When Jack Hughes went down for the season, the New Jersey Devils looked done, and if they’d make the playoffs, they’d stumble in. They didn’t. The Devils dropped three games in a row following the Hughes injury, but then went 8-5-1 to clinch a spot in the playoffs and a matchup in the first round with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Related: Inside the Devils’ Recent Playoff-Ready Performance
The Devils found their footing by playing defense and winning low-scoring games. They also did it with their stars leading the way, none more prominent than their captain, Nico Hischier. He’s played great at both ends of the ice and proved that after being a Selke Trophy finalist in 2023, he deserves the award this season.
With Hughes Out, Hischier Has Stepped Up
The Devils are built around Hughes. They are a speed-based team that wins with offense and by gashing opponents on the rush. With him out, the team lacks an identity, or they must pivot to win games. It’s the Hughes injury that forced Hischier to step up and emerge as the leader of the forward unit and the team altogether.
Hischier is the unsung hero of the Devils in general, a key part of the roster and their number one overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He’s seen this team at its worst, and now he is the reason they’ve become one of the best teams in the league. He doesn’t have the highlight-reel moments like Hughes or Jesper Bratt, but he’s a core part of the roster, and his skills are key for this team to build around.
With Hughes out, he has centered the top line and taken charge of the offense. In the last 13 games, he has nine goals and nine assists, with his big game coming against the Minnesota Wild on March 29 as he scored a hat trick in the 5-2 victory. He’s done it all on the offensive end of the ice while remaining a great defensive center who allows the Devils to win low-scoring games.
Hischier’s Play Defensively
The 2022-23 season was when the hockey world started to notice the impact Hischier provided in the 200-foot game. He won faceoffs, controlled the pace of the game, and played in all situations. That season, he finished with 2.8 defensive point shares and was second in Selke Trophy voting behind Patrice Bergeron (who, until he retired, was far and beyond the best defensive forward in the game).
For a Devils team that was fueled by a high-flying offense, he was the perfect two-way center to have on the roster, as he’d control the middle of the ice and start up the offense following turnovers. On top of that, when the Devils needed to win low-scoring games, Hischier was the skater they could lean on as he’d create turnovers in the middle of the ice and play the passing lanes to prevent the opposition from finding easy shots on the net.
This season has been his best yet on the defensive end of the ice. It helps that head coach Sheldon Keefe has the team playing with structure, and the Devils defend well in the neutral zone along with the defensive zone, yet Hischier’s taken it up a notch. His 2.5 defensive point shares lead forwards, and he’s continued to win faceoffs while stepping up in the shooting lanes, blocking 59 shots. He’s made his mark as one of the best defensive forwards in the game, and as the Devils finish the season strong, it’s hard to ignore his case for the Selke Trophy.
Why Hischier Might Come Up Short
Since Bergeron’s retirement, the focus on two-way forwards has gone south, literally. Aleksander Barkov took over as the best in the game, as he won the Selke Trophy in 2021 and again in 2024. He’s the best defensive center in the game, and it’s one of the reasons the Florida Panthers are a juggernaut in the Eastern Conference. Even in a season where Barkov battled injuries, the trophy remains his until it isn’t, and it explains why he’s still the odds-on favorite to win it.
Interestingly, Barkov isn’t the only forward on the Panthers who is making a strong case. Sam Reinhart emerged as an elite scorer last season with 57 goals. Now, he’s rounded out his game with 37 goals but also 2.4 defensive point shares and five shorthanded goals. His ability to kill penalties while remaining a scoring threat has particularly stood out in his case for the Selke Trophy.
Hischier has plenty of competition for the Selke this season. Along with Barkov, Anze Kopitar and Jack Eichel have proven they are elite two-way players and have helped their teams look like the two best in the Pacific Division. That said, the strong finish to the season, one where Hischier needed to be great across the board to will the Devils into the playoffs, has secured his case to win the trophy.
