Nico Hischier Poised To Become Face Of New Jersey Devils

For the first time in history, the New Jersey Devils have the first-overall pick starting their career in the team’s system. Nico Hischier will soon be the face of the Devils.

Four years ago, the New Jersey Devils lost both Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise in consecutive seasons, leaving the team without a true identity. The team still had Martin Brodeur, but he was way past his prime. Then after he retired, the Devils were completely without an identity.

Then last year, General Manager Ray Shero pulled off a deal to bring a new face to New Jersey. He sent Adam Larsson to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Taylor Hall. The Devils once again had a face, but still seemed like they were missing an identity.

That may have changed on Friday night, when the Devils drafted Nico Hischier with the number one overall pick. The Devils have a player in Hischier that can be a star for the next two decades. That’s 20 years of a Swiss superstar.

Hischier is the player the Devils never had. He can split a defense and score all by himself. Sure, the Devils have Kovalchuk, Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta in years past, but nothing like what this kid could become.

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He’s a good-looking kid who has a built in rivalry with the Devils cross-river opponent the Philadelphia Flyers. Nolan Patrick versus Nico Hischier doesn’t end at the draft. Now that those two players are on rival teams, it lasts their entire career.

The two-way game for Hischier is exactly what most Devils fans love. A guy who pays as much attention to stopping goals as he does to creating them. He can also put an entire team on his back. He put the Halifax Mooseheads right there in the playoffs, scoring seven points in just six games. Hischier was amazing no matter where he was playing. He dominated World Juniors, the international tournament and the QMJHL.

Hischier is on day one of a long journey with the Devils. While roughly half the fanbase was rooting for Patrick, 100 percent of the fanbase now wants him to succeed. He could easily become the man in red and black.