New Jersey Devils: Switching Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier

The New Jersey Devils are going to make a switch at the center of the ice and there are some things to consider when evaluating it.

The New Jersey Devils are going to make a switch at center ahead of their game on Tuesday night against the Winnipeg Jets. Jack Hughes has played the last stretch of games with Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri and the top line and things have been going well. Nico Hischier has found great chemistry with Pavel Zacha and Jesper Bratt on the second line but with Bratt’s apparent injury keeping him out, they are going to make a switch.

Not many people are happy about this move but there are a few different things to consider. Most of the games that Jack Hughes played on the top line with Hall have come at home. Hall draws the opposition’s best players trying to shut him down but it is a little easier to control at home. They are now on the road so that job might be better suited for Nico Hischier. Nico will also be tasked with shutting down the other team’s best players more on the road so this is one benefit of the change.

Another thing to remember is that Hughes is a much different player today than he was three weeks ago. He clearly is starting to figure it out as he has seven points in his last six games. He is much more confident with the puck on his stick and has not been shy about showing his skill set. We already know that Nico Hischier can run his own line and be great in all three zones without Hall so we will see if Jack can handle it now too.

Nikita Gusev is going to slide back into the lineup and he will likely play with Hughes and Zacha. Gusev was being scratched while he works on his game in his own end because it wasn’t good, but hopefully, now these three can be the dynamic trio that is also able to defend when they need to. The best defense is puck possession and these three players can all create offense in many different ways.

Now, Hughes and Hischier swapped throughout practice so whichever version of the lineup works the best early in the game should be what they go with throughout. No matter what, both of these players have really been heating up. They both scored a goal in the same game for the first time in team history and we hope it is the first of many times that it happens. They need to both be good in order for the Devils to have success in the present and the future. Winnipeg presents a great forward group and both of these centers need to be on their game in order for them to deal with that. Expect a big game from both players.