In this edition of the hotstove, we share our thoughts on Nico Hischier’s seven-year, $7.25 million AAV extension with the New Jersey Devils.
Todd Cordell
I think it is a great deal for the Devils. As an 18+19 year-old, Nico Hischier was a more efficient point producer at 5v5 than high-end centers like Mark Scheifele, Sean Couturier and Logan Couture. He was also very effective at driving possession and few players managed to draw penalties at such a high clip. That’s why he grades out so highly in catch-all stats like EvolvingHockey’s Goals Above Replacement, where Hischier slots 25th among all forwards since entering the league.
He’s a fantastic two-way player who can put up points in the most difficult gamestate to score, and help his team pile up power play opportunities. All he needs to do is take the next step on the man advantage, which should be easier now that he no longer needs to share the ice with guys like Drew Stafford and Brian Boyle.
James Tanner The Devils made a smart play here. Instead of waiting until he breaks out and becomes the point per game player he's destined to be, they got the deal done early. It's going to save them a lot of money.
The advanced stats paint a picture of a player well on his way to becoming one of the NHL's best all-round players. This is a great deal and time will make it extremely cheap.
Of course, the established precedent for analyzing these things is to look at his decline in points from his rookie season to last year and say it's too much for too long. Typical NHL media, but the reality is this will prove to be one of the leagues most team-friendly contracts for year to come.
Michael Stuart I really like the deal. Term without the accompanying stupid money in today's RFA climate is something we don't see that often. So, for the Devils to get a proven 50+ point player locked up on that sort of deal makes oodles of sense. The $7.25M number is palatable today, and has the potential to be a real steal in the future if Hischier continues to develop and grow.
On another note, I wonder if this deal sends a message to Taylor Hall as a pending-UFA. The Devils are committing to their young, good players, and those young, good players are reciprocating. A deal like this in isolation doesn't mean much, but if it's something that shows Hall that the Devils are ready to compete now and in the future, perhaps it helps them get a contract extension done.
Recent posts