The New Jersey Devils have a long list of “to-dos” for this offseason. They got one huge check on their list when they hired Sunny Mehta to be their next GM. Mehta was the top candidate this offseason, as we’ve seen the following hires and how underwhelming they’ve been. Getting Mehta was the top priority, and now, Mehta can make his own to-do list.
At or near the top of that list is re-signing Nico Hischier. Of course, there have been some interesting comments at the end of the season coming from Hischier himself, but so much has happened since then that we won’t really know how he feels until July 1st. That is the first date he will be eligible for a contract extension.
There is ample discussion around what Hischier’s future looks like. Some even think he might have played his last game in New Jersey, as a failed contract negotiation might lead to a trade. The Devils cannot let another star leave without compensation, but it will be nearly impossible to replace him with someone of adequate value.
So, knowing that, let’s talk about “value.” There are so many contracts that can work as comparables. Where is the line for the Devils? What makes Mehta go “that’s too much.”
The most interesting comparable is Leon Draisaitl. Of course, Draisaitl is one of the best players in the league, but that didn’t stop him from getting a $14 million per season contract. Would we say that Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier are 80% of Draisaitl and Connor McDavid? If that’s the case, it puts Hischier’s next contract in an interesting landing spot.
Eighty percent of $14 million is $11.2 million. Would the Devils be willing to give their captain $11.2 million if he signs for the maximum eight years? This is the last time they can give a star an eight-year contract, as the new Collective Bargaining Agreement goes into effect in September, and they limit contracts to six years for UFAs signing with a new team, and seven years to players signing with their current team.
How far are the New Jersey Devils willing to go for Nico Hischier?
Would Mehta race to the NHL offices to sign this massive deal, or would he scoff at the notion and ask for even less? Personally, we think he’d be fine with this situation. It does not impact the 2026-27 salary cap, and many expect him to make big moves to shed salary. They just hired Braden Birch, who was a salary cap guru with the Florida Panthers. He should help them balance their books, even with a big Hischier contract.
So, if $11 million isn’t where Mehta says, “no thank you,” then where does that line lie?
Hitting the $12 million mark is where we feel like the Devils start to sweat. Even with the rising salary cap, only six players made $12 million or more this season. Three more get added to that list next season, including Kirill Kaprizov, who is going to make a (as of now) league-leading figure of $17 million.
Hischier is definitely not one of the nine best players in the league, but it’s about more than that. His timing is great, and his impact is hard to quantify. Sheldon Keefe uses him to stop the opponents' best lines.
Some might even say that shutting down the likes of Connor McDavis and Auston Matthews is invaluable. So, would Mehta be willing to go to $13 million? We actually think that’s where the line gets drawn pretty quickly.
The Devils cannot afford to pay Hischier $13 million when there’s a Jack Hughes contract on the horizon, and they have multiple high-priced contracts already on the books.
If the Devils came in at $12.5 million for Hischier, it would be hard to swallow, but we think they wouldn’t walk away if that was the demand. Anything more, and Hischier is playing elsewhere next season. This is the very top of the negotiation window, and it’s very unlikely it goes that high, but we have to understand the full scope of possibilities.
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