VANCOUVER, British Columbia — New Jersey Devils General Manager Ray Shero doesn’t mind keeping everyone waiting one more day before revealing whether he will select one of the two top projected prospects – American center Jack Hughes or Finland’s Kaapo Kakko – with the first pick in the NHL draft.

What Shero would concede Thursday was his decision having the potential of spicing up New Jersey’s ever-healthy cross-river and Metropolitan Division rivalry with the New York Rangers, who are picking second when the draft opens in Vancouver on Friday night.

“What we’ve got to do is what’s best for the Devils right now,” Shero said. “Knowing that the team picking No. 2 in this case is in our division, they’re going to get a great player as well.”

If that places a heavier burden on his shoulders, well, that’s fine with Shero.

“It really doesn’t bother me. Some people say the Rangers and Jeff Gorton are in the best spot,” Shero said, referring to the Rangers’ GM. “I mean, I’m picking No. 1, so I’m in the best spot, I think.”

For his part, Gorton doesn’t mind the suspense.

“We’re sitting there and obviously one team’s going to indicate to us exactly how it might go for the rest of the draft. I think we’re in a good spot,” Gorton said. “We know that we’re going to get a really good player no matter what happens to us.”

In a draft that has the potential of featuring a record number of Americans taken in the first round, Shero’s decision rests on choosing between an undersized play-making center in Hughes or the heftier Kakko, who is considered a purer goal-scorer.

Shero has met with both players over dinner, including traveling to Helsinki, Finland, to meet with Kakko. And though he has a good idea which player the Devils will select, Shero was waiting until Thursday night to make his recommendation to team owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer.

In many ways, the decision is similar to the one Shero faced three years ago, the last time the Devils had the first pick. In 2017, Shero selected Switzerland center Niko Hischier, while New Jersey’s division-rival Philadelphia Flyers took Nolan Patrick.

At 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds Hughes is NHL Central Scouting’s top-ranked North American prospect. He set a USA Hockey development program record by combining for 228 points (74 goals, 154 assists) over his two-year stint. From Orlando, Florida, he’s in position to become the eighth U.S.-born player selected No. 1 and first since Toronto took Auston Matthews in 2016.

At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Kakko is the top-ranked European skater. He completed a season in which he helped his nation complete a gold-medal sweep of international titles by winning the world championship last month along with the world junior and under-18 titles. Kakko’s 22 goals in 45 games were a Finnish Elite League record by a draft-eligible player.

Though he was only formally introduced to Kakko for the first time this weekend, Hughes understands the two will draw comparisons for years to come.

“You saw (Alexander) Ovechkin and (Sidney) Crosby all these years,” Hughes said, referring to the longtime Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins captains. “I’m not saying we’re going to be Ovechkin and Crosby, but I’m saying it’s going to be pretty cool to be linked with him.”

The top of the draft features a wide mix of talent varying in size and speed. Defenseman Bowen Byram is ranked second among North Americans followed by center Kirby Dach. Then follows a large cluster of Hughes’ USA Hockey teammates, including centers Alex Turcotte and Trevor Zegras and 5-foot-7 forward Cole Caufield, who set a program record with 72 goals last season.

The Boston Bruins have the 30th pick in the first round.

LIGHTNING: Forward Ryan Callahan has been diagnosed with degenerative back disease and will be placed on long-term injury reserve.

Team vice president and General Manager Julien BriseBois said Callahan, 34, has “degenerative disk disease of the lumbar spine.”

Callahan appeared in 52 games last season, finishing with seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points. He has 186 goals and 386 points in 757 career games with Tampa Bay and the New York Rangers.

PANTHERS: The Florida Panthers expect to hear soon what veteran goaltender Roberto Luongo’s plans are regarding next season and beyond.

Luongo, 40, has been in the NHL for 19 seasons and is contemplating retiring, returning or perhaps starting next season on long-term injury reserve because of hip issues.

The Panthers are expected to pursue a starting goalie in free agency regardless, with Sergei Bobrovsky believed to be their top target at that position. It’s expected that Luongo will advise the team of his plans before free agency starts on July 1.

CANUCKS: Defenseman Alex Edler signed a two-year extension at an average salary of $6 million. The 33-year-old Swede could have become a free agent July 1.

VIDEO REVIEW: The NHL is expanding its video review process to a format that would have had the potential to alter two notable missed calls during the playoffs – though the rule changes come at a price.

The league’s general managers approved allowing coaches an unlimited number of video challenges for goalie interference, offside and an additional element of possible missed calls that would have resulted in a stoppage in play. On the downside, each coach’s challenge that proves unsuccessful will result in a minor penalty. A second unsuccessful challenge in the same game would result in a double minor.

The league also will have officials review major penalties to determine whether the call was accurate. Upon review, the referee would then have the option to reduce a major penalty to a minor.

Allowing stoppages in play to be reviewed comes after San Jose won Game 3 of the Western Conference final when officials missed a hand pass immediately before Erik Karlsson scored in overtimer. Under the new rule, the play would have been reviewed automatically because all plays are reviewed in the final minute of a game and overtime.

Allowing officials to review major penalties would have had the potential to change the complexion of Game 7 in a first-round series between Vegas and San Jose.

With Vegas leading 3-0, Golden Knights forward Cody Eakin was assessed a major penalty for a hit on San Jose’s Joe Pavelski, which the league later told the Golden Knights was not the right call. The Sharks scored four times on the ensuing major penalty and won 5-4 in overtime.

In that instance, the referee could have reviewed the call and determined whether to reduce the penalty to a two-minute minor.

The new rules, however, would not have allowed reviewing a missed penalty that led to the decisive goal in St. Louis’ 2-1 win over Boston in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals. Blues forward Tyler Bozak wasn’t penalized for tripping up Boston’s Noel Acciari seconds before David Perron scored.

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