Prospect Info: #13 Nico Hischier: "I love to hockey" Part II

[Offseason Champs]

It's funny people are talking about his PPP this year since I was comparing his season on a whim to Eichel and Matthews' first seasons. They finished with 56 and 61 points respectively and each had 21 of those being PPP. This kid isn't even playing on the powerplay with our first unit. Not only that, but his defensive game is incredibly sound. It's not like he's playing out of his mind or having a weird outlier lucky season either. Even Barzal with the crazy good rookie year he's having has 24 of his 76 points on the powerplay, not to mention he's 2 years older than Nico.

Cannot wait to see what this kid is doing in two years time.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

He is up to 25th in the NHL in ES points/60.

Here are some guys he is ahead of in that regard:
Ovechkin
Forsberg
Rantanen
Kopitar
Bergeron
Scheifele

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

If he didn’t go through that incredible snake bitten stretch earlier in the year he could have close to 25 goals already. His puck luck has definitely improved lately, and his overall play has too.

 

[My3Sons]

If he didn’t go through that incredible snake bitten stretch earlier in the year he could have close to 25 goals already. His puck luck has definitely improved lately, and his overall play has too.

I think even the best have stretches of bad luck. He lost some points when the Devils had an inordinate amount of goals waived off and at times he seemed to squeeze the stick a bit tight when shooting. The refs also let him get hazed into the league and allowed opponents to drive him into the boards and hit him in the back at times without consequence. That’s weak on their part. The good news is that all that is in the past and he has taken his place as a rising young player in the league. It won’t be long before he’s the two way roughly PPG 1C Jeb projects to become.

 

[njdevils19]

He is up to 25th in the NHL in ES points/60.

Here are some guys he is ahead of in that regard:
Ovechkin
Forsberg
Rantanen
Kopitar
Bergeron
Scheifele

Even just looking at ES points between him and Hall shows how good he has been. Hall has 52 ES points, Nico 43.

 

[swissexpert]

Just had a look at some Nico-Stats.

9G 9A at in his last 21 games ~ quarter-season. 1 single point scored on the PP!

That's a 32G 36A 68 points pace counting just even strength production without PP!

He has drawn 25 penalties, 9th most in the league.

15 giveaways, 40 takeaways!

These are veteran numbers, unbelievable..

 

[Devils Dominion]

Nico pays the price in the tough spots

 

[swissexpert]

The build-up to the Palmieri goal was like a deja-vu to Hall's OT goal last time.
Same opponent, same weak-draftyear rookie with the assist. Hischier steals puck from Malkin (was Kessel last time), controls it with his skates, quick pass to the blue line without even looking up, to create a breakaway that leads to a goal.

Exciting when a talented guy really loves to hockey!

 

[Speyer]

The build-up to the Palmieri goal was like a deja-vu to Hall's OT goal last time.
Same opponent, same weak-draftyear rookie with the assist. Hischier steals puck from Malkin (was Kessel last time), controls it with his skates, quick pass to the blue line without even looking up, to create a breakaway that leads to a goal.

Exciting when a talented guy really loves to hockey!

But but but he is no Matthews or McDavid...

 

[My3Sons]

Nico pays the price in the tough spots

I think it’s more that the refs let him take a beating that they’d call if it was a name player. Not sure if it’s hazing or some other petty and idiotic reason to let him have it worse than other players.

 

[mtnet]

I absolutely love how this kid seems to play more clutch as the games become more crucial. Next to Hall he's easily my favorite player this year, especially after that gwg against philly. That was the clincher!

He hit a flat spot at one point during the season when we figured he was gassed but eventually he dug deep and has shown admirable adaptation to the pro game as we progressed through the schedule.

His defensive game is a joy to watch and an aspect of his game that is already so fully developed. Then he started adding some snipes, the net front tap in vs. TBL, those reversals along the boards looking slippery as ever, that puck battle and pass to Hall to end the OT ther other night...I think we got a good one here.

I will agree he needs to be a bit smarter with protecting himself on getting bodied hard along the boards but I think his work ethic is such that such things never enter his mind. He'll get even stronger in the offseason so no worries there. Already quite strong on his skates.

 

[Call Me Al]

for like the first 3/4 of the season he was getting pushed down so easily he looked like a rag doll against stronger opponents but he seems to have figured something out and it's great to see him actually winning board battles and keep possession now. he's already so good but it's crazy to think about how good he's going to be in 3-4 years

 

[NjDevsRR]

I laugh at the people on the main boards who say he is a product of Hall. Nico has been making elite plays without Hall on the ice. Hell, Hall has been benefiting from these plays. What a player, just wait until he grows into his frame. #BEAST

 

[New Jersey]

for like the first 3/4 of the season he was getting pushed down so easily he looked like a rag doll against stronger opponents but he seems to have figured something out and it's great to see him actually winning board battles and keep possession now. he's already so good but it's crazy to think about how good he's going to be in 3-4 years

seeing him burn frankfurter phil in overtime last week was a real trip.

 

[Cheddabombs]

now has exactly double the amount of points Patrick has in only 8 more games lol

 

[DerekDevils30]

The best play he made last night was breaking up that cross-ice pass to Crosby late in the 3rd. Good chance we lose in regulation if Nico doesn't make that play

 

[Csonked Out]

now has exactly double the amount of points Patrick has in only 8 more games lol

Crazy to think there was a debate going into the draft. To be fair though, Patrick has looked pretty good since January.

 

[Blender]

Crazy to think there was a debate going into the draft. To be fair though, Patrick has looked pretty good since January.

It was pretty obvious Patrick was going to struggle to start the year with all his injuries and such. That doesn't mean he isn't going to be a very good player as well.

 

[My3Sons]

now has exactly double the amount of points Patrick has in only 8 more games lol

Forget Patrick, how does he compare to a player in an overseas men’s league?

 

[Bcap88]

Looking back at it we made the right choice. With the way we play I don't think Patrick would fit at all

 

[BomaLightDevils]

now has exactly double the amount of points Patrick has in only 8 more games lol

Wasn't Patrick on the first powerplay unit when he started to produce or was he just being rewarded with that after playing good on the 2 line??

 

[Ripshot 43]

Nico and Patrick play 2 very different games. Nico fits perfectly for our team identity now and for accelerating our rebuild. I don’t think Patrick (despite him being very good) would be able to play 1st line minutes on a pairing with Hall that has led the team all season.

 

[njdevils19]

I laugh at the people on the main boards who say he is a product of Hall. Nico has been making elite plays without Hall on the ice. Hell, Hall has been benefiting from these plays. What a player, just wait until he grows into his frame. #BEAST

Let them doubt. They will learn . In fact the slower they take the better. Any intelligent hockey fan can see his incredible potential at every section of the ice.

His game is most appreciated by watching him for multiple games. A drive by viewing doesn't do it.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Nico was flying last night.

 

[Devils Dominion]

He took over the game for a stretch in the 3rd.