The New Jersey Devils had a big offseason ahead with Sunny Mehta coming in as the new general manager. He has priorities regarding the roster and how it will look. It appears he is going to be checking off one of the bigger priorities when he signs Nico Hischier to an extension on July 1st.
New Jersey Devils and Nico Hischier Continue to Talk Extension
Hischier is entering the final year of his seven-year contract at $7.25 million AAV and is eligible for an extension when free agency opens on July 1st, 2026. Nico Hischier made it clear he wanted to stay in New Jersey, but he also wants to win. Mehta loves the Devils’ core and believes Hischier can help them win.
According to multiple reports, the Devils wanted to go long-term, like seven or eight years, while the player was looking at a three or four-year, maybe even shorter-term deal. Again, Hischier needed to be convinced that the Devils can win. As TheDevilsNation.com has been reporting, Hischier would sign a four or five-year extension.
However, there has been common ground between the two parties over the past couple of weeks. It appears all signs point to a five or six-year deal worth somewhere in the neighbourhood of $12 million a season. As Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period said on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio, this extension is expected to be finalized on July 1st.
TheDevilsNation.com Transcriptions
Scott Laughlin: “But last one here for you, Dave, as I say, I had heard towards the end of the season that there was some doubt as to whether or not Nico Hischier was going to be ready to call New Jersey his home for the rest of his career. I’m getting the sense that maybe that changed here in the last couple of days. Are you getting the same sense that the Devils and their captain are working towards something longer term?”
Dave Pagnotta: “It does seem like that. It seems likely that he’s going to ink probably a five or six-year extension with the New Jersey Devils, at a pretty solid figure, and with Sunny Metha coming in as new GM, talking to his captain right at the gate, having an understanding as to the direction of the team.
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Like the mandate is to compete, they want to run this the right way, they want to compete for a Stanley Cup, they want to add and bolster their to their roster, and obviously the Captain Nico Hischier is a big part of that, but every indication now is that I imagine on July 1 we’ll have an announcement at some point with respect to Hischier locking in to again in and around five years on an extension that could be upwards of $12 million per season to keep him in Jersey.”
Again, there was some uncertainty about how long this would take. However, GM Sunny Mehta was confident this deal would get done. Same for Hischier’s agent, Allain Roy. Now the New Jersey Devils appear to have their captain locked up as they look to move on to their next task, which is reshaping the roster.
