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They said it was a draft without a surefire No. 1 prospect.

But it sure had plenty of likable selections.

One round -- the biggest round -- of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft is down. The New Jersey Devils kicked things off by making Nico Hischier the first overall selection, and a slew of steals followed.

The Philadelphia Flyers might have had the first, and that was only at No. 2. They headline five takeaways from the draft's opening night:

1. The Flyers should be very pleased

Yes, they were guaranteed to land either Hischier or Nolan Patrick by getting the second pick. And, yes, Patrick slipped past the No. 1 spot in large part because of his recent injury history. Philly, however, has a right to be stoked.

For a team that could very well have been picking outside the top 10, the Flyers ended up as well as they could have, getting the draft's most NHL-ready center and a one-time consensus No. 1 pick, then double dipping at the position with the pick of Morgan Frost at No. 27.

2. Gabriel Vilardi at No. 11 is a steal for the Kings

If the big center went off the board in the top five, it would not have been a surprise. That Los Angeles was able to snag him outside the top 10 to pair with Jeff Carter was astounding. The Kings are getting a well-reviewed prospect who should be able to make immediate contributions, even if they come on the outside.

3. Vegas keeps piling up the talent

Two days after reeling in veterans during the expansion draft, the Golden Knights made one thing for sure Friday night: They were not going to leave without a few big names. At the very least, they've got chance on their side, walking away with not one, but three, first-rounders. Between Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki and Erik Brannstrom, Vegas has a potential first-line pairing of the future up front and a high-upside blue-liner to mold.

Also, the more the Golden Knights hand out their jerseys, the more Vegas' fresh look appears, well, fresh.

4. Oilers, Predators outsmart everyone at the end of the round

So maybe Edmonton took a risk by dealing Jordan Eberle for cap relief. And maybe the Predators lost some experienced offensive depth by exposing James Neal to Vegas in the expansion draft. But both clubs all but made up for their losses with first-round steals. Edmonton got maybe the most exciting scorer of the night in Kailer Yamamoto, a thrilling partner for Connor McDavid, and Nashville somehow stole sniper Eeli Tolvanen at No. 30.

5. Pens get outsmarted ... for an odd reason

Pittsburgh sent the 31st overall pick and Oskar Sundqvist to the St. Louis Blues for Ryan Reaves and a second-rounder. And the defending champion Penguins did so, if general manager Jim Rutherford's comments are to be believed, to add some fight in defense of stars like Sidney Crosby. Reaves is sure to add some grit to Steel City's lineup. Still, a first-rounder and Sundqvist to bring him to Pittsburgh? Are the Pens that desperate?