CHICAGO — The NHL stage belongs to Ray Shero and the New Jersey Devils. Then it goes right back to George McPhee and the Vegas Golden Knights.
In the wake of Vegas' expansion draft, New Jersey is on the clock with the No. 1 pick of the amateur draft beginning Friday night at the United Center. The only other time the franchise had the first pick was in 1979, when the then-Colorado Rockies selected Rob Ramage.
"I think it's been exciting for our franchise, exciting time for our scouts," said Shero, who was hired as New Jersey's general manager in May 2015. "In addition obviously to the first overall pick we've got the nine other picks, which are going to be very important on Day 2.
"But this is, I think, once the dust has settled now with expansion in terms of Vegas making all the selections or trades, whatever they've done, it really puts into focus again OK, the draft itself, which is important for every team."
After New Jersey makes its pick — Shero said the Devils know who they are going to take, but he was keeping that to himself for now — Philadelphia, Dallas, Colorado and Vancouver round out the top five. Then Vegas makes the first pick in franchise history.
The Golden Knights announced two more trades Thursday, running their total to 13 selections for this year's draft. Vegas sent
Vegas, which selected 30 players in its expansion draft Wednesday night, has three picks in each of the first two rounds. It also has two selections in the fifth and sixth.
"It's a hard draft," said McPhee, the franchise's GM. "Going through it today, it's been a harder draft than most so it's taking some time ... three picks, it's a lot to manage and you really have to focus. When you have one pick in the first round, you're looking for one guy. When you've got three, it's harder. But it's a good problem to have."
Forwards Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, Casey Mittelstadt and Cody Glass and
Despite missing much of last season with a groin injury, Patrick had 20 goals and 46 points in 33 games with Brandon of the Western Hockey League.
"At the end of the day I don't care if I go one, two, three, four, like it doesn't matter to me," said Patrick, who threw out a ceremonial first pitch before Wednesday's Cubs game at Wrigley Field. "I'm just excited to get drafted and have a chance to try out for an NHL team. So it doesn't matter to me."
Unlike the past two years, when Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews went No. 1 overall and immediately had a huge impact on their new teams, there doesn't appear to be a transcendent talent at the top of the draft. Led by Patrick and Hischier, the forwards are generally considered the top position group.
"I think this still will be proven to be a good draft," Shero said. "Especially as they always look back, there's always one or two Hall of Famers in every draft. Doesn't matter where, they're going to be in this draft 20 years from now. And who is it? That's what the challenge is for any team."
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Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap
Jay Cohen, The Associated Press