The New Jersey Devils have named Nico Hischier captain ahead of his first game this season. He is the 19th captain in the history of the Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts franchise and the 12th since the team re-located to New Jersey in 1982.
Hischier has missed the Devils' first 11 games of the season due to a leg injury suffered in off-season training followed by some time on the COVID-19 list. By being activated for Saturday's game against the Buffalo Sabres, Hischier is the 19th and final Devils player to be removed from the NHL's COVID-19 protocols list after the team was forced to postpone four games due to an outbreak.
The 22-year-old Hischier is entering his fourth season with the Devils after being selected first overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. A speedy centre, he has 51 goals and 135 points in 209 career games.
He replaced Andy Greene as captain after the veteran defenceman was traded last season and is the third Swiss-born captain in NHL history.
