After weeks of uncertainty on his future, the Devils began the free agency period assuring its captain would remain in New Jersey.
Nico Hischier has signed a five-year contract extension on July 1 with the club that drafted him No. 1 overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, the club announced. The 27-year old Hischier will make $58.5 million in a contract that takes effect during the 2027-28 season. Hischier will earn an average annual value of $11.7 million per season through the 2031-32 season.
“New Jersey has been home for me, so I’m super, super excited we got to an agreement,” Hischier said. “Now we can get back to work.”
Hischier was entering the final year of a seven-year, $50.75 million contract, an average annual value of $7.25 million.
“When I took this job, I knew that Nico was one of the core pieces that I definitely wanted as part of our future,” said general manager Sunny Mehta in a team statement. “The way he plays the game, his leadership, and selflessness are qualities we value for this team. We all look forward to him leading this franchise, on and off the ice, for years to come.”
Hischier’s contract extension is the early highlight of Mehta’s first offseason as general manager on the first day of free agency across the NHL. It also caps a busy week for the Devils leading up to free agency.
On June 23, the Devils traded away former first-round pick Simon Nemec in a deal with Calgary to obtain two first-round draft picks among other assets. On June 25, the Devils dealt a fourth-round picks in separate trades with Detroit and Washington for Amadeus Lombardi and Declan Chisholm respectively. On the eve of free agency beginning, the Devils acquired Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Bovquist and Ben Steeves in a five-player trade with the Florida Panthers, dealing away goalie Jacob Markstrom in the June 30 trade.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Devils keep captain Nico Hischier with five-year contract extension
