Nico Hischier, the first overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, is about to sign a monster extension with the New Jersey Devils.
According to Pierre LeBrun, the Swiss forward is about to sign a seven-year extension worth $7.25 million per season.
Hearing that the New Jersey Devils are close to signing Nico Hischier to a seven-year extension worth around $7.25 M AAV per season. Hischier is in the final year of his entry-level deal.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) October 18, 2019
The deal would kick in next season after Hischier’s entry-level contract ends.
Breakdown of Nico Hischier's $50.75M, seven-year extension with #NJDevils:
$3M SB/$4M salary
$7.25M salary
$4.5M salary
$7.75M salary
$7.75M salary
$8M salary
$8.5M salary— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 18, 2019
After two full years with the Devils, the 20-year-old, two-way center has averaged 19 goals and 31 assists per season. During six games this season, he has two assists. He centers the Devils top line.
#NJDevils also announced the forward lines for today:
Hall-Hischier-Palmieri
Wood-Zajac-Coleman
Boqvist-Hughes-Simmonds
Bratt-Zacha-Gusev— Devils Army Blog (@DevilsArmyBlog) October 14, 2019
While the Devils are paying top dollar for a player that hasn’t become a superstar yet, the extension appears to take away three of Hischier’s free agency years during his prime. NHL players can become unrestricted free agents when they are 27 years of age or older or have seven accrued NHL seasons.
Kyle Connor and Clayton Keller were seen as comparables. Both of them signed for apparently slightly less than Hischier, Connor for 7 years and Keller for 8. https://t.co/j4M3vlnHKu
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) October 18, 2019
Here's the group of players who have signed for 7+ years and 7+ million per as recent pending RFAs:
Connor McDavid
Jack Eichel
Leon Draisaitl
Thomas Chabot*
Aaron Ekblad
Kyle Connor
Clayton Keller**Contract starts next season https://t.co/7nFP4Jvgpc
— Corey Masisak (@cmasisak22) October 18, 2019
Update: The contract is official. The Devils just announced it on social media.
#WeAreTheOnes who are committed to Jersey.
The #NJDevils today signed center Nico Hischier to a seven-year contract extension with an average annual value of $7,250,000.
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) October 18, 2019
That new contract smile 😄 pic.twitter.com/klWduKf49r
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) October 18, 2019
Headline photo: @nicohischier
