"We go back and look at our lists and it's humbling," Nill said. "You go back and say, 'Oh, we had that guy 15th overall' and he may not be playing anymore and then you go down the list and see a guy who is picked 189th and he's the next star in the league. You're dealing with people, everybody develops differently. That's the great thing about sports, it's the unknown."
Nill said he's proud to be representing the host city for the draft, saying it adds a level of excitement.
"Every NHL team is here, the city is surrounded by hockey people and I think it's going to be a great event," he said. "It's a chance to see the future stars coming into the game. It's an exciting time for the city."
Unlike other pro drafts where teams are huddled in war rooms, the NHL draft has every team's draft squad stationed at tables on the floor of the arena. That means GMs can get up and walk around and talk to each other and every move team officials make is open to public interpretation.
"That's the exciting part, and the fans that come out to watch this Friday and Saturday, they're going to see that," Nill said.
"You're going to see GMs and you're going to see phones ringing, and it's not mom calling to get the milk."
The center of the hockey universe will be in Texas on Friday and Saturday as the Stars host the 2018 NHL Draft™ presented by adidas for the first time ever at American Airlines Center. For complete Draft coverage, including the latest stories, videos and event information, click here.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.
Read more: 2018 NHL Draft, Dallas Stars