Devils open draft by snaring Swiss center

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A man pass a United Center entrance with NHL team logos as preparation for the NHL Draft continue, Thursday, June 22, 2017, in Chicago. The two day draft begins Friday. Photo: Associated Press/(AP Photo/G-Jun Yam)

CHICAGO (AP) — The New Jersey Devils have made Nico Hischier the highest-drafted Swiss player in NHL history.

The Devils used the top pick in tonight’s draft to select the 18-year-old center, who had 38 goals and 86 points in 57 games for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec League last season. Before that, Hischier spent two seasons in the Swiss pro league, playing for current Ottawa Senators head coach Guy Boucher (boo-SHAY’).

The Devils won the draft lottery after finishing 28-40-14, the team’s worst record in nearly three decades.

The Flyers selected Brandon Wheat Kings center Nolan Patrick with the second pick. Patrick held the top spot in the NHL Central Scouting Department’s final rankings in April after collecting 20 goals and 46 points in just 33 games for the WHL club last season.

Dallas chose Finnish defenseman Miro Heiskanen with the third pick, Colorado grabbed blueliner Cale Makar at No. 4 and center Elias Pettersson of Sweden was taken by Vancouver with the fifth selection.

The Vegas Golden Knights used their first-ever Entry Draft pick to get Portland Winter Hawks center Cody Glass.

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