Nico Hischier has been a name near the top of most draft lists since the beginning of the year, but his performance at the World Junior Championship really boosted his stock.
Since that time, he has basically been a toss up with Nolan Patrick for who will go first overall in the NHL Draft this season. However, in Hischier’s draft interview with the Devils, there was a bizarre (Apparently fantasy) situation proposed to him that would end any debate. We really don’t understand what this was supposed to mean if it truly was a fake scenario, but at least Nico had a good response.
The top prospects will be at Game 4 in Nashville. According to Mike Morreale of NHL.com, Dr. Aimee Kimball, a sports psychologist who did the Devils questioning, proposed a fake opportunity to the young forward:
“If you throw a catfish onto the ice, we'll pick you first.”
Whether that is presented as fake or not, that is going to feel very real to someone trying to go first overall. For all we know, he could do it just to be safe. It was clearly on his mind throughout the interview, because despite not offering an answer immediately, when he was getting up to leave the room, he offered this answer after the interviewer asked if he had any questions:
“Where can I buy a catfish?”
If there’s any time to do it, it’s tonight in Nashville. In Pittsburgh, they aren’t too friendly with people who throw catfish on the ice.
