There’s no bad No. 1 choice between these two prospects

Will it be Tyler or Taylor who is called on stage first on Friday at Staples Center when the NHL holds its annual entry draft?

The honor of being the first pick could go to center Tyler Seguin, ranked No. 1 by the NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau, or to left wing Taylor Hall, who held the top spot in the midterm rankings and was No. 2 at season’s end. Neither choice would be a bad one. After that, a flock of big defensemen should draw a lot of attention.

The first round begins at 4 p.m. Friday. The second through seventh rounds will be held Saturday.

Edmonton has the first pick, followed by Boston (with a pick acquired from Toronto), Florida, Columbus and the New York Islanders. The Ducks will pick 12th and 29th in the first round; the Kings have the 19th pick. Here’s a look at the likely top five.

Taylor Hall, left wing

Central Scouting has him No. 2, but there’s a good chance he will go first. Quickness, acceleration, skating, desire — this 6-foot-1, 185-pound winger has it all, including an unprecedented two MVP awards at the Ontario Hockey League’s Memorial Cup tournament and back-to-back championships. He had 40 goals and 106 points in 57 OHL games this season and shared the league scoring lead with Seguin. He’s strong and tough to knock off the puck.

Tyler Seguin, center

He could be No. 1 without much argument. Seguin, 6-1 and 172 pounds, beat out Hall to win the OHL’s outstanding player award last season and shared the league scoring lead with Hall. Seguin is a skillful playmaker and the kind of center who makes his linemates better. Being a center and shooting right-handed will enhance his value and could make him No. 1.

Erik Gudbranson, defenseman

His size — 6-4 and 195 pounds — and right-handed shot make him attractive to scouts whose teams want to build from the defense out. He is also tough and won’t back down from anyone. Seen as a potential franchise defenseman, he has been compared to Philadelphia’s Chris Pronger and Toronto’s Dion Phaneuf. In a good way.

Cam Fowler, defenseman

A native of Canada who grew up in Michigan, he played for the U.S. and won a gold medal at the 2010 World Junior Championships and the 2009 under-18 World Championships. He’s 6-1 and 190 pounds and probably hasn’t finished growing. A good skater with good vision and the potential to be a top-four defenseman.

Brandon Gormley, defenseman

Considered reliable and steady rather than flashy, he’s likely to be the first player chosen from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He has good size at 6-2 and 187 pounds and is solid at both ends of the ice. He might not be a franchise player but is the kind of defenseman every team needs for stability and coaches love.

California dreamin’

It’s the perfect moment for the NHL to stage the draft in California for the first time. Several California-born-and-trained players figure to be claimed in the early going. Here are some names to know:

Emerson Etem

A left-handed shooter who plays the right side, the Long Beach native is ranked No. 8 among North American skaters by Central Scouting. “I set high standards for myself and my mind-set is playing in the NHL next year,” said Etem, who went from Shattuck St. Mary’s prep school to Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League and scored 37 goals last season.

Beau Bennett

The right wing from Gardena is ranked No. 32 by Central Scouting. He led the British Columbia Hockey League in scoring last season with 120 points in 56 games. “I definitely got challenged to a lot of fights throughout the year because I was from California. That’s part of the game,” he said.

Like Etem, he first played roller hockey before switching to the ice. He grew up a Kings fan, but his loyalty was tested when he was coached at the bantam and midget level by Ducks assistant coach Newell Brown. “I still am a Kings fan, but I cheer for the Ducks as long as they’re not playing the Kings,” Bennett said.

Jason Zucker

The forward from Las Vegas is ranked No. 51. At age 10, he moved to L.A. and played two seasons for the L.A. Hockey Club.

Jacob Fallon

The speedy winger whose hometown is Riverside shoots left-handed and is ranked No. 68. He played for the L.A. Selects.

Taylor Aronson

Ranked No. 88 and from Placentia, he is a former Junior Kings defenseman. He played for Portland of the Western Hockey League last season.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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