No. 2 on June 23, 2017, at the United Center in Chicago. Patrick congratulated Hischier when the Swiss native walked up to the stage to grab his Devils sweater, and moments later, both knew their homes.
The top two picks haven't crossed paths since their draft day, but that will change on Saturday. The two will share the ice as NHL players for the first time when the Devils host the Flyers at 7 p.m. at the Prudential Center in Newark.
The debate between the two will surely last for years, but Saturday will finally give fans the first head-to-head meeting between the two teenagers.
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Bruce Bennett | Getty Images
Head-to-head matchup
Hischier said he got to know Patrick throughout the draft process, especially at the combine when the two joined a big selection of prospects in Buffalo. Between the constant comparisons and expectations for the two, it created a natural bond during the months leading up to their June selections.
"I got to know him first, actually first time in the prospect game and then through the process when we were in Nashville, we were actually rooming together," Hischier said. "I got to know him really well. For me, he’s a great kid, I really liked to hang out with him and I’m happy to see him tomorrow but we’re not going to be friends. For sure, I will say hi after that game."