With the NHL Combine all wrapped up in Toronto, it remains unclear whether the Oilers will select Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin with the first overall choice on June 25. Speaking to reporters, however, it appears the Bruins and GM Peter Chiarelli may have a slight preference on one of the players. Check this out from a story posted this afternoon on NHL.com.

“I’m really happy and thankful that we’re going to get one of those two,” Chiarelli said. “They’re terrific kids and good players in their own way. We’re really close. It may change in the coming three days when we have our amateur meetings. When you get to this point, maybe that’s when you switch over to need. I’m not saying we’re going to do that.”

The “maybe that’s when you switch over to need part” — if we want to read into that, that is — would suggest the Bruins could be prefer Seguin, who absolutely crushed the Combine despite vomiting in the VO2 test. If the team were picking for need one would think they would take the natural winger in Hall, though Chiarelli noted that Seguin, who has played plenty of wing, is fully capable of being the goal-scorer they need. He also added that Hall could play center if need be.

“Both kids said they would play any position,” Chiarelli told NHL.com. “I’ve seen Tyler play the wing. A lot has been written and said that it’s a more natural fit for Taylor to come to us because he’s a wing and Tyler to go to Edmonton because he’s a center. Half the time I’ve seen Tyler, he’s been on wing. He can play wing and frankly, it might be a way to enter him into the NHL, on the wing. Taylor told us that he’s played center and loves playing center. That shouldn’t be a distinguishing factor.”

The Bruins met with Seguin and his family on Tuesday and will do the same with Hall and his family in the coming weeks.

Today’s news that Taylor Hall will not work out at the NHL Combine due to minor back and knee injuries may raise some questions. Warren Rychel, former NHL left wing and current GM of the Windsor Spitfires, told me today that the injuries were sustained on this frightening hit Hall took from Travis Hamonic in the Memorial Cup playoffs.

Anticipated top-two pick Tyler Seguin and his coach, former Hartford Whaler Mike Vellucci, spoke with WEEI.com recently. Here are some of the things they hit on:

- Seguin underwent a bit of a transformation in 2009-2010. After being selfless almost to a fault as a playmaker in his first junior hockey season, he began shooting the puck more, resulting in 48 goals, which led the Ontario Hockey league. He had four more goals than Taylor Hall.

- Vellucci feels the comparisons that are made between Seguin and Steve Yzerman are just, though he feels Seguin is a slightly stronger skater. He also compares the 18-year-old to Joe Sakic citing both talent and makeup.

- Seguin has no preference between Edmonton and Boston. He is intrigued by the idea of jumping into the NHL and immediately contending for a cup with the Bruins, though he hopes to have a chance to prove himself on the  center-heavy Bruins.

For the complete story, CLICK HERE.

The NHL draft isn’t exactly like that of the NFL and NBA, in which players selected anywhere early on step in right away, so while either Tyler Seguin or Taylor Hall will contribute to the Bruins immediately, one shouldn’t expect such an early impact from the team’s ensuing picks.

It does mean, however, that in what is believed to be a fairly deep draft, GM Peter Chiarelli needs to make his other high picks —  and he has a lot of quality good ones – count long-term.

Not only do the Bruins have their own first-rounder, which is 15th overall (the NHL only changes the order for Conference finalists), but they’ve also got a high second-round pick from the Maple Leafs (Phil Kessel trade) in addition to their own (that extra second they picked up from the Lightning in the Mark Recchi deal was sent to the Panthers in their package for Dennis Seidenberg).

There are two ways of looking at the early picks the Bruins have. The first is that they have all the ammunition they could need to move up to No. 1 and then some, which is certainly a topic that will be visited as Hall becomes more popular with each passing day. The second is that this can be the draft class that defines Chiarelli more than anything since perhaps the 2006 free agent class.

