‘We’ll see what happens:’ Nico Hischier on future with Devils

It’s been a turbulent season in Newark for the New Jersey Devils, who are poised to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs by quite some distance in a season in which they were pegged by many as legitimate Cup contenders back in October.

After plenty of speculation that he would be let go after the season, the Devils parted ways with general manager Tom Fitzgerald on Monday with time still remaining on the regular season calendar.

On Tuesday, ahead of their game at the Prudential Center against the Philadelphia Flyers, Devils players met with the media. That includes captain Nico Hischier, who was asked about his future with one year remaining on his contract after this one.

“I’m focusing on playing hockey here,” Hischier told reporters, when asked about his future by James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now. “I still have one more year. So I’m with the Devils right now, and then we’ll see what happens.”

Hischier is in the sixth season of a seven-year pact that carries a salary cap hit of $7.25 million. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2017 NHL Draft has spent his entire career with New Jersey, and his willingness to publicly leave the door open to leaving is notable, even if expected given the unknown of who comes next in the general manager’s chair.

The Switzerland native has 62 points in 77 games played this season, and despite the fact that he has not played a full 82-game season since his rookie year, he has played at least 70 games in five consecutive campaigns.

If Hischier were to become available, whether as an unrestricted free agent or on the trade market this off-season, there would be no shortage of interested suitors for a center with plenty of runway left in his 20s with a leadership background and experience of high usage in all situations.