Top prospects share NHL All-Star game predictions
QUEBEC CITY — Nolan Patrick, No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting’s midterm list of North American skaters eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft, favors the Central Division in the 2017 Honda NHL All-Star Game at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET; NBC, SN, TVA Sports, NHL.TV).
Patrick provided his prediction for NHL.com on Saturday after arriving here for media availability prior to serving as captain for Team Don Cherry at the 2017 Sherwin-Williams Canadian Hockey League/NHL Top Prospects Game at Videotron Centre on Monday (7 p.m. ET; NHL Network, Sportsnet, TVA Sports).
Patrick will have an opportunity to watch the NHL All-Star Game before joining 39 other players in the CHL Top Prospects Game.
“When you have players like Patrick Kane, Tyler Seguin and Vladimir Tarasenko, I don’t know if you’re going to be able to stop those guys,” Patrick said. “On top of that, you have to deal with Patrik Laine shooting the puck.”
Patrick predicts the Central Division will face the Pacific Division in the final because “any team with Connor McDavid is a safe pick.”
Here are other NHL All-Star Game predictions from a few other participants in the CHL Top Prospects Game (NHL Central Scouting midterm ranking in parenthesis):
Nico Hischier (2), C, Halifax: “I like the Central…