What if Nico Hischier Doesn’t Sign an Extension with the New Jersey Devils This Summer?

MONTREAL, CANADA- APRIL 5: Nico Hischier #13 of the New Jersey Devils looks on during the NHL regular season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils at the Bell Centre on April 5, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Arianne Bergeron/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images Nico Hischier, captain of the New Jersey Devils, finds himself approaching the summer prior to the final season of his current NHL contract. As such, he is eligible to sign an extension with the team this offseason that could potentially keep him with the Devils for another seven seasons beyond 2026-27.

Hischier was asked about this prior to Tuesday’s pitiful effort against the Flyers; his response was fairly non-committal and standard for the situation. This seeming indifference, however, has prompted some fans to worry that Hischier plans to leave next summer as an unrestricted free agent. Maybe it’s still way too early to plan for that scenario (technically Hischier isn’t even able to sign an extension yet) but with the negative trends around the team, it’s a warranted fear.

The Devils can’t really afford to lose a center the caliber of Hischier, yet if he decides he’s done with the inconsistency of this franchise, there’s little the team can do. The most proactive thing the Devils can do is enter negotiations and offer him a new deal as soon as their GM situation is sorted. Regardless of the what Hischier’s camp’s stance is, starting the negotiations gives them an idea of what to do.

The best case scenario is that Hischier wants to stay, enters negotiations in good faith, and eventually he and the team reach an agreement on a new deal that keeps the captain around longer. Whether it’s seven years, less than that, a good dollar amount, a slight overpay, all of that will be determined throughout the negotiations. What matters in this situation is the Devils do not lose their all-situations captain.