WILMINGTON, Mass. — Nearly three months after the draft, the Taylor vs. Tyler debate rages on.
And once again, Bruins rookie Tyler Seguin took second billing to Edmonton's Taylor Hall when the top two picks in this spring's NHL draft met up again this summer.
"I saw him a couple weeks ago," said Seguin of Hall, as they were both together for an appearance promoting the new EA Sports NHL '11 video game. "We played against each other."
And how did that simulated showdown go?
"He won," admitted Seguin, though this competition wasn't quite on even footing. "He was like, 'Yeah, I've been playing for the last three weeks on-line trying to get good.' And I completely, 100-percent forgot about the whole thing. He came in and I didn't even know we had to play. I thought we were just going to be taking pictures and interviews."
Hall may have prevailed in the video game matchup, and also went first overall to the Oilers, but Seguin believes that both former Ontario Hockey League rivals benefited from the competition, while also forging a lasting friendship.
"On on the ice throughout the year I think we pushed each other," said Seguin. "We were chasing each other for the [OHL] scoring championship and the top pick, but in the end we made each other better players and off the ice we became decent friends."
Seguin noted that he and Hall traveled together to Boston for their pre-draft visits, and bonded over the shared scrutiny they endured.
If both make the leap directly to the NHL this season as expected, they'll get another chance to go head to head, and this time there won't be any Playstation or Wii controllers needed when the Bruins play at Edmonton on Feb. 27.
