Devils Secure Core Leadership
Devils Sign Captain Nico Hischier to Five-Year Extension, Solidifying Core Amid Retooling Strategy
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Key Points
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Sunny Mehta publicly framed Nico Hischier as a core piece whose leadership and selflessness are highly valued, expressing a clear expectation that Hischier will lead the franchise on and off the ice for years to come.
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Hischier is described as an elite defensive center who can contribute significant offense, with career highs of 35 goals in 2024-25 and 80 points in 2022-23, underscoring the value the Devils see in keeping him at the center of the lineup.
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Analysts view the $11.7 million AAV five-year extension as a calculated balance of value and risk: the deal is about 10.3% of the cap at its start, and market projections suggest he could be worth roughly $12.3 million on average, making the pact favorable relative to market value.
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Mehta has been actively reshaping the roster this offseason, including moving Šimon Nemec, trading Jacob Markström to Florida, and adding forward depth with Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist, signaling a broader strategy to retool around a core that includes Hischier, Hughes, and Bratt.
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The extension comes amid a broader era of turnover after the Devils missed the playoffs in recent seasons and installed Sunny Mehta as general manager, with Luke Hughes developing as a potential top-pair defenseman to complement the Hischier-Hughes-Bratt core.
The New Jersey Devils locked up captain Nico Hischier on July 1 with a five-year, $58.5 million extension — worth $11.7 million per season — keeping him in New Jersey through the 2031-32 season, NHL.com reported. The deal cements Hischier as the franchise cornerstone under new GM Sunny Mehta, who took over in April after the Devils missed the playoffs for the second straight year.
Hischier, 27, was the No. 1 overall pick in 2017 and has posted 199 goals and 488 points in 609 games. He has served as captain since 2021. Mehta said plainly: "When I took this job, I knew that Nico was one of the core pieces that I definitely wanted as part of our future."
A Deal Built to Favor the Devils' Cap Future
The extension does not start until July 1, 2027. That gives New Jersey a full year of cap relief before the new money kicks in. The contract then runs through 2031-32, expiring when Hischier turns 33. Daily Faceoff reported the structure front-loads the deal: Hischier earns $14.5 million in each of the first two seasons, then steps down to $12.1 million, and finishes at $8.7 million per year.
At $11.7 million per year, the deal will eat about 10.3% of the projected 2027-28 salary cap. The New York Times called it a "home run" for New Jersey. Analysts note Hischier likely could have fetched $12.3 million or more on the open market as an unrestricted free agent, meaning the Devils got him at a slight discount.
Hischier's On-Ice Case: Defense, Faceoffs, and 35-Goal Seasons
Hischier is valued as much for defense as for offense. He was a Selke Trophy finalist in 2023 — the award given to the NHL's best defensive forward. Last season he played all 82 games, posted 28 goals and 66 points, and set a Devils franchise record with 1,008 faceoff wins, leading the entire NHL in that category.
His career high was 35 goals in 2024-25 and 80 points in 2022-23. He also captained Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Managing Partner David Blitzer said: "Since the day he was drafted, Nico has represented the New Jersey Devils with class. We couldn't be happier that he's signed this extension."
Mehta's Busy Offseason: Trades, Additions, and a Goalie Gap
Mehta moved fast after taking over on April 16. He traded defenseman Šimon Nemec to Calgary for draft picks and prospect Etienne Morin. Then, hours before the Hischier signing, he sent goaltender Jacob Markstrom and Angus Crookshank to Florida. In return, New Jersey got forwards Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, and Ben Steeves.
The Markstrom trade leaves the Devils without a proven starting goalie. Analysts at Daily Faceoff gave the moves a "B+" grade but flagged the "high-pressure void" in net as an urgent problem heading into 2026-27. Names like Minnesota's Filip Gustavsson have already surfaced as possible targets. Head coach Sheldon Keefe will return for another season, Mehta confirmed.
A Big Three Built to Last Through 2031-32
With Hischier signed, New Jersey's top line core is locked in. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt are both under contract alongside Hischier. The focus now shifts to Luke Hughes, Jack's younger brother, who is developing into a potential top-pair defenseman to fill the void left by Nemec's departure.
The Devils missed the playoffs in 11 of the last 14 seasons. Mehta's strategy is a "calculated retool" — not a full teardown. By keeping Hischier, Hughes, and Bratt together now, the team avoids a reset while buying time to fix its roster edges. Mehta brought two Stanley Cups to Florida as assistant GM. Devils fans are betting he can bring one to Newark.
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