Nolan Patrick Picked No. 2 Overall by Philadelphia Flyers in 2017 NHL Draft

The Philadelphia Flyers landed a potential franchise player Friday, as they selected center Nolan Patrick with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft.

Patrick has long been considered a likely high pick since bursting onto the scene with the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings three seasons ago.

With all that hype around him, here's what social media thought of the Flyers adding the 18-year-old Patrick:

His breakout campaign came in 2015-16 when he registered 41 goals and 102 points in 72 regular-season games before putting up 30 points in 21 playoff contests.

Patrick was expected to put up big-time production in 2016-17, but injuries limited him to just 33 games. He managed 20 goals and 46 points, but he carried durability questions with him into the draft.

As seen in this tweet courtesy of The Draft Analyst's Steve Kournianos, Patrick has been plagued by injuries for much of his career:

Despite that, Patrick is confident in his health heading toward his rookie season.

According to Bleacher Report's Adrian Dater, Patrick isn't concerned about those who believe durability will continue to be an issue in the NHL: 

"People can say what they want about me. Ninety-nine percent of the people who are talking don't even know what happened with my [hernia] injury and how it went down. People can talk and have a right to their opinion, but for me, it is what it is. Before [last season], I think I played 110 games or something like that, didn't miss a game. I'm 100 percent healthy now."

When Patrick is on the ice, it is difficult to argue against the notion that he is the most talented and complete player in the 2017 draft class.

Per Dater, NHL scout Paul Henry believes Patrick is bound to be a legitimate superstar at the next level: "I don't see any vulnerability or weakness in his game. He's so big, so strong, with great hockey sense, and he's totally unselfish. I think he'll be an A-plus, franchise player."

In addition to his eye-popping numbers, Patrick boasts an NHL pedigree that few other prospects in recent memory can match.

Patrick's father, Steve Patrick, was a first-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 1980. His uncle, James Patrick, was also a first-round selection, as the New York Rangers took him at No. 9 overall in 1981.

In his own right, Nolan Patrick stands 6'3" and weighs nearly 200 pounds, which gives him the ideal size needed to excel in the current, tight-checking NHL.

While Patrick isn't necessarily considered a sure thing like blue-chippers Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Auston Matthews over the past couple of years, he is seemingly the closest thing to it in the 2017 draft.

The Flyers entered the draft knowing they would get a potential superstar in either Patrick or Nico Hischier, and Patrick somewhat surprisingly fell into their lap.

Injury concerns likely played a role in the New Jersey Devils passing on him at No. 1, but his skill level was too immense for Philly to do the same at No. 2.

The Flyers ranked just 20th in the NHL in goal scoring last season, but adding Patrick to a forward group that already includes Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds should allow them to move up the standings significantly next season and beyond.