Should there be a particular strategy? Generally in hockey it’s hard to say, since it could be a few years before anyone hears their team’s first-rounder’s name again. Since there isn’t another goal-scorer with Hall’s talents, going for a highlight-reel winger halfway through the first round will be tough, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get an impact winger. There are plenty of good centers in the middle of the first round (Nick Bjugstad, Mikael Granlund, Jaden Schwartz, Jeffrey Skinner), but unless it’s Seguin, adding to that crowded depth chart (remember Joe Colborne still needs to make his grand entrance at some point), would be confusing.

If they want to go for a wing, Tyler Toffoli is a guy worth looking into. Like many offensive prospects in each draft, he played some center in junior hockey but projects to play right wing in the NHL. Toffoli is rated as the 18th-best draft prospect by HockeyProspect.com. The 6-foot-0, 181-pounder scored 37 goals in 65 games last season for the Ottawa 67’s (OHL). Watch the 18-year-old’s goal from October as he loses his balance.

If defense is the pick, Bruins fans wanting to stay ahead of the curve should familiarize themselves with Duluth, Minn. defenseman Derek Forbort, who brings good size and strength. HockeyProspect.com ranks the 18-year-old as the 16th-best prospect in this year’s draft.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pounds Forbort will play college puck at North Dakota. Here is his scouting report from MyNHLDraft.com:

“Forbort takes advantage of his physical tools often using his long reach to take passing lanes way from opponents. Forbort plays hard nosed hockey in the corners and uses his strength to move opponents away from the slot area. Forbort is great at transitioning from offense to defense, using his speed and positioning to force players to the outside.

Forbort is very patient with the puck and anticipates the game well, he has a good shot which he keeps low allowing rebounds for his teammates.“

As long as they stand pat with the second overall choice in the 2010 NHL Draft, the Bruins are going to get a tremendous difference-maker in the form of Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin, the former an easy replacement for Phil Kessel and the latter a center often likened to Steve Yzerman. Both are impressing at the NHL Scouting Combine and both will be immediate contributors to top lines.

Tyler Seguin (courtesy Plymouth Whalers)

Which one they end up with at this point remains up in the air. Compare this draft to the 2007 NBA Draft, which featured Greg Oden and Kevin Durant: If you’re picking in the first two selections, you sit back and take whichever can’t-miss prospect (being kind to Oden) doesn’t go No. 1. Outside of the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranking Seguin as the top player in the draft, nobody seems willing to risk their credibility by saying one will have more of an impact than the other.

“I think it’s very close,” Mike Vellucci, coach of Seguin and the Plymouth Whalers (OHL), told WEEI.com. “The things that set them apart is that Taylor Hall has played in the league for three years, and he’s been on a really good team for two of the three years. Seguin’s only been in the league two years, so it’s close. Hall is about a year older, but talent-wise it’s really close.

“One’s a center, one’s a winger, so who do I believe in? I believe in Tyler Seguin because I’ve been up-close and personal with him. I know what a great character kid he is. Saying that, Taylor Hall, I’ve coached against him about 40 games in the last three years and he’s a pretty good talent.”

So with less than a month to go until the June 25 draft in Los Angeles, the Edmonton Oilers, who are in such rough shape that their best bet is to try to distinguish between the two immense talents and pick the better player, have yet to make up their minds, or say so at least. Edmonton GM Steve Tambellini and the Oilers have done their homework on Hall and Seguin, both of whom led the OHL with 106 points, but the man controlling the Bruins’ fate didn’t tip his hand on which direction the team is leaning.

“Over the last year and a half I’ve sat down and had dinner with both of them individually, gotten to know them as people,” Tambellini said in an interview with NHL.com. “They’re both great people. Any team is going to be so fortunate to get either of those two players.”

