3 Current New Jersey Devils Players Who Could Make Hall of Fame

2. Nico Hischier

This one is another easy one, but we promise it won’t be a list of “best Devils,” this one is just too easy to ignore. Nico Hischier is the captain of a team that hopes to contend for a long, long time. That always go far in Hall of Fame voting when it comes to a player of Hischier’s nature. He’s not likely going to be the best player on the team. It’s not his fault. He just plays with Jack Hughes. However, if he’s the leader of this team and continues doing what he did last season, it would be a real conversation for the Hall of Fame.

Unlike Hughes, Hischier took some time to hit his peak offensively. He finally found that next level, putting up 80 points along with his first 30-goal season. Hischier has always had the defensive part of his game down. He’s always been one of the Devils’ penalty-killing skaters. It’s one aspect of his game where he excels. This past season, he finally found his offense.

Hischier was nominated for the Selke Trophy for the first time this season. That is fundamental in his Hall of Fame case. If he’s going to be one of those players who is constantly nominated for the award and eventually win the trophy, that is going to be something voters pay attention to. Selke Trophies aren’t an automatic for the Hall of Fame (35 percent of winners are in the Hall), but that’s also because none of the recent winners are eligible. The last winner that’s actually eligible is Rod Brind’Amour. He won in 2007.

Patrice Bergeron is a Hall of Famer. Pavel Datsyuk is a Hall of Famer. Jonathan Toews and Anze Kopitar are almost definitely Hall of Famers. That will really help the numbers. If Hischier does this for the next 5-10 years, he’s a Hall of Famer.