PHILADELPHIA -- A warning to fans of the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers: Taylor Hall checked out Patrick Kane's hairdo Friday … and liked it.
"That's an awesome mullet; I got to give him credit," Hall said. "He's got to have some serious skin to do that."
Hall and fellow NHL draft headliners Tyler Seguin, Brett Connolly, Erik Gudbranson and Cam Fowler were on hand Friday, as per the annual Cup finals traditional meeting with the highest-rated prospects. It never ceases to amaze us just how young these players look. Or maybe we're just getting older.
Seguin and Hall have received the most attention from the media, of course; the two Ontario Hockey League stars are the clear-cut one-two punch at the top of the draft. Will it be Boston or Edmonton for them? They'll find out June 25 in Los Angeles.
"There's so many positives for both sides," Seguin said. "Boston is a great town and a great team. Edmonton is a great organization and I think would be a great atmosphere to play in. It's a win-win. Whether it's one of those two teams or, I don't know, Florida or Carolina, whoever it may be, my goal is to make the NHL and win a Stanley Cup one day."
Seguin actually caught the Oilers at Joe Louis Arena this season.
"I was sitting behind the Edmonton bench," he said. "That was quite the experience. I was sitting there and trying to put myself out there and pretending to be an Oiler."
Likewise, Hall said he'd be happy with either the Bruins or Oilers.
"You look at both teams, they're different situations and I'd be happy to be in either situation," Hall said. "I'd be happy to play for either team."
If it's the Oilers for Hall, he'll quickly need to shed whatever Flames souvenirs he has at home.
"I grew up in Calgary, so I rooted for the Flames," said Hall, whose father, Steve Hall, was a CFL player. "I know what you guys are going to ask, but I'm not a huge Flames fan anymore."
What we asked is, all Flames fans hate the Oilers and vice-versa, so …
"I didn't hate the Oilers at all," Hall said with a laugh. "I love the game of hockey. I'm telling you the honest truth."
The five prospects taped an interview with Don Cherry for "Hockey Night in Canada" and got to meet some players from the Flyers and Hawks.
"I met with Danny Briere, Jonathan Toews and Patty Kane, it's almost surreal," Seguin said. "But in the end, they're human, and I want to be able to say I'm playing against them next year, and hopefully that happens."
Hall was pumped about his locker room visit Friday.
"You look at a guy like Patrick Kane, who I just met in the locker room, that's pretty sweet. He's a guy that I watch his highlights," Hall said. "He's a sick player. You get to thinking, 'I'm going to be playing against these guys next year.' It just shows how far I've come and how special this experience has been."