It’s official: The Bruins will be getting the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft. Here’s a look at some of the potential top selections come June 25:

Tyler Seguin [SAY-ginn], C, Canada. 6-foot-0 3/4, 180 pounds

2009 team: Plymouth Whalers (OHL)

2009-2010 stats: 63 GP, 48 G, 58 A, 106 points, 54 PIM

Seguin was ranked as the top OHL player in this draft, but that doesn’t make him a sure thing to go first overall. Back in November, Bob McKenzie of CSN had seven of 10 scouts he asked say they would take Taylor Hall first, so if the Bruins don’t win the first pick, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will miss out on the top talent.

Seguin draws his inspiration from Steve Yzerman and has been compared to the Hall of Famer, though such claims prior to playing an NHL are at the very least premature. Given his pedigree, however, Seguin can be expected to be the face of whichever team he is chosen by.

Seguin has constantly been pushed to maximize his potential. Beginning at age six Seguin played an age category higher than he was supposed to and at age 16 he was playing on the first line for the Whalers. Though he did have an uncomfortable transition to the OHL, the advanced competition that has been forced upon him despite age is a huge plus.

A major draw with Seguin is the fact that he is proficient in all aspects of the game. Unlike with Hall, there are no concerns about his back-checking. Seguin will probably remain a center iceman in the NHL.

Taylor Hall, F, Canada. 6-foot-0 3/4, 186 pounds

2009-2010 team: Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

2009-2010 stats: 57 GP, 40 G, 66 A, 106 points, 56 PIM

If the Bruins want an elite winger to replace Phil Kessel long-term, they’ll do what they can to snag Hall. Though scouting reports might suggest he isn’t the most selfless player, his elite speed and scoring touch, coupled with a relentless drive might be reason enough for him to keep the puck.

Hall, who NHL Central Scouting compares to Devils winger Zach Parise, is expected to be an elite goal-scorer right off the bat without any minor-league seasoning necessary. His overall impact on the offense could be put into question, however, as he has played on powerhouses his entire life and therefore might not necessarily make his line mates better. For comparison’s sake, Hall’s Spitfires teammates include defenseman Cam Fowler (ranked as the fifth-best North American in the draft) and winger Austin Watson (14th) while none of Seguin’s teammates are ranked in the top 30. Hall has no relation to the former Bruin of the same name.

Brett Connolly, RW, Canada. 6-foot-2, 181 pounds

2009-2010 team: Prince George Cougars (WHL)

2009-2010 stats: 16 GP, 10 G, 9 A, 19 points, 8 PIM

You know a guy must be talented when a hip injury allows him to play in only 16 games and NHL Central Scouting still ranks him as the third-best North American skater. Connolly is known as being a hard-nosed forward with an excellent scoring touch. He was a 30-goal scorer in ’08-’09, his last healthy season.

Connolly’s player comparison according to the CSS is former Avalanche, Flyers, and Predators center Peter Forseberg. While a team would likely go for a player compared to Forseberg than one compared to Parise any day, there is enough separation between Hall and Connolly in both speed and durability that the best Connolly could potentially do for himself would be to go third overall.

Erik Gudbranson, D, Canada. 6-foot-3, 195 pounds

2009-2010 team: Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

2009-2010 stats: 41 GP, 2 G, 21 A, 23 points, 68 PIM

Like Connolly, Gudbranson didn’t play a full ’09-’10 season due to injury, though  the Canadian defenseman missed his time due to a knee injury. Despite his being hampered, Gudbranson is still considered the top defensive prospect in the draft. It would be hard to imagine the Bruins not spending their top pick on offense after the team failed to have more than one 20-goal scorer in the regular season (Marco Sturm).

Cam Fowler, D, Canada. 6-foot-2, 195 pounds

2009-2010 team: Windsor (OHL)

2009-2010 stats: 55 GP, 8 G, 32 A, 40 points, 14 PIM

One knock on Fowler at midseason was that he wasn’t using his size well enough. Bruins fans don’t take kindly to shy defensemen (see: Gil, Hal), so the Bruins should stick to the guys who will improve their offense rather than taking the otherwise well-rounded Fowler.