Nico Hischier, the Swiss Captain for the New Jersey Devils, will be off to the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina very soon. With the opportunity to play in the Olympics again, many NHL stars, including Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Jacob Markström, Timo Meier, and others, are looking to bring an Olympic medal back to their home country.
Hischier was drafted in 2007 by the Devils, making this his ninth season with the team. He was promoted to Captain in 2021, after coming back from a knee injury. Across his time with the Devils, he has accrued 189 goals and 274 assists. His best seasons were the 2022-23 season, during which he earned 80 points with 31 goals and 49 assists, as well as the 2024-25 season, during which he had 69 points with 35 goals and 34 assists.
Hischier is nearing the end of his seven-year, $50.75 million contract extension with the New Jersey Devils, which he signed back in 2019. Despite only having one year remaining on this contract, General Manager Tom Fitzgerald shows no signs of making moves on Nico.
As captain, he holds a lot of responsibility to be a leader on and off the ice. Despite his strong leadership, fans are concerned as Nico is currently averaging less than 1 (0.76) PPG this season. Similarly, fans have also seen an increase in Nico’s penalties, as he has already accumulated 23 penalty minutes. One of the biggest concerns is the significant decrease in shooting percentage. In the 2024-25 season, Hischier averaged 18.7%. Up until this point, this season his average is 12.2%.
Although he is a center, his offensive production has lacked and instead he has overcompensated defensively. One of the biggest issues the Devils are currently facing is struggling with turnovers, inconsistent goaltending, and overall just small mistakes that constantly lead to goals against. In addition to this, the Devils have had plenty of lineup switches, roster changes, and plenty of alleged trade rumours, likely darkening the atmosphere.
Not only this, but the Devils are currently seventh in the Metropolitan Division and hold a record of 28-26-2. With approximately 26 more games left in the regular season, there is not much room for error if they still have hopes of entering the playoffs. Although a slim chance still remains, it is extremely unlikely. The team has earned 58 points this season, which leaves them just eight points above the New York Rangers, who currently sit at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division.
In the midst of an extremely challenging season, Nico Hischier has not stopped giving 100% every night. Although the numbers may not be an example of it, the effort and commitment this team gives is unmatched. His dedication, work-ethic and commitment are why Nico Hischier continues to wear the “C” even through the lowest of lows.
