NHL DRAFT BLOG - ON A BOAT

Every year, the NHL holds a handful pre-draft events that allow media to meet with the prospects in unique spaces to get a different look than your standard player scrums you see throughout the year.
Last year, the likes of Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk talked to the media at Niagara Falls. The year prior, Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel held court with journalists while taking a tour of the Everglades in Florida.
This summer, with the draft being in Chicago, the League lined up a boat tour for the prospects to hold their pre-draft media availability.
CalgaryFlames.com hopped on the Shoreline Sightseeing Boat Tour and caught up with Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick, Klim Kostin, Gabriel Vilardi, and Cody Glass:

NICO HISCHIER
On spending the 2016-17 season in North America:
"Halifax is a first class organization. You can improve yourself there, as a player, really good. The coaches are really good, professional. And my teammates helped me a lot this year. It's just a first class organization."
On if he feels ready to make an NHL team next season:
"It depends on what the team wants from me but for sure I'm going to do everything I can to make the team."

NOLAN PATRICK
On being the potential first overall pick:
"At the end of the day, I don't care. It's not going to change my chances to make the NHL if I go one or if I go four. It's up to me, at the end of the day, if I'm going to make it. Where I go, it's not going to help me make it more. I've got to work hard and I've got to get there."
KLIM KOSTIN
\Through a translator
On being a well-rounded athlete:
"I've played soccer. Boxing is (my) second favourite sport. Volleyball, basketball and table tennis as well."
"(My) cousin is a professional boxer so (I've) been working with him every summer."
On his pre-draft meetings:
"(I've) met with virtually all the teams - 25 teams."
On who he models his game after:
"Patrik Laine."
On if he'll play in North America next year:
"AHL or NHL … (I) want to play with older players to develop and to learn from others and excel at the game."
GABRIEL VILARDI
On who is in Chicago with him:
"I've got immediate family, grandparents, trainers, billets, my friends, my brother and his friends. A lot of people coming … it's pretty cool to share this moment with them."
On the advice he has received throughout the year from his drafted teammates in Windsor:
"Just play your game and don't really think about it too much. Whatever happens, happens. You can't really control anything other than how you play. That's what I did and it worked out pretty well I think."
CODY GLASS
On moving up the draft rankings over the past couple of years:*
"I think I've played my way up to a good first round pick. For me, I'm just really excited to just get drafted. Whoever picks me, I'm going to try to prove them right."